Focus, Focus, Focus by Ann-Louise
Posted February 16, 2009
Merriam-Webster has defined the word ‘focus’ in a variety of ways. The ‘focus’ here (pun intended) is upon the intransitive verb which describes the way in which we ‘concentrate attention or effort’.
On the football field, if focus is lost by either the quarterback or his teammates, the result, as Brett Favre knows first hand, can be a very painful sack. As a few Olympic speed skaters discovered last week, focus lost by one misstep or nudge is all it takes for a skater to careen off the track into the padded sidewalls and, effectively, out of the race.
If focus is lost while driving a vehicle, as I experienced a few days ago, the results can be disastrous. Praise God, no one was hurt and the only vehicle damaged was mine, but the collision would have been avoided if I had taken the time to check my mirrors and focus upon my surroundings.
For an athlete, the ultimate goal is the end zone or finish line. For us as believers, the ultimate goal is our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and our eternal home in heaven with Him. As we “run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1), we also need to be aware of what is in behind, beside and in front of us.
Focus, focus, focus.
1. Focus on what is behind us
We need to know where we have come from and see where God has brought us.
God speaks of memorials 22 times in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Why did God place emphasize memories so much to Israel? He did not want them to forget all of the wonderful things He had done for them.
In Psalm 103 David said,
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies…”
No matter what lies in the past – the pain, heartache, mistakes and foolishness we’ve all experiences, if you know Christ, you also know that God’s redemption, forgiveness, healing, lovingkindness and tender mercies must never be forgotten. He has done great things in my life. He has done great things in your life. We must focus on these things and never forget them.
When Jesus instituted the observance which we now call the Lord’s Supper or communion, He said, “…this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). As we partake, we remember and focus upon His great sacrifice on our behalf.
2. Focus on what is beside us
When driving a car, we have to be aware of the vehicle behind us, but if we drove down the road focusing solely on the rear view mirror, we wouldn’t get very far. In the same way, you and I need to be aware of the past, but not allow it to become our only focus. Most of us have some feeling of regret over past decisions or past hurts. No matter what caused us to stumble, God has provided for complete cleansing, health and wholeness. It’s here; it’s real; it’s now. But, we have to use it for it to be effective.
As we noted above, we need to remember where we have come from and the great things God has done for us, but we can’t get stuck in the past. Sometimes believers get so caught up in the past that they fail to use what God has provided. They fail to focus on the immediate and miss what God wants to do for them in the here and now. The past hangs around their neck like a chain weighing them down and strangling their ability to see God’s purpose and provision for them now.
The fender-bender I had last week was entirely my fault. My van has big mirrors but I failed to use them. Side mirrors help us to see what is next to us. God wants us to see what and who is next to us on this road of life. First and foremost, we need to focus on our relationship with our Savior. The wonderful thing about our relationship with Him is the fact that He sees our past, yet because of His blood shed for us, He also sees our potential and our future. He has already completed this journey yet He is travelling the road again… right alongside of you and right alongside of me. He is right here with us to lead, direct and guide us down the road of life. When we begin to understand that He is all we need, focusing primarily upon Him instead of the rear view mirror, the journey becomes a daily, moment by moment joy instead of a daily, moment by moment chore.
When we begin to refocus, we will see others around us who need the same focus on the same Savior who loves them and sees their potential. Taking the journey, holding Jesus’ hand, sharing our faith and the great things God has done is what the Christian life is supposed to be.
3. Focus on what is in front of us
Paul was very much focused upon those around him, as his life, preaching, relationships and his writings show. He shares with the church at Philippi that he has left the past in the past and is now focused on what’s ahead… on the great things God has in store for him, “…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…” (Phil. 3:13). His focus was on “…the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…” (verse14).
Matthew Henry writes that this passage reveals Paul’s “…great concern to become more and more like unto Christ.”
Shouldn’t that be also our focus? As we look to the future, yearning for heaven, our focus along the way should be that of “great concern to become more and more like unto Christ.”
How do we re-focus so that our “great concern” is “to become more and more like unto Christ”? The best place to begin is by examining what the Father focuses on. When Jesus came up from the water following His baptism, the Father spoke, saying, “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him” (Mt. 17:5, MSG).
A person will become like the thing they delight in. The person who delights in the bright lights and action of the casino will become a gambler. The person who delights in the feeling they get from indulging in alcohol will become a drunkard.
A person who delights in the Lord Jesus Christ, delights in hearing His voice, and delights in His Word will become like Him. As we focus upon Him, we will focus on the things that please Him and bring Him glory, having that “great concern to become more and more like unto Christ”.
Focus, focus, focus
God wants us to live in the moment, unencumbered by the past, yet remembering what He has done, and looking forward to what lies ahead as we continue the journey for His glory.
