My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city.
Lamentations 2:11
Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet because his heart was tender. He witnessed heartbreaking scenes recorded in the Book of Lamentations especially. However, despite what he saw in the natural, Jeremiah never diverted his gaze. He always looked towards heaven as he trusted in the Lord.
We read and see stories in the news every day that break our hearts, and we struggle with the anguish and turmoil presented to us. We could easily get swept away by the news and lose sight of any hope.
However, Scripture encourages us to keep our eyes on Jesus. The author of Hebrews says, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:2-3).
We are encouraged to fix our eyes on Jesus, so it's only logical that we have the potential to get distracted and look to other things instead of Him. Don't allow the distractions of this world to steal your vision of Jesus. We could end up like Peter when he walked on the water towards Jesus, took his eyes off the Messiah, and began to sink.
Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of faith. The NKJV translation describes Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith. The Bible says that without faith, it's impossible to please God. If our eyes aren't fixed on Jesus, our faith will be replaced by fear. The storms of life will try to overcome us. Let Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, remove fear and increase your faith to new levels as we fix our gaze on Him.
When we take communion, we remember our Lord's death, resurrection, and ascension. We wait in anticipation for His triumphant return! Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. The reward of His suffering is when all people of all ages accept Him as their Lord and Saviour and experience reconciliation with the Father. Today, Jesus now sits at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for us, so what better thing could we do than fix our focus on the author of our faith?
Hebrews 12:3 speaks so clearly, "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so
that you will not grow weary and lose heart." When we see what's going on in the world around us today, we could say the same thing as Jeremiah did in Lamentations as he was watching the invasion and devastation of Judah and Jerusalem by the Babylonians, "My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within; my heart is poured out on the ground." When you see your situation, always remember what Jesus went through for you. You are worth everything to Him! Take comfort in this truth; keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He is surely in control of all things!
