Fix Our Eyes On Jesus

Living in God’s will. There is nothing like the delight of knowing you are walking the path that the Lord has outlined for you. It is truly fulness of joy.

This area is one of those kinds of things like “I would be a great mother if it weren’t for my kids!” For my purpose today let’s change it a bit, “I would be a great follower of Jesus if it weren’t for the world!” I mean, seriously, I would be an awesome Christian if the world didn’t keep getting my off track!

It sounds ridiculous when said like that, but, that is often how I can live. Following Christ is wonderful, until people get involved. I can be so enthusiastic about the calling I have received from Jesus, but all of a sudden I am talking to someone else about my dreams and something happens.

My bubble pops. My balloon deflates. My enthusiasm is gone.

Being a daughter at home isn’t all that I envisioned it to be. The books made it all sound, well rather glamorous. To be a virtuous daughter at home, to serve your family wholeheartedly while waiting for "Princy" to ride up, was all there was after high school. However, soon reality hits. “Oh, so this is what being a stay-at-home daughter really is.” The glamour fades (or never existed).

Then there is prison ministry. I love, LOVE prison ministry!!!!! It has changed me forever and I have watched other’s lives be forever changed, but it isn’t conventional. It isn’t what most 20-year-old girls do. So, there is the proverbial conversation.

She is a sweet looking grandmotherly type, intrigued by your unusually large family in skirts all trooping in like ducks. She makes general inquiries, but soon it turns to other waters. “So, what do you do? Have you finished high school? Are you going to college?” (This last question comes because I don’t look my age. Traditionally if I was going to college, I would be halfway through!) “Well, I have graduated, but I am not planning on going to college. I am just at home right now with my family. I enjoy being at home. I teach Sunday School, and help out in the home and am involved in prison ministry.”

“Oh.” That answer about sums it up. Yup. No glamour, no awards, no accolades, no degrees. No one really knows what to do with that answer, especially the prison ministry part.

One night I came home discouraged. We had been to a cattle talk dinner and I came home defeated. I had been talking to that nice lady figure and the usual question had been asked and answered with my usual answer, but I allowed Satan to come in and before I knew it, lies were planted and believed. In tears, I sat on my parent's bed as I poured out my sad story to my wonderful mother. She listened but didn’t allow me to sit in my self-pity. She spoke the truth and prayed over me and allowed the Holy Spirit to do the rest.

Again it happened at Thanksgiving. I had been talking to my grandmother about some of my secret plans that had been growing in my head and my enthusiasm showed as I beamed about how content I was with life and with singleness. I was very confident in His will at that moment, but then later after a conversation with my sister about some of her future dream and plans, it all changed.

Suddenly, my total perception has changed because my perspective has changed. No longer was I excited about the life that was being laid out before me, I was discontented and discouraged because I didn’t have the life or future of another.  

As I mulled this over with the Lord, I came to realize a very important truth.

I lost my view of Jesus.

 This isn’t a new issue. It is an issue that began back in the garden. Eve lost perspective of what really mattered. We can look at Eve and be like “Come on girl! Get it together! You have everything! The perfect marriage, the perfect relationship with your Creator, the perfect house with the perfect décor, I mean, really? You have EVERYTHING, and you lost it all for a lousy piece of fruit! Wassup woman?”

The answer is simple. She lost the perspective of God. She lost everything worth having because of she lost sight of what she had really been created for.

That is so what I do. I can lose sight of everything worth having over a lousy piece of “fruit”. When people get in the way, when I care more the affirmation of men than I do of my Creator, I have lost sight of my Jesus and I am eating that “fruit” that I think will satisfy me, but in reality only causes me grief and never will satisfy me like my Creator can.

So, He has been teaching me to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus.

I have been given a great commission, the greatest commission. To glorify God and enjoy Him forever. My calling has been tailor-made for me! So who cares if the world disagrees or mocks or thinks I am crazy? I want to be crazy! Crazy in love with Jesus and His calling on my life.  I am a runner headed toward the goal line, I don’t stop for anything. Nothing detains me. Nothing holds me back. Nothing distracts me. I have been given a race to run and I want to run well.

Don’t hold back, girls because of what others think. Run the race well. Run with patience and you will receive the lasting and eternal reward.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus……