EYES ON THE PRIZE
Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”
Luke 9:62 (NIV)
Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him… I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 1:7a, 8 (NIV)
A common way the enemy works is to cause us to focus on the past. And when we have our eyes on the past, we are often crippled, unable to move forward with passion, purpose and joy.
I played quite a bit of sports growing up. I had the opportunity to achieve all sorts of medals, trophies and pins. After I moved out of the house, my mom kept all of those awards on the shelves in my room. Whenever I went home, I would see the awards and be reminded of good times with friends and the challenges we faced and conquered together. There’s something to be said about remembering successes and lessons learned along the way, but I feel sad for people whose best days seem to be in the past. You know, the football players who talk with their buddies about how great that High School championship was or the track records they set. It’s as if there’s nothing, or not much, to live for because the glory days all seem to be in the past.
But that’s not how Jesus works. If you’ve stepped into a relationship with Jesus, your best days are always ahead. No matter what you’ve been through or what you’re currently facing, God will either bring you up (heal, strengthen, etc.) in this life or eventually in the life to come. And if we keep our eyes on that prize, we’ll be freed from the past and the sin that so easily entangles us and will move forward with greater passion and purpose. This journey of faith requires intentional focus. We cannot afford to allow the distractions of thoughts from the past to take our attention off the prize. Let’s keep looking forward. Together.
APPLICATION: Meditate on today’s Scriptures and ask God to fill you with anticipation of what’s ahead. Imagine what it will feel like to be freed from the regrets and wounds of the past and to experience the freedom that awaits you.
PRAYER: God, I pray You’ll fill me with hope. I pray You’ll help me keep my eyes on the freedom and life that awaits me as I grow closer and closer to You. Amen.
“… Our Father in heaven…” Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
- What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
“… may Your name be kept holy.” Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
- What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
“May Your Kingdom come soon.” Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
- Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
“Give us today the food we need,” Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
- Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I’m around today?
“and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us” Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
- Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
“And don’t let us yield to temptation…” Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
- Is there anywhere I’m vulnerable to temptation?