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Advent, the season leading up to Christmas, is often one of the busiest times of the year. This year, things may look very different in a world changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but we can still embrace this season in a way that honors the Lord. From the early history of the Church, believers have known Advent as a time of reflection: We remember the incarnation—how God the Son, the Word, became flesh—and we wait for His return.
While Jesus was on earth, He could have done all sorts of fantastic things. He could have built buildings that would have made the buildings of the Roman Empire look insignificant. He could have opened a university and taught science to the smartest scholars from every nation. He could have drawn in the largest crowd the world had ever seen. He could have healed all the sick people on earth and cleared out every hospital. He could have sent out 12,000 apostles instead of 12 to build His Church.
Why did Jesus refrain from doing these and a million other wonderful things that were within His power? The simple answer is this: Jesus knew His mission. … He stated it very clearly: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10, NKJV). …
Jesus lived daily to fulfill His mission and never allowed Himself to be distracted by anything or anyone. When His journey came to an end, He simply said to His Father, “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (John 17:4). And on the cross, He looked at humanity past, present and future and proclaimed, “It is finished” (John 19:30). …
We are asked to follow Jesus’ example in handling distractions. Each of us has a mission to fulfill, just as Christ did. The writer of Hebrews gives us precise instructions about what we must do to keep our focus: “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:1–2).
Christ, our example, is the One who has gone before us in the race. He is using your life to bring hope to people like Yunay, Laya and Sahoj as you follow Him. May the Lord help you fix your eyes on Him during this Advent season, and may He fill you with joy.
Some of this material appeared on Dr. K.P. Yohannan’s blog on December 29, 2017. You can find the entire post at https://www.patheos.com/blogs/kpyohannan/2017/12/stay-focused-on-christ/.
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