by Desiree Bustamante

Christ removes the dead trees that are obscuring our focus on Him.

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“Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.”
Hebrews 12:1-2b New American Standard Bible

Our cottonwood tree died. It used to provide us a lot of comfort and shade from the sun. But once it failed to produce leaves it just became a fire hazard and we were concerned that in a storm the tree might crash into our house, so we had it cut down. A surprising benefit from removing it was that our view of the mountains was less obstructed, as we no longer have a tree trunk blocking our view of Pikes Peak.

The Bible tells us to fix our eyes on Christ. God is completely aware of how much sin and worldly concerns block our spiritual line of sight, our focus on Him. What might offer us comfort or happiness can obstruct our view of our Lord. He urges us to put aside all the barriers to Him in our lives so that we can have a completely clear view of His love, purposes and promises. If we focus on anything but Christ, we will miss the beauty of His faithfulness and the amazing relationship we could have with Him.

Today, ask God to remove anything that is hindering your vision so that you can see Christ even clearer, once the tree trunks spoiling your sight are removed.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado