LOOKING AWAY FROM THE CHALLENGE, FOCUS ON JESUS.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
Matthew 15:21-28 tells the story of the Canaanite woman whose daughter was grievously vexed with a devil. At first, all her attention was on the problem, as she desperately need a miracle for her daughter who was vexed with a devil. Consequently, she sought the Master’s attention. But the Master didn’t respond, until she consciously turned away from the “distraction”-her present predicament, and shifted her gaze to the Master and worshiped Him.
The Master, in their ensuing dialogue commended her faith, and pronounced that her daughter was made whole. Thank God she had enough sense to take her eyes off her problems to look to the Master in worship. Learn to look away from the troubles, pain and distracting influences of this world, and consciously focus your attention on the Lord and His eternal Word. Rather than brood over pain or sickness, contemplate your healing; see yourself healed! Take the Word of God and meditate on it, and it will produce health and healing in you.
Another example of someone in the Bible who took attention away from her pain, focused on Jesus and got a miracle is the woman with the issue of blood. She suffered twelve long years but “when she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.” (Mark 5:27).
Notice she had to press her way through the crowd to reach Jesus. She did that at the risk of her life, because she was hemorrhaging, and according to the Law in the Old Testament, anyone in her condition was said to be unclean. Thus, it was forbidden for her to make physical contact with other people, otherwise she would be stoned to death. But she defied all that.
You can touch Him through the Word. The way to focus your gaze on Him today is to focus on His Word. Look away from your difficulty unto the Word. Glory to God!