I got a new pair of glasses earlier this week. I have been struggling with my vision this past year and thought it was time to give bifocals a try. I ended up getting progressive lenses. These lenses have three different parts to them allowing me to see things that are far away, things that are within my reach, and reading small print up close. However, for me to see these things properly, I must be looking at them through the correct spot in the lens. Otherwise, it will look blurry. To say I am undergoing an adjustment period with my new glasses would be an understatement. Some of you who are older can sympathize with me. Some of you who are younger don't have a clue what I am talking about (but, like me, your day is probably coming).
When I first put my new glasses on in the store and tried to see things at a distance, the attendant told me. "Look through the top part of your glasses." When I did, I could see things clearly, but when I glanced down, everything was blurry. The attendant kept telling me, "Look up." So, when it comes to seeing things far away with my new glasses, I must look up. My experience the rest of the day taught me something about myself. I never realized how much of a tendency I had to look down. If I want to see things clearly, I must look up.
The Bible gives this same admonition regarding our spiritual sight. After recalling the great heroes of faith in chapter eleven, the Hebrew writer says "...let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 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" (Heb. 12:1-2). We are to look unto Jesus as we race our way towards Heaven. Where is Jesus? Sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. To look unto Jesus we must look "up." Spiritually speaking, if we take our eyes off the Lord and begin to look at the things around us, we will lose focus. Like Peter, we will begin to sink (Matt. 14:29-30).
Paul told the Colossians, "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col. 3:1-2). Although we live in this world, the focus of our life must be heavenward. Only by looking above can we navigate our way through this life to reach our goal.
Something else I learned about my new glasses: if I am going to see clearly, I must look straight ahead. The attendant at the store told me this. She said I needed to point my nose at what I am wanting to see. I didn't realize what she was talking about until we were in another store and I glanced sideways to look down an aisle. It was all blurry. When I turned my head and looked down the aisle everything was in focus. This is going to take some getting used to, because I am always glancing off to the side to look at things.
Regarding their obedience to God's law, Moses told the children of Israel, "Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left" (Deut. 5:32). The Lord told Joshua, "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).
My new glasses work very well, but I am going to have to get used to how they work. If you find me looking at you in a strange manner, just know that I am trying to find you in the "sweet spot" in my glasses. However, if something I say in a sermon challenges you, just know that I am trying to encourage you to see things clearly in your spiritual life. If we are going to walk properly before God, we must look up and straight ahead. Looking anywhere else will cause us to lose our spiritual focus.