The Focus Factor

                                                    

One of the main features of most cameras is the focus button. This is designed to bring the target person, area or thing into sharp view and allow the photographer to concentrate on it and make it the central part of the image.

The writer to the Hebrews had this thought in mind when he encourages us in Hebrews 3:1 to fix our thoughts on Jesus. He urges us to fully concentrate on Jesus.

It is natural for the human mind to be straying and wandering and our thoughts become scattered.

It requires discipline and will power to focus. The mind is powerful and can be a tremendous tool if we can control it and get it to work in our best interest.

We may start out thinking about a particular issue or project and we begin framing it and putting it together. Somewhere in the middle of this thought process, we get distracted, and our thoughts shift to something else that has no relevance to the matter at hand.

It is easy during our group Bible studies or devotional times to fix our thoughts on Jesus. It only takes one email or phone call to shift our thoughts. We go off in a completely opposite direction.

There is a constant battle for our thoughts. We are busy people;  we are task oriented and try to get things done and meet deadlines.

It is during these times that the lens gets blurred, and we lose focus.

The writer knew that those tendencies exist, so he continued his exhortation in Ch 12:1-2:

Let us throw off everything that hinders. Let us run with patience. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.

Why do we do this? He clarifies it in vs 3 – “so that you will not grow weary and lose heart”.

As we get strung out with stuff, fatigue sets in. We get faint and weary, and life becomes a struggle, and we would like to give up.

The way to deal with the things we face, is to focus our thoughts on Jesus, focus our eyes on Jesus.

The writer ends Hebrews Ch 12 with this exhortation: Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful and worship God acceptably.

Let us look forward and stay focused.