FIX

by Susan Mead, in category Faith

Fix = fasten (something) securely in a particular place or position; direct one’s eyes, attention, or mind steadily or unwaveringly toward; a difficult or awkward situation from which it is hard to extricate oneself; a predicament; a dose of a narcotic drug to which one is addicted.

How To Fix our Eyes on Jesus

[Tweet “Have I become addicted??? Fixing people, places and things? Oh, Lord, forgive me…”]

I planned to write about the Texas definition of fixin’ which means about to do something, in a moment I will do x, y, z, when the last words in the dictionary definition of fix convicted me. A dose. Addicted.

I thought a fix was drugs as it says in the dictionary, yet in reading the definition of fix, conviction gripped me. Are you addicted to fixing things?

I thought a fix was drugs as it says in the dictionary, yet in the reading of those words conviction began gripping me and I felt God grabbing my attention as He whispered, “Are you addicted to fixing things? Do you truly think you can fix anything? This is MY job, not yours. Let it go and let Me BE God, the ‘fix’ you need and the fixer of ALL things, people, places, and times.”

So I turned to The Message to search the word FIX. 53 times, Eugene Peterson uses the word FIX, 8 of those in the New Testament. So let us fix our eyes on Jesus and what He has to say to us about the word “fix” through The Message…

Colossians 1:18-20
He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.

Supreme. Fixed and fitted because of His precious blood. Thank You, Jesus.

Matthew 7:24-25
“These words I speak to you are not incidental additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundational words, words to build a life on. If you work these words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who built his house on solid rock. Rain poured down, the river flooded, a tornado hit—but nothing moved that house. It was fixed to the rock.

Home improvements…or Foundation? The Foundation. Jesus. Fixed to the Rock of Jesus. Thank You, Lord God for Your Rock we are fixed to.

Romans 12:1-2
[ Place Your Life Before God ] So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Well-adjusted to our culture??? Fit in without thinking??? Yes, Lord, let me fix my attention on You to be changed from the inside out.

2 Timothy 2:8-13
Fix this picture firmly in your mind: Jesus, descended from the line of David, raised from the dead. It’s what you’ve heard from me all along. It’s what I’m sitting in jail for right now—but God’s Word isn’t in jail! That’s why I stick it out here—so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory. This is a sure thing: If we die with him, we’ll live with him; If we stick it out with him, we’ll rule with him; If we turn our backs on him, he’ll turn his back on us; If we give up on him, he does not give up— for there’s no way he can be false to himself.

Yes, Lord, fix the picture of Jesus firmly in my mind. Forever fixed on You to stick it out for the salvation of Jesus Christ.

[Tweet “The Salvation of Jesus Christ. That’s The Fix of a lifetime.”]

All verses are from The Message version of the Bible found at BibleGateway

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36 thoughts on “FIX”

  1. Pingback: 6 Ways to Talk Like Jesus, Not Yourself - Purposeful Faith

  2. Susan,
    Love how God works. You wrote about fixing our eyes on Jesus and I wrote about having the mind of Christ. The two just go together.
    Bonnie

  3. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! That passage from Colossians is so powerful with the Message translation! I love it in the NIV, but always great to get a fresh perspective.

  4. Hi Susan!
    Just had to link in my Webster’s 1828 post with all your emphasis on definitions here. I believe the only “fix” for our nation and the hearts and minds of the world is to understand the meaning of words from a biblical perspective. As a nation, understanding the words of our founders as they used and understood them is imperative to the preservation of freedom and self-government in this nation. As we have swerved from such stalwart definitions of terms, we have watched our nation become more and more steeped in ignorance and anarchy. God help us!
    Joy!
    Kathy

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  6. Thanks for the linkup. When I moved to Virginia from Tennessee to attend college, I became aware for the first time that “fixing to” was not formal English! I had a momentary crisis about how to express that I would be doing an action in the future until my lovely, sophisticated friends pointed out I could say “about to.” Just a little lighthearted story because a joyful heart is good medicine!

  7. This little need to fix things can become an idol in our lives, can’t it? I know it can be for me at least and I am so thankful that God leads us through HIS Word to be still and let Him be God, He is so good at it.

    Thank you for hosting the link up here!
    Blessings,
    Dawn

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  11. I really enjoyed your use of the Message today. Peterson has such a poetic and beautiful way of making sometimes difficult material emotional and real. I’ve definitely been guilty of trying to “fix” in the past, if only to relieve my own discomfort over a situation. Great word today, Susan!

  12. These are powerful words. I am a “fixer;” I like to make things easier on others but I do know the Lord is in control of this so I have just learned to pray and release. Fixin’ actually is in Florida too, lol! Thanks for hosting and hope you have an amazing weekend 🙂

  13. Wow, Susan, this is a powerful message! God’s word is powerful, and I felt convicted about my urge to try to fix things myself rather than fix myself to the Rock!

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  15. As a natural “fixer”, these words resonated with me. This reminded me to let God fix the problem not me. Thank you for writing this!!

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  17. YES! I need to FIX my eyes upon Jesus … not on myself, my circumstances, my next thing, my job, my home, people … just JESUS! He will take care of all those thing 🙂 #DanceWithJesus

  20. Hi Susan,
    Don’t you love it when you have one thing in mind to write about and then God goes and changes it up on you…writing a message to you in his word just as you were going to write a message to others? I’ve lived in the South for almost 20 years, but I remember when I first moved here and I heard people say things like, “I’m fixin’ to go to the grocery store.” It was new to me. Thank you for the new message you shared with me about fixing our eyes upon Jesus. I would like to think that I’m addicted to Jesus, but I know my gaze gets distracted. Thank you for pulling my focus back to Him. I pray that I may keep my eyes and my heart fixed upon Him…loved the scripture you chose!
    Blessings,
    Bev

  22. Susan,

    Sometimes I just love the Message! It can just say it straight to our 21st century selves so well! Kind of like being hit over the head with a 2×4! 🙂 This fixing it theme is a good one. I’ve got work to do on my fix-it addiction!

    Blessings and big smiles,
    Lori

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