I pray we will all focus, focus, focus as Paul did:
“I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us” (Phil. 3:14-15, MSG).
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On the football field, if focus is lost by either the quarterback or his teammates, the result, as Brett Favre knows first hand, can be a very painful sack. As a few Olympic speed skaters discovered last week, focus lost by one misstep or nudge is all it takes for a skater to careen off the track into the padded sidewalls and, effectively, out of the race.
If focus is lost while driving a vehicle, as I experienced a few days ago, the results can be disastrous. Praise God, no one was hurt and the only vehicle damaged was mine, but the collision would have been avoided if I had taken the time to check my mirrors and focus upon my surroundings.
For an athlete, the ultimate goal is the end zone or finish line. For us as believers, the ultimate goal is our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and our eternal home in heaven with Him. As we “run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1), we also need to be aware of what is in behind, beside and in front of us.
Focus, focus, focus.
1. Focus on what is behind us
We need to know where we have come from and see where God has brought us.
God speaks of memorials 22 times in the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Why did God place emphasize memories so much to Israel? He did not want them to forget all of the wonderful things He had done for them.
In Psalm 103 David said,
“Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;
Who redeemeth thy life from destruction;
who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies…”
No matter what lies in the past – the pain, heartache, mistakes and foolishness we’ve all experiences, if you know Christ, you also know that God’s redemption, forgiveness, healing, lovingkindness and tender mercies must never be forgotten. He has done great things in my life. He has done great things in your life. We must focus on these things and never forget them.
When Jesus instituted the observance which we now call the Lord’s Supper or communion, He said, “…this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). As we partake, we remember and focus upon His great sacrifice on our behalf.
2. Focus on what is beside us
When driving a car, we have to be aware of the vehicle behind us, but if we drove down the road focusing solely on the rear view mirror, we wouldn’t get very far. In the same way, you and I need to be aware of the past, but not allow it to become our only focus. Most of us have some feeling of regret over past decisions or past hurts. No matter what caused us to stumble, God has provided for complete cleansing, health and wholeness. It’s here; it’s real; it’s now. But, we have to use it for it to be effective.
As we noted above, we need to remember where we have come from and the great things God has done for us, but we can’t get stuck in the past. Sometimes believers get so caught up in the past that they fail to use what God has provided. They fail to focus on the immediate and miss what God wants to do for them in the here and now. The past hangs around their neck like a chain weighing them down and strangling their ability to see God’s purpose and provision for them now.
The fender-bender I had last week was entirely my fault. My van has big mirrors but I failed to use them. Side mirrors help us to see what is next to us. God wants us to see what and who is next to us on this road of life. First and foremost, we need to focus on our relationship with our Savior. The wonderful thing about our relationship with Him is the fact that He sees our past, yet because of His blood shed for us, He also sees our potential and our future. He has already completed this journey yet He is travelling the road again… right alongside of you and right alongside of me. He is right here with us to lead, direct and guide us down the road of life. When we begin to understand that He is all we need, focusing primarily upon Him instead of the rear view mirror, the journey becomes a daily, moment by moment joy instead of a daily, moment by moment chore.
When we begin to refocus, we will see others around us who need the same focus on the same Savior who loves them and sees their potential. Taking the journey, holding Jesus’ hand, sharing our faith and the great things God has done is what the Christian life is supposed to be.
3. Focus on what is in front of us
Paul was very much focused upon those around him, as his life, preaching, relationships and his writings show. He shares with the church at Philippi that he has left the past in the past and is now focused on what’s ahead… on the great things God has in store for him, “…forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before…” (Phil. 3:13). His focus was on “…the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus…” (verse14).
Matthew Henry writes that this passage reveals Paul’s “…great concern to become more and more like unto Christ.”
Shouldn’t that be also our focus? As we look to the future, yearning for heaven, our focus along the way should be that of “great concern to become more and more like unto Christ.”
How do we re-focus so that our “great concern” is “to become more and more like unto Christ”? The best place to begin is by examining what the Father focuses on. When Jesus came up from the water following His baptism, the Father spoke, saying, “This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him” (Mt. 17:5, MSG).
A person will become like the thing they delight in. The person who delights in the bright lights and action of the casino will become a gambler. The person who delights in the feeling they get from indulging in alcohol will become a drunkard.
A person who delights in the Lord Jesus Christ, delights in hearing His voice, and delights in His Word will become like Him. As we focus upon Him, we will focus on the things that please Him and bring Him glory, having that “great concern to become more and more like unto Christ”.
Focus, focus, focus
God wants us to live in the moment, unencumbered by the past, yet remembering what He has done, and looking forward to what lies ahead as we continue the journey for His glory.
I pray we will all focus, focus, focus as Paul did:
“I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us” (Phil. 3:14-15, MSG).
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