In the news, we see sadness and destruction all around. Wars abound and the world seems devoid of goodness. We turn our attention to our own lives and we find mounting debt and declining resources. Despite the seeming negativity, we have a glimmer of hope that everything will be fine. But as we try to settle into this hope, reality suggests a different outcome. Do we concentrate on the facts and resign ourselves to a life of indifference? Or do we focus on the truth regardless of how small it may appear?
The Story: Luke 24:1-35
In Luke 24:1-35, Jesus rose from the dead and the tomb was empty. The women looked for Jesus, but the angels of the Lord reminded them of what Jesus spoke. They went and told the disciples all that happened. With uncertainty, Peter went to look for himself. In another part of town, two men discussed what happened to Jesus.
As the men walked, talked, and argued, Jesus appeared unto them but they were unaware of who He was. He inquired about their conversation and they recounted the events of the past several days. The unidentified man questioned their lack of belief in the prophets who spoke of the Messiah’s suffering. He also interpreted the scriptures for them. As night fell, the man joined the men for dinner. The eyes of the men were opened when Jesus broke the bread, blessed it, and gave it to them. Afterwards, the men shared the encounter with the disciples.
The Lesson
In Luke 24, the focus of the men was only on the fact that Jesus died. They were unable to rejoice in the resurrection. Their minds couldn’t see past the fact that His body was gone. Yet, the truth was that He was alive and among them. Although they heard the prophecies and read the scriptures, their gaze centered on what was before them.
How often do we act like the men? We focus our eyes on what’s happening in front of us. We resign ourselves to the cares of life. In this state, our feet move but our heart is far from engagement. We lose sight of what God spoke to us. God gives us a hope and a future through His Word. He confirms His message through signs and wonders. Although the glimmer of hope appears small, there is still a glimmer.
When the chaos and the world become too loud, we must assess where our focus is. Are we concentrating on our environment or the truth of God’s Word? Do we obsess over negativity or center ourselves on the positivity that lies in God? A repositioning is in order. Instead of looking around, upward is calling. Place scriptures before our eyes and rehearse what God said. With each reminder of the facts, we focus on truth, remembering that truth is only found in God’s Word. Fix our focus.
