When I was in high school, I ran the 110-meter hurdles. I remember it like it was yesterday—being in the starting blocks, looking down the track through the tunnel of hurdles toward the finish line. Hurdlers and sprinters have a major advantage over longer distance runners in that they can see the finish line from the starting blocks. I see that same dynamic in today’s Scripture.

In the letter to the Hebrews we read, “Keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.”

Like the hurdler, it appears that Jesus could see the finish line of His life right from the beginning. The vision of the destination and the rewards waiting at the finish line kept His life in perfect focus.

Every January, I watch the Super Bowl and am fully confident that all the players and coaches from both teams sneak peeks at the Lombardi Trophy sitting there just waiting for the championship to be won. They all have the trophy in clear view and compete strongly until the final gun.

Let’s emulate these champions and the Lord Jesus by keeping our goals clearly in focus and by putting away all the distractions that would keep them from being realized. If we all compete that way, we’ll be a championship team.