DON’T LOSE FOCUS!
DON’T LOSE FOCUS!
For the sake of your name, Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. —Psalm 25:11
Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. —Psalm 25:16-17
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. —Acts 20:24
I am so glad that our Lord does not need me to accomplish what He desires. He is God and He does not “need” anyone or anything. He is self-existent— “And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25). How gracious He is that He has given me life? His grace is surely amazing!
My one desire, like Paul’s, is to finish the race with perseverance that He has marked out for me (Hebrews 12:1-2). Oh that I would complete the task He has given to me— “the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” This “good news of God’s grace” is such an overwhelming joy. He is so patient. He is so forgiving. He is so understanding. He is so compassionate. He is so helpful. He is so kind. He is so encouraging. He is so, so many things that flow from His grace— God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. How fortunate I am!
There are times, unfortunately, that we become discouraged. Life in this fallen world does, regrettably, have an impact on us. We fail… we have troubles of heart… we sin… we have anguish… we feel afflicted… we feel lonely and sometimes just want to be alone. It is not a good place to be and surely not a good place to stay. Fortunately we have “a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:14-15). Yes, it is good that we can go to this “Friend” and He knows all about everything. He knows all about us. He knows the motivations of our heart. He knows… and He can be trusted 100% of the time! Just keep running the race and while running the race it is so important to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus” as we are running this race! Yes, keep your eyes on Him! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_aVFVveJNs
Dear Father I am so glad to have Jesus as my Friend as well as my Lord, my Creator and my Sustainer. What a joy it is to know Him and to know He loves me. What more, really, could I ask? It is enough… and may I be faithful to serve Him… imperfectly as I may. But… it is my heart’s desire to love Him fully and serve Him faithfully. May I do so and leave the results with You by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. Yes, may this be so!