EYES FIXED ON JESUS
Opening Prayer
Lord, keep me running.
Read HEBREWS 12:1–13
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God Disciplines His Children
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
Footnotes
- Hebrews 12:6 Prov. 3:11,12 (see Septuagint)
- Hebrews 12:13 Prov. 4:26
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Meditate
‘Jesus! my Shepherd, Husband, Friend; / my Prophet, Priest and King; / my Lord, my Life, my Way, my End, / accept the praise I bring.’ (John Newton, 1725–1807, ‘How sweet the name of Jesus sounds’)
Think Further
Today’s passage is framed by sentences beginning with ‘Therefore’ (1,12). Verses 1–3 add two more ‘Let us’ sentences to the three I have already encountered in chapter 10 (NIV). I begin today’s meditation by memorizing these wonderful phrases, especially noticing that ‘us’ means that I am in a relay (with other team members), not just an individual marathon. I cast my eyes back to Proverbs 4:20–27, to which verse 13 alludes, observing the ‘body’ words in this passage: ear, sight, heart, body, mouth, lips, eyes, gaze, feet, swerve (ESV).
Turning back to today’s passage, we have two tasks. First, looking at verses 1–4, focus on the words which describe who Jesus was and what He did, and then on the words which describe what we must do. Here, as everywhere else in this letter, the writer directs our attention toward JESUS. (It would be a profitable exercise to note throughout Hebrews when the author uses just the name ‘Jesus’ rather than ‘Christ’). We are not to look at other saints (with regret) or at falterers (with pride or self-satisfaction), but look away and keep our eyes fixed on Jesus – for it is on Him that faith depends from start to finish. Fortitude is not a swaggering, bombastic gesture. It is not fearlessness or resignation. It is the refusal to be inordinately sorrowful. It carries vulnerability – what is martyrdom but a fatal victory? – and this is the path our Savior took. Our second task is to attend to the ten (!) occurrences of the word ‘discipline’ (noun and verb) in vs 5–11. Remembering the Proverbs passage I have already consulted, what aspect of God’s discipline at the present time do we need to be most attentive toward?
Apply
‘’Tis Jesus the first and the last, / whose Spirit shall guide us safe home: / we’ll praise Him for all that is past, / and trust Him for all that’s to come.’ (Joseph Hart, 1712–68, ‘How good is the God we adore’)
Closing prayer
Lord, correct me when needed and give me the grace to accept Your correction.
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