Thursday, August 25, 2011

It's All About Focus

Last Saturday I snapped pictures as I watched one kayak after another attempt to successfully ride over and down a waterfall.
In one of the pictures the kayak was seen through the branches of a tree I stood behind. 
Unfortunately the branches were in focus, thus the kayak was not. 
This amateur photographer is still learning.

The focus was on the wrong thing.

This reminds me of a bit of advice that I often give to those who are being crushed by the weight of their concerns. 
Look to Jesus, fix your eyes on Him and all the rest will grow out of focus. 
It is inspired from a line in a song.
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace."
Jesus put it another way.
"Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you."
Whatever we make our chief concern is going to fill our vision.  It will be our vision.

Life does tend to overwhelm at times. 
Even if it is not one's intent.

It can just pile one thing after another at such a rate that you just can't keep up.
Before you know it you are under the pile.
Not a very comfortable place to be!

That is where I have been.

Hey wait a minute!  Aren't I Papa's girl?  Doesn't He promise to care for me??
Yes and yes.
I have learned that when anything comes my way it is because He has allowed it and for a good reason.

Everything didn't suddenly get heaped up. 
No it was more gradual than that.  I just didn't pay close attention until....
I had no choice.

Tuesday night I had the worse nightmare of my life.  And believe me I have had some doozies over the years....
I will not give the details, but will share the message and lessons it carried.

I needed to stop moving...
"Be still and know that I AM GOD."
I needed to not focus on all the negative things around me.
"...fixing our eyes upon Jesus...."
I needed to recognize that once refocused I would need to deal with the one issue that was in my power to handle.  If I didn't then I would suffer greatly both emotionally and physically.

It left me feeling spent.
I needed to stay focused.

Papa spoke to me through a friend's Facebook posting.  She quoted the seventeenth and eighteenth verses from Psalm Ninety-four:

"If the LORD had not been my help, My soul would soon have dwelt in the abode of silence.  If I should say, "My foot has slipped," Your loving kindness, O LORD, will hold me up." 

He wasn't finished.
Checking my email I found another message via another friend.  His was from one of my favorite Psalms; the Ninety-first.  (It came with the picture of the momma bird and her chicks). 
Here is what the first four verses say in The Message:
"You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow, say this: 'God, You're my refuge.  I trust You and I'm safe!'  That's right-He rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you-under them you're perfectly safe; His arms fend off all harm."
Shaddai means "God Almighty."  That is ALL MIGHTY. 
There is nothing beyond His reach, nor His power.
He is my strength and hope.
Such peace comes as I focus on Him alone.  He will take me through the present difficulties and all future ones.
The greatest blessing will be that I will have gotten to know Him more deeply and learned to rest in Him fully!

1 comment:

  1. very much like the new presentation...easy on my eyes and keeps me focused.

    ReplyDelete