Focused Faith

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.”  —Hebrews 12:2

Although I drive nearly 99% of the time, my wife never sleeps while I drive. She says that someone has to watch the road. Guilty as charged. I often look for wild game, natural beauty, and interesting people while I drive. My car must have some kind of telepathic steering feature because it turns whatever direction I look.

At a recent Unity Meal, Pastor Gary Tustin related a news story about a young teen that died in a car accident. Emergency personnel found a cell phone with a partial text message on it. Her cell phone and the text message became a “fatal distraction” to her. We must all beware of fatal distractions in ministry and in life. Gratefully, our Commonwealth has passed a law against texting while driving before I really caught on to that level of multi-tasking.

“How the mighty have fallen!” is the chorus that David sang as he mourned the death of King Saul and Jonathan (2 Sam. 1:19). In recent history, we have watched many mighty ones: presidents, candidates, coaches, teachers, pastors, priests, bishops, husbands, and wives fall due to fatal distractions. How amazing and shocking. How frail and vulnerable we are. One minute, someone is celebrating their rise to the top, enjoying unbridled success, and the next moment, they crash and burn.

One way to avoid fatal distractions is by focusing our eyes and attention on the right thing. This past week, I heard a new definition of worship given by Dr. J. D. Walt of Asbury Seminary. Worship is “the Spirit empowered capacity to pay sustained attention to God.” Hebrews 12 exhorts us to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” If are eyes are fixed on Jesus Christ, worldly distractions will be less attractive.

The technology age with all its benefits has definitely brought one dangerous by-product. Smart phones and ipads with tweets, texting, and updates have caused us to give continuous partial attention to everything. We give partial attention to the warm-blooded person right in front of us so we can check our most recent text, tweet, or facebook update. Continuous partial attention cuts against a Christian’s faith and a worshipping life.

The world with all its cares and allurements seeks to obscure our view of a Christ-centered life. In the Parable of the Sower, “The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature” (Luke 8:14). Remember Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha? “Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he [Jesus] said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made” (Luke 10:39-40). Mary was focused while Martha was distracted.

What kind of faith do you have? Do you have a focused faith that pays sustained attention to the Lord? Or do you have a faith that is distracted by the cares and worries of this life? Life is full of possible fatal distractions, but Jesus is the only way to life in all its fullness. In the face of all the crises and demands of this life, Jesus invites us to come to Him and find rest and peace.