Eye Magnets

Problems are eye magnets. Have you ever noticed that? For example, have you ever been driving down the interstate at 70 miles an hour (I am assuming that we're all driving the speed limit) when suddenly everything comes to a stand still? It's like 5:00pm traffic in downtown Atlanta. Why? Well, after 30 minutes of creeping along, you approach an accident that everyone is staring at. You tell yourself not to look, but you can't help it either, you've just GOT to see it. Of course, it's only a battered bumper, but we just have to see for ourselves. Or try this, have you ever been going through a particularly difficult time in life, and it's all you could think about. You try not to worry about the problem, but for some reason it feels like an obsession. You even consider praying about it, but it's always there, right in front of your eyes. This bent to put our eyes on the problem instead of the prize seems to be common to all of us. But there is a solution.

Jehoshaphat was having a major problem. His kingdom was about to be invaded by a massive army and 2 Chronicles says he "was afraid." But it also says that he prayed to the Lord. At the end of that prayer he says, "O our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." Jehoshaphat knew that having his eyes on the problem wouldn't solve it, but that with his eyes on the Problem Solver, nothing was impossible.

Although not directly connected, it reminds me of another passage in Hebrews 12 that says, "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Cue Music...
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."