The Greek word translated "looking" in this passage is from the Greek word aphoran, a compound Greek word made up of apo, which means "away from," and horan, which means "to see" or "to look." The idea given here is to look away from everything else in order to focus one's gaze on one thing, or to neglect everything else in order to concentrate our attention on one thing. What a wonderful picture of the way Christians should look at Jesus!
We are to look with utter fixity of concentration and with wondering amazement. It describes the look of our soul which is lost in wonder, love and praise and is fixed on the the Savior.
Here is the supreme motive for running the race set before us with unaltering perseverance. We may experience many things that discourage us as we run the race, but by ever keeping our eyes on the originator and completer of the faith, our stamina will increase rather than fade away.
By looking to Jesus as our example, we can take heart and press on against anything Satan hurls at us... and by so doing heaven will be ours.
Bill Feist