"Consider Him"

"Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds" (Hebrews 12:3).

"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" will always be the energizing dynamic in the lives of born again believers (Hebrews 12:2). We can do all things through Christ, but we can do nothing without Him (Philippians 4:13; John 15:5). Our spiritual enemies are well aware of this infinite power abiding within the spirits of Christians, and thus do everything possible to distract our attention and focus from the One who is the very Life of our lives. Obviously carnal things and seemingly good things are used as weapons against us, and if we allow them to cause us to look away from "the author and finisher," discouragement will inevitably result.

We must first establish as principle within our hearts and minds that the Lord Jesus will "have preeminence" in all things (Colossians 1:18). Our Savior is the chief delight of His Father, and the Holy Spirit seeks always and only to reveal and glorify the Son (John 15:26; 16:14). We must join this Divine determination to exalt the Lord Jesus, understanding the all-encompassing nature of His place in our existence. "To live is Christ" declared the Apostle Paul (Philippians 1:21). We must declare it with Him.

Proper understanding of the Bible depends on proper relationship to this truth. Dr. M.R. DeHaan once wrote that we have not found the true interpretation of any Scripture until we have somehow seen the person and work of the Lord Jesus therein. "The Scriptures... testify of Me" said our Lord, and a reading of the Bible that does not include expectant searching for Christ will not fully yield the abundant harvest God has planted for us in the pages of His Word (John 5:39).

Our relationships with people must also be interpreted and engaged in the light of the Lord Jesus being the most important party of every bond and involvement. God places family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and strangers in our lives for the purpose of their knowing Christ by us in our attitudes, actions, words, and self-sacrificial love. This is purpose number one in every relationship, and there is no truth more practically life-changing than the awareness that we exist to present and represent Christ to every person in our lives.

The call to "consider Him" involves countless other aspects of our lives. Again, to live is Christ. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing else. May we respond to our Father's determined purpose that His Son will be exalted in us, and to the Holy Spirit's working in us to accomplish this glorious reason for our existence. As we do, we shall not be wearied and faint in our minds because "Christ, the power of God" shall be the power of our lives (I Corinthians 1:24).

"I am... the life."
(John 14:6)

"This is My Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him."
(Matthew 17:5)