S) "35Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit. 36Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that they may immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks."
Luke 12:35-36 (NASB)
O) There are so many distractions in this world that it's easy to give them names, classifications, and categories, and even sub-categories, but in the end they are all one thing: distractions. They could be ambitions for a career, lustful passions (which goes way beyond only sex), or hobbies. They could be unemployment, marriage struggles, grievous children, or the death of a loved one. Sometimes the distraction is condoned by our world, or culture, or even church; they can be rationalized. Sometimes they are mostly seen as negative, but we find ways to justify them, or else to ignore them. But, as I said, they fall into all sorts of categories, and can run a full gamut between plainly condemned, or widely accepted. But, I think the bottom line is this: we are not to allow them to distract us from the single most important thing we have in our lives: our relationship with Jesus.
A) I think about some of the obvious things in my life and it's easy for me reckon them as wrong. I shouldn't allow videogames to distract me. I shouldn't allow stresses about money to distract me. I need to keep my focus on Jesus throughout my day, even while my hobbies idle, and especially when I ponder things that might stress me. But I also think back, to a more commonly accepted distraction, that I have experienced. When my mother's illness became the most serious, things were beginning to look much more grim. In grace, God was pulling me close to Him, a couple months before my mom was hospitalized. Through that, by keeping my focus on Him, I was able to find healing while I grieved, even before my mom actually passed away. I think people from the outside (and even from the inside sometimes) see God and religion as a crutch and a distraction. I think what they miss, and what I was able to experience firsthand, is that by staying close to God in hard times, we are not being sheltered like some stereotypical, home-schooled kid from the 80s. Instead, it's like a loving father, holding his child's hand while that child, with tears falling and teeth gritted, has to get five shots on the same day (which really happened with Ella). Jesus has left, but He will return. In everything I do, I need to keep my focus on His return, knowing that it will be unexpected. That is done through time spent committed to The Lord in prayer, worship, and His Word.
A) I think about some of the obvious things in my life and it's easy for me reckon them as wrong. I shouldn't allow videogames to distract me. I shouldn't allow stresses about money to distract me. I need to keep my focus on Jesus throughout my day, even while my hobbies idle, and especially when I ponder things that might stress me. But I also think back, to a more commonly accepted distraction, that I have experienced. When my mother's illness became the most serious, things were beginning to look much more grim. In grace, God was pulling me close to Him, a couple months before my mom was hospitalized. Through that, by keeping my focus on Him, I was able to find healing while I grieved, even before my mom actually passed away. I think people from the outside (and even from the inside sometimes) see God and religion as a crutch and a distraction. I think what they miss, and what I was able to experience firsthand, is that by staying close to God in hard times, we are not being sheltered like some stereotypical, home-schooled kid from the 80s. Instead, it's like a loving father, holding his child's hand while that child, with tears falling and teeth gritted, has to get five shots on the same day (which really happened with Ella). Jesus has left, but He will return. In everything I do, I need to keep my focus on His return, knowing that it will be unexpected. That is done through time spent committed to The Lord in prayer, worship, and His Word.
P) Father, forgive me for my sidetracked mind. Discipline my thoughts and help me develop self-control even in my mind. Help me to keep context and perspective with things like grief, or hobbies, and help me rid myself of stress and sins. Let me be mindful of Your will and the soon coming return of my King. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.
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