Sunday night Jo and I went with the Jr/Sr High youth and their leaders to this church to attend eXchange and to hear Scot Longyear preach. Okay…so went for the music. (You said you wanted honesty Scot! 🙂 ) Just kidding. Scot “threw down” an awesome message on Jesus’ letter to the church at Thyatira. He came across loud and clear, especially in the area of purity and leadership that men/young men/boys need to take. But to be totally honest I was arrested by a song. No, make that lyrics to a song. They hit me so hard that I wrote them down in my Moleskine for future reference. They were from a song that I had not heard before. Here they are:
O Christ, be the center of our lives,
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives.
I flashed to several verses of Scripture: “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” [Heb. 12:1] “You are to love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” [Mt. 22:37] “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.” [Mt.6:33] Like many others, I have allowed some things to creep into my life that have divided my loyalty-things that are not wrong by themselves-but that which has definitely taken me off center. Worshiping with that song Sunday night brought it home to me.
How about you? Have you found yourself off-center lately? Have you found your eyes fixed somewhere else? I hope this post will be just the “oomph” you need to get back where you belong. Please let me know if it has issued a challenge to you. I went hunting for the song with just the words “be the center” and found it so if you want to hear the song in its entirety you can listen here:
God designed us to live for his glory. This is all over the Bible. And it is therefore our life-calling and our duty to live for his glory. If I test myself: Does the love of God to “me” mean that he makes “me” the center, or does it mean that he gives “me” everlasting joy – at great cost to himself – of making him the center? That is what all of us were made for. That would be our joy and that would be his glory. Thanks for making me pause and think of how precious He is:-)
Ike: you’re welcome. I heartily agree with your thoughts too. What an amazing truth that we are precious to Him! Thanks for the comment.
On any given day this would be my struggle Bill.
Right now however, things in my world seem to be forcing my focus on The One person who matters most…
(part of this process by-the-way, is because of “that book” you recommended 🙂
And for the record…I’m truly loving the shift in focus.
Prayers today my Friend…
I think it is always a challenge to keep my eyes where they need to be. there are so many things that can distract and pull you off center. I think keeping this in check for me is something I have to do daily and sometimes a couple of times a day.
Excellent Post!
Robin: so good to hear from you. Glad about the focus but I please innocence! 🙂 BTW folks: “that book” is Crazy Love by Francis Chan. If you haven’t already pick it up you need to do that yesterday. Thanks for the comment robin and you know daily “dangerous” prayers are said for you.
Jim: I think sometimes pastors can really get hooked on looking elsewhere. It is good to do a daily check. Thanks for the compliment and comment.
WOW….exactly what I needed to read.
Ouch. But a good Ouch at that.
Great post….leaving me with lots to think about.
Michelle: thanks. But you gotta stand in line. It hit me first. 🙂 thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule (check out her blog) to come by and comment.
I find that I need to refocus several times a day. Satan seems to know just the rights things to throw my way that grab my attention away from God.
Thank you for helping me focus on the things of God!
Dusty: I would say you have it right. Sort of like that “pray without ceasing” idea. Stopping to focus and then focus again is a good idea. Thanks for stopping by.
Dad, I know you have no way of knowing because I haven’t talked to you in a couple of days but THIS was exactly what I needed to read. The last couple of days have been hard- yesterday was a hard “job” day and Sunday was just a hard “personal” day. My eyes have strayed just enough off-center that I flounder. Love you.
Tami: we all have those days. the important thing is getting re-focused and re-centered. Love you too.