I have enjoyed a few rain showers recently and the grass is beginning to get green again. I am most happy about not having to water my garden every day. I’m enjoying green beans, tomatoes, squash, peppers, cucumbers, and beets. Though the produce is stunted due to the dry weather I still have enough to eat and some to can for future use. I am grateful. These hot days prevent me from getting the weeds out as quickly as I’d like. I work on it a little bit in the evenings. And would you believe? I get tired easily. Another disadvantage of age!
Lest I dwell too long on the disadvantages of aging, I must focus on something else. I listen to the news, watch the media with its propaganda and misleading advertising, but is that a good place to focus my attention?
Scripture points me in a different direction. Psalm 141:8-9 says, “My eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge–do not give me over to death. Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, from the traps set by evildoers.” David, the Psalm writer, had to confront evil in his day just as we must confront it today. Evil may present itself in different ways at different times in history, but it is evil non the less. With todays’ political environment we have to take a stand for righteousness and to do that we must shelter our lives and minds with the truth of God’s Word. Without this protection we may be overwhelmed by the evil surrounding us.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
Jesus endured an evil and cruel death. He willingly allowed it to happen to pay the price for our salvation. The writer of Hebrews goes on to encourage us to “not grow weary and lose heart” (verse 3). When I focus on Jesus and what He did for me I am encouraged to continue focusing on that truth. I will not despair amid evil because I know who is really in charge and I know in the end righteousness will overcome evil. Where is your focus?
Ouch! You caught me. I had been thinking my focus was on the right things and going about my business but lately some of the squalid news sneaked into my thoughts and I began to lose my focus on Him even for a few minutes. Yes yes yes, sometimes it takes real effort to call those wayward bits what they are and deny them any time.
So…many thanks for sharing your own working to maintain that proper focus filled with gratitude for Him and all He is.
Blessings to you!