Over the past 45 years, Dr. Tony Evans served as senior minister of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, a Dallas-based church that has grown from 10 to more than 10,000 people.
He’s also a former NFL chaplain who has spoken to several Super Bowl teams on the eve of the big game. One characteristic each of those winning teams shared was an intense focus on the ultimate prize – the Lombardi Trophy. The players weren’t satisfied just with a winning record, or even making it to the playoffs. The only thing important was winning the championship.
For Christians, the ultimate victory is eternal life with Jesus. Paul said, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14).
Problem is, distractions divert us away from living our lives with a focus on the eternal goal. We gravitate toward “shiny objects” – new relationships, career opportunities, or the pursuit of financial gain. While each of those can have their place, when they supplant our primary goal, the shine eventually wears off, and the enemy swoops in to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10), leaving us ineffectual in our Christian walk.
How do we live our lives with an eternal perspective?
