Focus on Christ: Destination
Yesterday afternoon, my wife and I headed up the hill behind our house. The higher we went, the deeper the snow. The trek is further than you think. We kept on going because we had a destination in mind; we were going to enjoy sledding in the freshly fallen snow! Now, we could have sat in our warm home, for which we are sincerely thankful, and said, “Sure is pretty outside. Wish we could go sledding.” Or, we could do as we did. We put on our winter attire and headed out! We had a blast! What an adventure trudging through the snow, making a path, sledding down the icy hillside road and laughing all the way! You know why? Because we had a destination in mind and took the necessary action steps to accomplish it!
Jesus, too, had a destination, a purpose. Read His very own words in the following passages:
Matthew 17:22-23 And while they were gathering together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men; and they will kill Him, and He will be raised on the third day.”
Matthew 20:28 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.
John 6:48 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
John 10:17-18 “For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”
Jesus clearly knew His destination. He fully understood the reason for His incarnation. His purpose was as He said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His conly begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:14-17).
When it comes to your spiritual life, your relationship with Christ, where are you headed? What is your desired destination? What actions will you take to arrive at your destination? You can sit in your house and wish for spiritual growth or you can take some action steps to arrive at your destination. The wonderful truth is you have all the grace you need to accomplish what God has in store for you (2 Cor. 9:8; 2 Peter 1:3-11).
Prayerfully answer the following:
1. Where does God want you to be spiritually in five years? One year? Next month? Next week? Today? What is your destination?
2. What action steps does the Lord desire for you to take to arrive at your destination? For example, “by this time next month, I will have memorized Psalm 34.”
3. Remember, you must be intentional in your action steps. Write them down. Have someone hold you accountable. What will you do next?
40 Days Goal: We want God to so revive and change us that we would both pray and act as the people of God for the glory of God!
From A Pastor's Heart 