I’d like to invite you to do a science experiment with me. Look at a wall near you and find where the wall and ceiling meet. Now, without moving your head, see if your eyes can follow that seam from … Continue reading →

I’d like to invite you to do a science experiment with me.

Look at a wall near you and find where the wall and ceiling meet. Now, without moving your head, see if your eyes can follow that seam from left to right smoothly. If you’re like almost every other human being on this planet, then you likely noticed that you couldn’t do it. No matter how hard you try, your eyes still jerk a little bit as you move across the seam.

Now, let’s try something a little different. Hold your finger up in front of you. This time, move your finger from side to side and see if your eyes can smoothly follow the movement of your finger — again, without moving your head.

You probably noticed a difference, didn’t you?  While you weren’t likely able to follow the seam between the wall and ceiling very smoothly, you probably noticed that you could follow the movement of your finger very smoothly. 

One more quick experiment — this time, fix your gaze upon some feature in your room.  It could be a coffee cup, your favorite pen, a Bible you have with you… anything you can find and simply keep your eyes locked upon it.  Now, while looking only at that object, turn your head back and forth — even up and down!  You’ll notice that your eyes stay looking at the object, no matter what you do with your head!

For most of us, we participate in something like that and don’t likely give it a second thought.  But in all actuality, the amount of motor control over the fine muscles that are attached to the eye – muscles that all must be used together to make your eye move smoothly – is incredible!  You can’t voluntarily make those muscles move smoothly; however, your brain can when you’re engaged in certain activities. When you try to follow a moving object, there’s a small, bean-shaped part of your brain called the “pons” – located near the brain stem – that takes over to help keep your eyes on the moving object.  Likewise, the pons kicks in when you are targeting a fixed destination but have to move around to get there.

This has direct application to our lives as Christians.

With so many things pulling at our attention these days, it’s easy to lose focus on what is most important. And to make matters more difficult, many of the activities and things that serve to draw our attention away from what is most important are actually good activities that need to be done.

The apostles faced this issue early in the life of the New Testament church as recorded in the book of Acts. The apostles were serving as pastors of the Christian church in Jerusalem.  Many people had come to believe and trust in Christ, and the New Testament church was “busting at the seams!”  It was an exciting time in the life of the church.  But there was a complaint that arose – there were needs in the church that weren’t being taken care of…some widows were being neglected and not receiving the care that they needed…

Acts 6:1-7 (NKJV)
¹ Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
² Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
³ Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
⁴ but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
⁵ And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch,
⁶ whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them.
⁷ Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

Taking care of the widows was a legitimate task to be handled.  It was a good task.  But it wasn’t the task that the apostles needed to focus on.  Notice their response (paraphrased) – “God has given us a job to do – teach the Word of God – and we shouldn’t stop doing that to focus on anything else.  Choose other men who can focus on taking care of this important need, and we will focus on praying and teaching God’s Word.”

In other words, they stayed focused on what God had called them to do.  In the process, they encouraged others in the church to be involved in meeting that important need, thus sharing the burden of ministry and allowing both tasks – the teaching of God’s Word and the meeting of the widows’ needs – to be handled effectively. 

That’s what happens when people are spiritually focused.  When each person in a church family does what God has equipped them to do, then every person is involved in the life of the church…ministry is being done effectively…needs are being met…and the church grows – both in strength and in numbers!  It’s the pattern God used to grow the church – and it’s a process that still works today.

The key is each person remaining focused on Jesus, following His example and leadership in every area of our lives…

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)
¹ Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
² 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Keeping our gaze fixed upon Christ ensures that we are able to follow Him wherever He leads.  We won’t easily be side-tracked by good things that would otherwise prevent us from doing the best things.  And we won’t go off-course, no matter how many twists and turns life brings our way – instead, we keep focused on running the race that God has set before us, not stopping until we cross the finish line in Heaven!

Today, I pray that God will give you a renewed desire to remain focused on Him – and, as you fix your gaze upon Him, that He will bring clarity to your life in the process!

Have a blessed day today,

–Pastor John