Simple Focus!

It is all too easy to get high centered on just about anything in life. Here you are cruising along at speed and the peripheral things of life begin to take a blurred perspective. It is that place where reaching speed requires a set of skills and focus but have you ever thought about what happens to you after you have reached the top speed limit? I have observed many of today’s young people doing things like texting, or putting a foot up in the seat. It is as if they have reached a magical mode where the car is driving itself.  The prospect of being alert, or intentional while driving has gone right out the window. If you are older like me, I have a tendency to be all about the adventure and exploration. My focus is on what’s just around the corner, maybe a mountain or waterfall. This is when the proverbial deer jumps into the road and many swerve out of control or drive off the road.

When my father taught us to drive, he engrained a perspective in both of his boys that has also flowed over into other areas of our lives.  He would say, “If a critter jumps out in front of you while you’re going down the road, hit it!” The whole idea is to maintain your course without getting high-centered on something that you ultimately have no control over thus redirecting your focus.

When I am in a race, the object is to win the prize, reach the goal and obtain the victory. From start to finish it typically means that I will maintain my concentration on the finish line throughout the whole race. When it comes to my walk with the Lord, I think that this is the approach to everyday living that Paul was trying to drive home in (1 Cor 9:24. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.) I can’t ever remember a time during a race, (I’ve had a few) where I was trying to text a buddy, taking a selfie, hitting the cruise, or stopping at a rest area.

Don’t get bogged down in your race with, social media, political propaganda, keeping up culturally, being concerned about being relevant or, if you measure up with everyone else! Those are the peripheral blurry thingy’s that by God’s design is that way, so we won’t be distracted from the race and will maintain our speed. It is bad enough that some of these blurred distractions have a way of making themselves relevant inside of a split second. They will dart out in front of you like a deer that has a hot date with Bambi at your local front bumper & grill.

So how do we run a focused race and at the same time get there in simple faith!

Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The answer is. “In Christ Jesus.” In other words, He does the driving. In the morning, I just get in the car with Him. That’s it! That is all the focus that is required of me. Jesus is calling us to race with Him! We’re ride’n shotgun and while being impressed by the driving skills of the one who has already won the race, we get to experience the checkered flag, the victory lap, and a trophy at the end!

John Fairrington

Commoner, Sinner, Saved by Grace!