Stay Focused!

Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2

Let’s face the truth. It is not easy to stay focused sometimes when it comes to living for Christ. We can easily be distracted by things of this world. However,  as children of the King, we must stay focused on what matters.

When I was hired by the Richmond Bureau of Police in 1978, I was 21 years of age and had never shot a pistol    in my life. The academy was in the basement of the Mosque (currently named the Altria Theater). We used an indoor range to qualify with our pistols. To qualify, you had to have a score of 70%. During the first week, we shot every day, and everyone qualified except me.  I never shot above 55%. The academy sergeant took me aside and said, “You’re not focused, Wells. You think this a joke, that it is some sort of a game?” He then told me that when I came to work in the morning, I was to come early so I could qualify. If I did not, I would be terminated. I was devastated. Since high school, I have wanted to be a police officer. He told me to go home and focus on my trigger pull. He said my problem was that I was jerking the trigger. I went home, and all I did all evening was stand in front of a mirror with my unloaded six-shot Smith and Wesson revolver and practice squeezing the trigger instead of jerking the trigger. The next day, just the sergeant and I were at the range. I was so nervous that I was sweating. I stayed focused and squeezed the trigger. I barely qualified with a score of just over 70%.

Too many times as Christians, we don’t focus on what really matters when it comes to living our Christian faith. We are told not to “jerk the trigger,” and yet we think we know better. If we keep focused on what matters, we will understand that our lives are all about glorifying God. We must remember in this life, Christians don’t win. We are called to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Christ (Luke 9:23). We need to understand that the world will hate us and persecute us if we live for Christ (John 15:18-20). Family members will turn against you ( Luke 21:16-18). However, we must stay focused on our walk with Christ.

By setting our mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth we remind ourselves that our ultimate goal is our glorification. When we see our Savior face to face, when we sin no more, and spend eternity with the One who died to set us free, none on the suffering will compare to the glory that awaits us.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  Romans 8:18

 Stay focused Christian, fight the good fight, run the race until the Lord returns or calls you home.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark