Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
– Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)
Our anchor text tells us about how we should look away from all other things and fix our eyes on Jesus, who is the author and finisher of our faith. It’s so important that you understand that you aren’t the author or finisher of faith. Jesus is. And He didn’t author it for you to help Him finish it. He is the completer and perfecter of our faith.
It is important that we continue to look to Him—to His finished work. We must not focus on our own self-efforts, self-abilities and inabilities, etc. We must focus on that one sacrifice on the cross, which was perfect and enough.
In Numbers 21:8–9, we see an interesting story. The people of Israel had just been bitten by snakes, and God told Moses to raise up a bronze snake and gave instructions that whoever looks away from their bite and looks to the snake on the pole will be healed. Such an interesting symbolism of salvation. Jesus referred to this in the book of John:
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
– Numbers 21:8–9 (NIV)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
– John 3:14–15 (NIV)
So we see that the snake in the wilderness signified how Christ would be lifted up on the cross, and whoever looks (believes and trusts) will be saved. How powerful! So we see that just like the Israelites were to look away from the pain of snakebite and focus on the lifted snake, so also we must learn to look away from our life’s situations and focus on the exalted Christ. We must learn not to focus on our works and efforts, we must learn not to focus on the situations and circumstances that are around us—we must just fix our eyes on Christ.
Prayer
Help me, Holy Spirit, to always fix my eyes on Jesus and not be distracted by the circumstances around me. Amen.
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