It Takes Focus

The Sunday we were in Lima, we went to church with Brittne. It was totally a Spanish speaking service. In case you have forgot, let me remind you that I cannot speak Spanish. I can read a few words but I cannot get the words out properly. If you know me, you are thinking to yourself, “She doesn’t get her English words our right!”. Nobody knows that better than me! Lol It was a great looking church. I was glad to see a praise team was going to lead worship. When they started to sing, I immediately became excited. They were singing the same praise songs we sing at Fusion. The words were being projected on two screens. However, it was all in Spanish. That was okay with me, I figured I knew the words well enough that I would just sing along with them in English. Afterall, these are the songs I sing to myself all the time. It would be cool to hear them singing in Spanish while Kristen, Bryce, and I sung in English. Dwayne was at the end of the row sitting on the other side of Brittne, so he wouldn’t be a part of our English trio. However, within seconds we knew there was a problem. With all the Spanish being sung around us we couldn’t remember a word of English. I mean not a word!!! We all just stood there in shock. How could we not remember words to something we knew so well! It became apparent to us that if we wanted to sing praises to the Lord we were going to have to read them and sing them in Spanish. So, for the first time in my life, I sang in Spanish. I will never know for sure but I imagine that God was amused at his daughter’s praises that Sunday morning. As a parent I loved laughing at the adorable things my children did. Maybe I gave Him a little parental laughter!
One of the things that bewilders me about the Christian walk is consistency. How does a Christian live a life of service to the Lord, a life of devotion to His Word, a life of loving others, and a life of glorifying God and then stop doing it? How do we walk away and forget all the things we live for? Who we live for? Singing praises in the Peruvian church that day showed me an answer to that question. We were inundated with our environment. We were more focused on what was going on around us than what we had placed in our heart and mind. The same thing trips us up in life. When we concentrate on all that is going on around us in life, we can so easily start to focus on the world, the trials, and the problems. Very quickly we start forgetting about the words, the lessons, and the testimonies we have stored in our heart and mind. When that happens, we soon stop recognizing and hearing God’s voice and we become complacent. Before long we start hearing and feeding our flesh. Our life is now far from the life we once lived, and our relationship with the Lord becomes passionless.

Where do you find yourself? What are you focusing on? Do you still hear the voice of God or has it become unrecognizable? If you still have passion and zeal in your relationship with Jesus, then stay focused and persistent to keep it. If you have lost it, return to the Lord. He hasn’t quit speaking and He hasn’t quit wanting to have a relationship with you. Change your focus and listen to Him. Remember all He has done for you and surrender yourself into His care.

Good friend, don’t forget all I’ve taught you; take to heart my commands. They’ll help you live a long, long time, a long life lived full and well. Don’t lose your grip on love and loyalty. Tie them around your neck; carve their initials on your heart. Earn a reputation for living well in God’s eyes and the eyes of the people. Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.
Proverbs 3: 1-6 (The Message)