"So Long...."

Ex 32:1 "when the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain...."

Moses took longer than the people wanted... they grew impatient.. began to "suppose"... to let their minds wander here and there right into a golden calf and idolatry.

Don't I do the same? God takes "so long"... too long for me... I want Him to act, but nothing (actually He very likely is acting, but not in the manner I expect or want.. so I see it as inactivity).  My mind then starts to have a hey day of what ifs and I decide to help move things along.. I usually am able to even convince myself that this is what God wanted all along.. my help.

I may not create a golden calf as the Israelites did, but I create my own idol... the idol of self.. I set myself, my thoughts, my ideas, my abilities etc. up as "god".. I idolize me!

And in doing this I find that I am like Peter... my eyes were on Jesus, but then I got distracted by the water and waves (life) and now I am sinking in the water even if I don't realize it.  I must FIX my eyes on Jesus.. FIX, not glance His way.

I looked Fix up in the dictionary and found these definitions... to make firm, stable or stationary... affix... attach.. to hold or direct steadily... to capture the attention of.. establish.. to make an accurate determination of... to get ready.. focus.. decide.. settle.. fasten

I want to do all of that!  To make my focus Jesus... to have a firm grasp on Him.. to be stable and stationary in where I place my trust... to affix myself, attach me to Him.. to hold steadily to His Word.. to capture His attention.. to make an accurate determination by seeing HIM (Imperishable Truth) and not my circumstances (which are fleeting).. to get ready for whatever comes my way by fastening my eyes on Jesus!

Lord, may You be my vision today... the focus on my eyes and my life!

Downcast

I was rather glum yesterday -- the weight of the world on my shoulders.  At some point I heard in my spirit... "Why are you downcast, O my soul?"  I knew that came from a Psalm and the point was with God there is no need to be downcast.  I let the day go on and never stopped to look up the actual Psalm.  But this morning I did...

Ps. 42:5 & 11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.

and then I read on to verse 6...


My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember You....

There is the key to not being downcast...

remember WHO God is... WHAT He has done... WHAT He promises

That is the cure! Remember... Focus..... on God.

And it is a choice... we CHOOSE to Focus on Him and not our circumstances.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith. Heb. 12:2a

Let us -- again, a choice. Something we are told to do (Let us) but not made to do... it is our choice. So when I am downcast, it is my choice to stay there! Whoa!


My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only He will release my feet from the snare.  Ps. 25:15

Where are your eyes today?

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. Phil. 3:18-19 NIV

When I first read these verses, I immediately thought of our nation. So many live destructive lives... certainly many have made their stomachs their God (after all we are the most obese nation in the world)... and all I have to do is look to the media to see many flaunting their shame... it's big news! There is no doubt that the eyes of most Americans are on worldly things and not God.

But then I looked back a bit and realized that Paul was talking to believers and about believers. So.....

What is my destiny?
What is my god?
What is my glory?
Where is my mind focused?

I don't believe I am destined for destruction, but I can't say I feel destined for anything more than the status quo... and yet, the Word says that Jesus came that I might have life and have it to the full. So where is that abundant life? Why am I not choosing to live it?

Lord, teach me to live the life You have planned for me... a full life that glories You.

No doubt my stomach is one of my gods... as is fear.. concern with what others think... money... and more... I don't acknowledge them as gods, but I live as if they are.

Lord, I proclaim You with my lips but I live other words... help me to put all these things in their proper place and to exalt You to the throne of my heart.

I honestly don't think about having glory... I'm wired with the pat "give God the glory" mindset... but I know I can swell up with pride... especially when someone compliments one of my kids... or when I am feeling especially intelligent... but I have nothing to do with any of that.

Lord, It is all about You. I know that, but I don't live it. Help me to see Your glory and to live a life that glorifies You and You alone.

For a bit each day I shift my focus to God's Word and prayer.... and yet even them I am easily distracted by things of the world... I really don't give God 100% even for a few moments a day.

Lord, I rob You of my time... and I am the one who really suffers because of it. Grow the love I have for You in my heart... to the point that it overflows and I love as You love. Set my mind on the things above and not the things of this earth. Renew my mind and keep me focused on greater things and not the trappings of this world. For I know that I am an alien and a stranger here, Lord. My citizenship is in Heaven and one day Jesus will return to take me there.

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil. 3:20-21 NIV