"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" Hebrews 12:2
You
hear the term "eyes on" a lot in popular culture these days. The idea
is one of total focus upon that which we're looking at. We sing, preach,
and talk a lot about living with our eyes upon Jesus. How we actually
do live can be another matter altogether.
I forget the source of this, but I have in my prayer journal the three kinds of "theology" that those who profess faith in Him can live by. The first is a "Mirror theology." This is where we filter our perception and hope in Him through the self. We, and that which concerns us, are the center of everything. Our eyes are set upon ourselves. Everything else, including the King, is outside of that center....The second life theology is "Window theology." This is where we place everything that is going on around us at the forefront. This can include a very great mixture of what we would consider both "good" and "bad" things. We can be very focused on our circumstances, needs, or the circumstances and needs of others. We can be living in fear of them, or we can be actively seeking to change them. Whatever our reaction, and no matter how much energy we may be expending in trying to do "good," our focus is still on what is going on around us. We're "eyes on" with what is happening outside the window we're looking through. They, like the self, have our attention, and so, they have control over us....The last theology is likely the most elusive. This is "Skylight theology." We are neither looking inward, focused on ourselves, or outward, focused on our circumstances, but upward, focused on Him alone. We are "eyes on" with Christ the King. John, held prisoner on the island of Patmos, could have easily been living in both a mirror and window theology. He chose not to. With all that was happening in and around him, Revelations 4:1 reads, "Then as I looked I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast. The voice said, 'Come up here and I will show you what must happen after these things.' " .............Those of us who are committed to living out a mirror or window theology will not be hearing the sound of the mighty trumpet blast in our lives. We have to live looking up for that.
Henry Blackaby writes much about how easily we can become disoriented to the Father through self-interest and and the power of circumstances. Such a life distracts and distorts, and that is how we end up living; distracted and distorted. We need to be reoriented to God, but that can only happen when we live eyes on with Jesus Christ. the author and finisher of our faith. The beginning and end of all that we see.
A missionary grandmother named Cheryl tells this story about she and her husband's contact with their granddaughter while far removed from her on the mission field. They kept in touch with her through weekly sessions via computer webcam. In one such time they were talking to the little girl when, in frustration, she pointed to herself and said, "I'm right here, I'm right here." They had been looking at the screen, and doing so made them look down, not up at their granddaughter. She thought they were looking at everything but her. The missionary then wrote, "I began to think of the distractions in my life and the times I look down instead of up. I think God is often saying to me, 'I'm right here, I'm right here! Look at Me!' It's only when my eyes are focused on Christ that I gain a proper perspective on everything and fully experience His joy and peace."
I forget the source of this, but I have in my prayer journal the three kinds of "theology" that those who profess faith in Him can live by. The first is a "Mirror theology." This is where we filter our perception and hope in Him through the self. We, and that which concerns us, are the center of everything. Our eyes are set upon ourselves. Everything else, including the King, is outside of that center....The second life theology is "Window theology." This is where we place everything that is going on around us at the forefront. This can include a very great mixture of what we would consider both "good" and "bad" things. We can be very focused on our circumstances, needs, or the circumstances and needs of others. We can be living in fear of them, or we can be actively seeking to change them. Whatever our reaction, and no matter how much energy we may be expending in trying to do "good," our focus is still on what is going on around us. We're "eyes on" with what is happening outside the window we're looking through. They, like the self, have our attention, and so, they have control over us....The last theology is likely the most elusive. This is "Skylight theology." We are neither looking inward, focused on ourselves, or outward, focused on our circumstances, but upward, focused on Him alone. We are "eyes on" with Christ the King. John, held prisoner on the island of Patmos, could have easily been living in both a mirror and window theology. He chose not to. With all that was happening in and around him, Revelations 4:1 reads, "Then as I looked I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me with the sound of a mighty trumpet blast. The voice said, 'Come up here and I will show you what must happen after these things.' " .............Those of us who are committed to living out a mirror or window theology will not be hearing the sound of the mighty trumpet blast in our lives. We have to live looking up for that.
Henry Blackaby writes much about how easily we can become disoriented to the Father through self-interest and and the power of circumstances. Such a life distracts and distorts, and that is how we end up living; distracted and distorted. We need to be reoriented to God, but that can only happen when we live eyes on with Jesus Christ. the author and finisher of our faith. The beginning and end of all that we see.
A missionary grandmother named Cheryl tells this story about she and her husband's contact with their granddaughter while far removed from her on the mission field. They kept in touch with her through weekly sessions via computer webcam. In one such time they were talking to the little girl when, in frustration, she pointed to herself and said, "I'm right here, I'm right here." They had been looking at the screen, and doing so made them look down, not up at their granddaughter. She thought they were looking at everything but her. The missionary then wrote, "I began to think of the distractions in my life and the times I look down instead of up. I think God is often saying to me, 'I'm right here, I'm right here! Look at Me!' It's only when my eyes are focused on Christ that I gain a proper perspective on everything and fully experience His joy and peace."
We'll live "eyes
on" with something or someone. Is that Someone Christ, and is that
something His joy, peace, life, and love. Or, are we trapped in the
morass of a mirror and window theology that keeps us seeing everything
and everyone but Him and the fullness of His Life? There is a mighty
trumpet blast to be heard, and a window open in heaven for us to see, as
John did, the Father on His throne, and the Son, at His right hand. Do
we hear, and do we see? Or, do we go on looking into the mirror, and out
of the window?
Blessings,
Pastor O
Blessings,
Pastor O
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