The distinguished English preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, described his conversion in language of the look. He looked at himself and to God and they became one forever.

Look to Jesus as our model of spirituality and morality. The Greek word for look was used to describe an artist and model. The Christian seeks to imitate Jesus. This imitation takes numerous forms. This imitation Christi motive is replete in the writings of Paul, the Apostle. We are to imitate Christ, that is, we are to "have the mind of Christ" in all humility (Phil. 2:1-11).

Christ is to be imitated in His love (Eph. 5:1-2); in purity (l John 3:3); in long-suffering (l Peter 2:21); in forgiveness (Col. 3:13); in bearing with the weak (Rom. 15:2f); in gentleness and forbearance (2 Cor. 10:1); in benevolence (2 Cor. 8:1-9); in short, Christians are to "copy Christ" (2 Cor. 11:1).

Here we must enter a caveat. There are some aspects of Christ that cannot be copied; He alone is redeemer, but we can copy Him in spirit, love, and humility. We must bear in mind that we do not imitate Christ to make us Christians; we imitate Christ because we are Christians.

Look to Jesus for ultimate victory in this life and that to come. The ancient Greek runners kept their eyes on Zeus. The prize was a perishable wreath of leaves. Christian runners keep their eyes focused on Christ. The prize is permanent. Paul observes that the Greek runners received "a perishable wreath," but the Christian "an imperishable" one (1 Cor. 9:25).

When Peter Snell held the world record in the mile, he told a New Zealand TV audience that the eyes of the Christian must constantly be fixed upon Jesus Christ. He said he won the 800-meter championship at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 because the runner ahead of him glanced to the right instead of looking straight ahead. Snell passed him on the left.

Our victory is assured because Christ was victorious. He "endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of God" (Heb. 12:2). Hence, we are "more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Rom. 8:37). A poet has put it this way:

I asked them whence the victory came;

They with united breath,

Ascribed their conquest to the Lamb

Their triumph to his death.

(Isaac Watts)