No Distractions

Bible Reading: Hebrews 2:1-3

“Are you pitching today?” asked James’s older brother, Jackson.

James grinned. “Yep. And I’m gonna strike out all those guys.”

Jackson laughed. “I hope you’re right.” Jackson had recently gotten his driver’s license and was taking his younger brother to the baseball park.

As James talked about the upcoming game, Jackson smiled and nodded his head now and then. “I hope I get good enough to play in the major leagues someday! Wouldn’t that be great?” asked James, eagerly turning to look at his big brother. He frowned. “Jackson, you’re not paying attention to me! You don’t even look at me when I’m talking to you.”

“No, but I hear you,” Jackson assured him. “It’s important for me to keep my eyes on the road and not be distracted. Dad always reminds me of that before letting me borrow the car.”

“Oh. I bet he reminds you of something the Bible says about driving too,” said James. “Dad seems to find Bible verses for everything.”

Jackson laughed as he pulled into a parking space at the ball field. “Actually, Dad did say that driving is sort of like living for Jesus because it requires focus. Just like I need to keep my eyes on the road so I don’t get in an accident, it’s important for Christians to keep their eyes on Jesus.”

“What does that mean?” asked James.

“It means we can’t let anything distract us from Jesus and what He’s doing in our lives,” replied Jackson. “This world is full of distractions, and we’re often tempted to chase after things like money or popularity, thinking they’ll make us happy, or do things our way instead of doing what God wants us to do. But when we keep our eyes on Jesus, we remember that He’s saved us and is using us to help others know about Him. Then we’ll remember that only He can satisfy us, and we can focus on what He wants us to do in every situation.”

James grabbed his mitt from the floor. “Well, in baseball, you have to keep your eyes on the ball.” He grinned at Jackson. “But I’ll keep my eyes on Jesus too and remember I’m playing for Him.” • Betty J. Thomas

How About You?

Do you keep your eyes on Jesus? When you have a bad day, do you go to Him for comfort? When you have a need, do you trust Him to provide for you? When you don’t know what to do, do you ask Him to guide you? Don’t let problems or anything this world has to offer distract you from the truth—Jesus saved you and has given you eternal life. Keep your focus on Him.

Today’s Key Verse:
Hebrews 12:2 Let us keep looking to Jesus. Our faith comes from Him and He is the One Who makes it perfect. (NLV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Keep your focus on Jesus