WHERE IS MY FOCUS?
God’s Love always remembers and seeks out the brokenhearted.
* “…to comfort all who mourn, to grant those who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning…”
Isaiah 61:2-3
Psalm 106:13 Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! 14 In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. 15 So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it.
That’s a description of Israel in their relationship with God during the forty years in the wilderness.
God had performed mighty miracles on their behalf.
*He’d redeemed them out ofEgypt.
*He’d made provision for them in all their desert wandering.
**But Israel had a short memory.
* They soon forgot what He’d done for them.
*They didn’t wait for His counsel.
*They didn’t wait to see what God wanted to do next, but they were guilty of greed and lust.
*They asked for meat and it says God sent them their request.
The record shows that He sent them an abundance of quails that fell all around their camp and they were actually knee-deep in quails.
*But note that final commentary which is so tragic: God “gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul.”
*Their bodies were filled, their souls were empty.
*Let us beware that we do not make the same mistake that we forget God’s goodness, that we do not wait for His counsel and that we ask to satisfy our lusts, and we even receive – but our souls become hungry and bare.
* Let’s wait for God’s counsel. Let’s not force our will upon God.
Sometimes we can do that and God will yield, but it’s to our own great hurt.
Romans 1:18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
24 So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. 25 They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen. 26 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires.
Narrow your focus, refuse to allow your attention to be scattered in all directions. And, do not allow your focus to be on your trouble or current dilemma.
This is a time to look squarely into the Lord’s face, deliver your prayer with earnest faith, and trust Him to answer. Release yourself from all anxiety and worry.
* John 6:20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”
Help me Lord to learn from Your word the sins of Your people so that I will not sin against You. Continue to remind me what You have done to deliver me in the valley when I get back on the mountain so that I don’t suffer spiritual decline. Lord, I Know now through experiences and Your Word–that Sometimes the wisest move I can make is to wait a little bit longer in each situation to understand Your Wise counsel. Thank You for Your patience with me! Help me Lord to keep by Total Focus on You and You alone. Amen