Unwavering Focus

Hi sisters,

One of the places I have been reading for my quiet time is John. What has struck me the most this time reading through it is Jesus’ focus on doing as the Father told Him. He never wavered in His focus. Join me going through John with this thread:

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34).

“My Father is working until now, and I am working. . . the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. . . I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgement is just because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent me” (John 5:17,19,30).

“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38).

“My teaching is not mine, but His who sent Me. . . The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood” (John 7:16,18).

“I declare to the world what I have heard from Him. . . I do nothing on My own authority, but speak just as the Father taught Me. He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him . . . I speak of what I have seen with My Father . . . I came not of My own accord, but He sent Me (John 8:26,28-29,38,42).

“We must work the works of Him who sent Me” (John 9:4)

“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I received from My Father . . . If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me” (John 10:17-18, 37).

“I have not spoken on My own authority, but the Father who sent Me has himself given Me a commandment – what to say and what to speak” (John 12:49).

“The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own authority, but the Father who dwells in Me does His works . . . And the word you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent Me . . . I do as the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father (John 14:10,24,31).

“I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave Me to do. . . I have manifested Your name to the people whom You gave Me. . . I have given them the words that You gave Me . . . I kept them in Your name, which you have given Me. . . I have given them Your word. . . I made known to them Your name” (John 17)

” . . . shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given Me?” (John 18:11).

Sobering isn’t it? Jesus says that doing the will of God is the same as food for Him! Jesus speaks, teaches, and does all the to glory of God. His authority is from God and He is in perfect sync with it. I was struck by Jesus’ claim that the way the world would know that He loved the Father was by His utter commitment to obey Him! His focus to do as God sent Him to do was His priority. He even says not to believe Him if He doesn’t do God’s works!

Even before He dies/buried/rises, He says He has accomplished the work God gave Him (John 17). How can this be? Well, Jesus lists the things He has done in John 17: God gave Him 12 guys; Jesus trained them, revealed the Father to them, passed on the words God gave Him, etc. 11 made it through, 1 was lost.

Jesus was so committed to doing the works of God, that even the suffering of the cross did not stop Him. God gave Him the authority to choose His decisions. He chose to lay His life down (and not just on the cross; He lived a life of focus and duty to the Father, laying aside His ambitions to do God’s will). He was buried and conquered death by rising on the third day.

What does this mean for us? Actually Jesus told us the implications:

“A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master . . . All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 10:24-25; 28:18-19).

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love . . . I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit” (John 15:10).

“As You sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world” (John 17:18).

If we say we are Christians, then we are to follow the example of Jesus!! We are to crave doing the will of God like we do food. We should desire to speak the words and do the works God wants us to speak/do. Just like the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus has sent us! We too are to be focused and utterly committed to the same mission as Jesus. God has given Jesus authority and Jesus has now commissioned us to bear fruit too.

Taking a feminine twist on a quote by E.M. Bounds: God isn’t looking for better programs, video series, or methods; God is looking for better women, who are wholeheartedly devoted to Jesus and seek unwavering focus to His mission in advancing His Kingdom.

May we too follow the example of Jesus’ unwavering focus! (Hebrews 12:1-2)

(Book recommendation: Master Plan of Evangelism)