Study of Mark: Focused on Jesus

I believe the Lord made men to be goal oriented. We are one-track animals, we are good at locking on to something and following it until we strike the proverbial mark. So what holds our focus during the course of everyday life? Better yet, what was Jesus’ focus? How did he structure His life so that He could reach His goal?

We catch a glimpse of His focus in Mark chapter 1, verses 35-38, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, in order that I may preach there also; for that is what I came out for.” Jesus had a job to do while here on earth, and He wasted no time getting to it. He came to love, to teach, and to die. He knew what He came out for. He was constantly focused on His objective.

What did you come out for? What made you get out of bed in the morning? Forget what the world says for a moment, forget that you care about what anyone thinks, including your family, and ask yourself, “Why am I here?” The question has been mishandled by so many “spiritual” people that it has become shopworn and almost silly. But this is a question that we need to answer within ourselves if we are to ever gain a sense of true direction in the Christian life.

Jesus never questioned it. His disciples may have, but in the end they understood, and most of them gave their lives as a result. This seemingly benign quote of Jesus tells us of His character, always pointed toward His objective. Thank our Holy God that He was so focused.

We must be focused too. Let us put aside those things that hinder us from proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. But how can we know what God wants from us, you ask? The answer is simple: He wants us to be focused on Him.

For further study:
Romans 8: 12-17