[looking away from all that will distract us and] focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfecter of faith [the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith to maturity], who for the joy [of accomplishing the goal] set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God [revealing His deity, His authority, and the completion of His work].
(Hebrews 12:2, AMP)
Hebrews 12:2 sums the struggles we face in accomplishing our goals. The primary and important goal is to receive reward from Jesus Christ for good work done. Any other goal is secondary. This is because “naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart” (Job 1:21).
Regardless of your goal(s), whether primary or secondary, you have to bear the cross. In our Lord Jesus’ case, there was higher Glory that awaited him. He knew that after enduring the cross, the reward will last forever. And truly, even now, He is seated at the Father’s right hand making intercession for you and I. Jesus had to endure…it wasn’t easy yet it was the only way for Him to accomplish His work.
In the same way, and as we remember His wondrous work at Calvary, we have to program our minds to endure to the end. Nobody ever said the journey would be easy. It will get to the point where friends will reject you like they to Jesus, betray you like they did to Jesus, mock you like they did to Jesus, and the very people you are sacrificing for may wish for your dismissal or even death. One word that will keep you going is ENDURANCE.
The Apostle, therefore, is admonishing that when the going gets tough, remember Jesus. Focus on the Reward, the Glory, or the reason why you started in the first place. And there is no better time in a year to remember and/or Focus on Jesus than this Season.
Our Lord sacrificed all to Gain ALL.
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I was thinking about this; that if someone slaps me or assaults me, I might call the police. If someone spits on me for no reason, I might take action against the fellow. If someone accuses me of something I haven’t done, I might seek attorney’s help. But in His case, there was no one (in the flesh) to plead His case. On the other hand, He had an option to call for angelic help but that would terminate his mission so he didn’t ask for that help. This means that Jesus was goal-oriented person. Could we be like Him? Of course Yes. Let nothing keep you away from your cross.
Your journey to the cross may be fun at the beginning but brace yourself for difficult moments. And always remember to FOCUS on what Jesus did to achieve His Goal. He will be your Strength. God bless you
Uplifting Christ 