There was a man born to a family many years ago. It was said about Him that, “He would be very great & called the son of the Most High. He would have the throne of His father, David. And He would reign over Israel forever.” – Luke 1:32
But as soon as He was born, He was welcomed with the bleats of the flocks of sheep & the hee-haw sounds of donkeys in the manger He was born. Perhaps this was for only a short time and He would be He would be moved into the palace that befits the prophecy over His life.
That wasn’t the case, rather His life was threatened and He had to be hidden in a country that once enslaved His ancestors. By the time all who wanted Him dead, His palace was still not yet in sight.
That did not deter him from growing in wisdom, stature, favor with God and with man. These types of growth do not just happen to people; these kinds of growth spring up from things ones eyes are fixated on.
And this man’s eyes were fixated on learning & growing, He spent time in the temple listening to teachers while asking them questions. – Luke 2:52, Luke 4:16
Just as committed as He was to growing in physical stature, so He was committed to growing in His spiritual stature. He had His eyes stayed on God, on the things above, He spent forty solid days- fasting and praying. That takes a lot of discipline and focus in my opinion.
And just as He left the place of consecration, one would think that He would step into His glory immediately but that still wasn’t the case.
He came face to face with temptations; not one, not two! But did that deter Him still?
No! He had allowed His eyes exposure to the word of God and that was His winning ticket to overcome the devil’s temptations.
Right after His ordeal with the devil, it was recorded that He returned to His hometown with so much power & His fame spread so quickly. – Luke 4:14
I can only imagine if He had walked by sight as He grew up, given the circumstances He was surrounded with.
As He continued to be about His father’s business – healing the sick, preaching the gospel and doing good, He faced great persecution from the men and women He was trying to help.
The sight of the persecutions He faced could have deterred Him from doing all the good He was commissioned to do. But still, He didn’t have His eyes focused on all the negatives but on doing the good works God had put in His hands.
As much as His good works increased, so did the persecution He faced. The persecution got so bad that they beat Him to stupor and had Him nailed to death on a cross.
One of the beauties of His persecution is that He saw it coming, He had His eyes fixed on God’s word concerning His life. He knew that it was part of the process to reach the end goal.
He also recognized the greatest good that will come from His crucifixion. To say the least; because of the wounds inflicted on Him, the whole of humanity have access to healing. Isaiah 53:5
In this spirit, a sinless Jesus went to the cross, went through the agony a sinner with a sentence would go through so that through Him humanity could have access to salvation.
Also, in so doing He received a name greater than every single name on earth and in heaven. Through his name – Jesus Christ, humanity has access to abundance and God’s presence.
Jesus could have decided to give up on the mission set before, He had a choice & the will to do so. His conversation with God at the garden of Gethsemane goes to prove my inference. “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Matthew 26:39
but 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
As I round off this blog post, I’d leave you with God’s word
Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.
ISAIAH 50:7
Have your eyes focused on the fact that our sovereign God helps you; it is a present tense – He never stops helping His own. But you have your part to play:
- Have your face set like a flint on the things God would have you do daily just like Jesus.
- And have your eyes fixated on the fact that God helps you as often as you work in His will and ask for His help.
You will not be put to shame in Jesus name.