Focus

This morning Dr. David Dunbar of Biblical Seminary was the guest speaker at our church. The message came from the gospel of John chapter 17. He was talking about the mission that we all have - not missions in the sense of going to a far off land but the actual mission that Christ had prayed about in John 17.

As he worked his way methodically through the high priestly prayer of our Savior prayed just hours before He was crucified Dr. Dunbar spoke of how often we can't see the forest for the trees. We get so caught up in things that we do or don't understand and we miss the bigger picture. As he preached I found myself thinking about this as it pertained to my own life.

When I was in seminary one of the verses that I had to memorize was John 17:17"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth." I had always thought the word sanctify meant to set apart. Today, though a new meaning to this word was given and it really helped me to see this passage a bit more clearly than I ever had before. Sanctify can also mean focus. "Focus them by the truth; your word is truth." Verse 19 "For them I focus myself, that they too may be truly focused." What was Jesus saying?

Jesus was focused on bringing conclusion to the work that God had sent Him to do. He desired to finish well. How sad it would have been if after all the ministry, the miracles, the sermons, the prayers if Jesus would have said "no, I don't think I will finish this, it is too hard." Instead, as He got closer to the end, His prayer became all the more fervent that He would complete the work of the Father. His focus was on God. His focus was on obedience. His focus was on us - His mission.

What am I focused on? Do I see the mission that Jesus has for me to accomplish? Am I bent on finishing well? In the final verses of this chapter, Jesus said, "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." Our mission, my mission is to present the living Jesus to all that cross my path. Not in a down your throat mentality but in a relational way. People need to know that they are loved and cared for. And the church has failed miserably in this. We have not been loving even amongst ourselves. How then can those who are on the outside be expected to yearn for the peace that only God can give?

But, we do have the answer. "They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love." Will they? Do they see us loving one another? Do they see us reaching out of our supply to meet their need? Oh Father, may it be said of me that I finished well. Please work in me to finish the mission that you have laid out for me. In obedience may I seek to share the love of Jesus Christ with all that I come in contact. Help me to hear your voice.