Where do you have your thoughts today? That’s the question we must constantly be asking ourselves each day. The world is a busy place. There’s things happening all around us that capture our attention. With social media, we have even more vying for our attention. In Hebrews 3:1 we read: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, you are now made holy, and each of you is invited to the feast of your heavenly calling. So fasten your thoughts fully onto Jesus, whom we embrace as our Apostle and King-Priest”(TPT).
Today’s verse makes it clear that it is Jesus that should be our focus. When we are dealing with anxiety over work or school, we should fasten our thoughts fully onto Jesus. When we are concerned about finances, we should fasten our thoughts fully onto Jesus. If we are suffering with pain or illness, we should fasten our thoughts onto Jesus. Remember, when Peter focused on Jesus, he walked on water. When he focused on the wind, he was afraid and began to sink. See Matthew 14:22-33.
This isn’t something that is easy for us to live out. Life is challenging. Every day, every minute, every second, something is right in front of you or inside of you beckoning your attention. These things aren’t always bad things. It could be family, friends, pets, work, chores, hobbies, etc. You can have your thoughts fastened on Jesus as you engage with your family. You can have your thoughts fully onto Jesus as you perform tasks at work. Fastening your thoughts doesn’t mean that you have a staring contest with Jesus. It doesn’t mean that you disregard everything to pay attention only to Jesus forever and always. Instead of “fasten your thoughts,” other translations say it this way: “carefully consider” or “look more closely.”
Right before this verse is important. It talks about how Jesus suffered and was tempted, so He can help us when we are tempted (see Hebrews 2:18). Then we read “therefore.” These things are connected. Therefore fasten your thoughts on Jesus. Therefore consider Jesus. Therefore look more closely at Jesus. It’s not saying we ignore life to pay attention to Jesus. It’s saying that as we are living life, we continue to keep looking to Jesus through it all because He alone can see us through. He alone can help us when we are tempted. He alone provides the victory. His Word alone can guide us and comfort us. His Spirit alone can equip and empower us. We are reminded again, “In him we live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28a). This reminds us that the first person we should go to when we have something to praise, a problem to solve, a situation to handle, etc., should be Jesus. Let us fasten our thoughts on Him fellow “partakers of a heavenly calling,” for He will see us through. Amen!
Tania Gutekunst 