Have you noticed that it is difficult to recognize people wearing masks? I have caught myself several times staring at people seeing if I recognize them. I have also blown by people I know because I didn’t recognize them till I was quite a ways past. As kids, you are told not to stare because it is rude, but Hebrews tells us that you are to fix your eyes on Jesus.
HEBREWS 12:2
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Gaze Upon the Lord
Take a moment and ponder this verse. The writer of Hebrews is telling us to fix our eyes on Jesus. The means to stare without looking away. In our attention-deficit world, that is foreign to most people. When you fix your eyes on Jesus, you are supposed to look for a long time. It also means that you are to take in all of His glory. Put this into your daily routine. Just gaze upon the Lord by shutting your eyes and picturing Him in your mind. Let the Holy Spirit fill in the details.
All Part of the Joy
Jesus is the one who created faith and the one who continues to perfect it in you. It started with the cross and ended when He sat at the right hand of His Father. In this passage, we are told: “who for the joy set before Him.” Everything He did in our redemption was a great joy for Him. Enduring the cross and being shamefully treated were all part of that joy. This shows us the joy is not a feeling based on emotions but on doing God’s will.
Fix Your Eyes on Jesus
You fix your eyes on Jesus because He is everything you need. It starts with your faith and continues to your sanctification. Trust Him in your daily walk. Ask questions when you aren’t sure. Make Jesus a permanent fixture in your life.