His Word Wednesday

Being Heavenly Minded

I have a short attention span. I don't think it has anything to do with today's technology or video games or commercials, I just have a short attention span.  I don't know that I'm as bad as the talking dog in the movie Up..."Squirrel!"   I do find my focus drifting and sometimes it has drifted much further than I would have liked it to go.  The same is in my daily walk with God.  I tend to lose my focus more often than I care to admit.  I will get focused on the insults that are sent my way...."Squirrel!"  I will shift my focus to the circumstances in my life instead of the Lord of my life..."Squirrel!"  I even shift focus to the hurt and pain that others have caused me..."Squirrel!"  It doesn't matter that I've witnessed miracle after miracle in the 24 hours prior to the hurtful circumstances or the insults or plain laziness of not spending time with the One who laid down His life for me.  I easily forget all that God has done for me and all the blessings in my life.  I lose my focus on what is truly important:  The Lord and His plans for my life.   
Matthew chapter 14 speaks to me and my life in SO many ways.  The disciples just witnessed an AMAZING miracle.  As we read in verses 14-21: ¹⁴ And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. ¹⁵ When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.” ¹⁶ But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ And they said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸ He said, “Bring them here to Me.” ¹⁹ Then He commanded the multitudes to sit down on the grass. And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitudes. ²⁰ So they all ate and were filled, and they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments that remained. ²¹ Now those who had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
 

God feeds 5000+ folks with 5 loaves and 2 fish with enough left overs to fill 12 baskets.  Unbelievable!  As the disciples head to the boat to cross the sea they are talking about what Jesus had done and are in awe, until...."Squirrel!"  Read on through verses 22-26: ²²Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. ²³ And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. ²⁴ But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. ²⁵ Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. 

Just like me, they lost focus on what Jesus had JUST DONE and focused solely on the circumstances in which they found themselves.  They knew the One who created the wind, the sea, the earth.  They knew and had touched the One who spoke the world into existence!  They knew the One who healed the lame and caused the blind to see and yet all they could see was the crashing waves.  How often do you do that?  How often do you shift your focus from the Creator of everything to the things that were created?  From the generous God who desires nothing more than for you to love Him to the circumstances you find yourself in?  If I would just keep my eyes focused on Him and not what is around me I would be much more effective in pointing people to Him.  I would also be more oblivious to the crashing waves and the rocking boat in my life.  If I kept my focus on Him and all He is and all He's done then I could walk on water, sit in the lion's den, and hang out in the fiery furnace.  Peter got it right and then he...."Squirrel!"  Look in verses 26-33:

²⁷ But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
²⁸ And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
²⁹ So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” ³¹ And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” ³² And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. ³³ Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

I thank God that I have the strength to get out of the boat and at least attempt to walk on the water towards Jesus.  I know people who won't do that.  However, just like Peter, when I get out on the water instead of keeping my eyes on Him I start to see and hear the people telling me that walking on water is impossible.  That I am stupid for trying.  That I am unfit or unworthy for the job/situation/family, etc.  I allow the thief, satan, to steal what is mine as a child of the King!  John 10:10 says: The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Abundant life is mine if I keep my focus on Him.  He IS abundant life.  Anything else is less.  Having a daily Bible Study is one of the things I do in order to keep my eyes on Him and not on the "waves" of my life.  Praying continually is another way for me to keep my focus on Him and to constantly be reminded that He is in control even when I feel out of control.  What do you do to remain focused on the One who matters most?

If there hasn't been a time, a day, when you asked Jesus to be in control of your life.  A time when you surrendered your life and self to the One who died for you, then before you can keep your focus on Him, you must make Him the Lord of your life.  Surrendering everything you are to Him, admitting that you fall short every day in living up to His standards, accepting His FREE gift of His Son, and asking Him to forgive you.

Standing on His promises,

Mrs. Bubba