Focus on Your Vision

EVERY PERSON HAS BEEN CREATED FOR A GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE. God affirmed this to Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; and I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). The tragedy is, many never really discover what they are here for. In the movie, The Rookie, the hero was going through a time of high stress when struggling with a decision whether to take advantage of an opportunity for him to realize his dream to play pro baseball but was also struggling with familial responsibilities. His father rather enigmatically advised him, “We do what we want in life until we discover what we were meant to do.” (Loosely quoted). My interpretation and application of that statement is that the discovery of what our real purpose is in life will take us, sometimes very abruptly, out of our comfort zone.

A PURPOSE MUST ALWAYS BE SEEN IN LIGHT OF THE VISION THAT DRIVES IT. When we, in human efforts try to sustain and achieve our purpose in life, we will be doomed to an ultimate over-riding sense of futility and thus, burn out. King David, after many times of boasting and glorying in the Lord’s strength, seems to have come to a point where his more surface and superficial declarations of faith had run dry. At one such time he said, “I am poured out like water, and all My bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue clings to my jaws; You have brought me to the dust of death” (Psalms 22:14-15).

A VISION MUST BE GOD-GIVEN. Probably one of the most famous visions recorded in the scripture was that given Isaiah. An excerpt from that vision, along with Isaiah’s response, is as follows, “Then I said, ‘Lord, how long?’ And He answered: ‘Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate, the Lord has removed men far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land’” (Isaiah 6:11-12). His vision was well defined, the objective of it was distinct, his motivations were empowered by the things he envisioned in prayer, and the strength of his vision was such that it would endure even when all desired human results failed.

THE FOCUS OF A VISION WILL OFTEN CAUSE LONELINESS AND DISPAIR. The cry of David from the cave expresses this: “I cry out to the Lord; I plead for the Lord's mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. For I am overwhelmed, and you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, ‘You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you treat me kindly’” (Psalms 142:1-7 NLT). One should notice how David ultimately found his solace and companionship in the refuge of the Father’s company regardless of his external circumstances.

ATTITUDE IS ALWAYS THE BASIC ISSUE OF ANY VISION. Our text gives six fundamentals that motivated and sustained the Lord Jesus as listed by Hebrews, “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):

1. Jesus is our example.
2. He authored and proved the faith essential to the task.
3. His motivation and ultimate confidence of rewards was high enough to sustain Him in the worst of times.
4. He understood that every path of obedience is fraught with potential heartache – often at the hands of those we depend on the most.
5. He was not deterred but continually persevered.
6. He is now enjoying the rewards He sought.

At any point in life one can be deterred by the vicissitudes of life or the distractions by others. It is not what may come our way but with what attitudes we face that which comes. We should not be derailed from our God-given vision but rather we should stay the course, faith-ing our way through the obstructions and loving those who distract or oppose us. It is always a choice. God instructed Joshua when he faced the greatest challenge of his life: “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go” (Joshua 1:7).

Jeff

• Jefferson H. and Norma R. Floyd, CO-directors • Jubilee International • P. O. Box 572 • Noblesville, IN 46061