Holy Focus

I've been studying Hebrews 12:2 today which says,

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter 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." I love looking up the original meanings for words/phrases in scripture on www.blueletterbible.org, and this morning, I was curious to see what the original meaning of the word "fix" meant.  The original word means to "turn the eyes away from other things and fix them on something else".  My mind thinks visually, so immediately I began to think of something that would explain what I picture the word to mean.

This dog is fixated.  His focus is planted on something, and nothing, other than its owner will be able to pull him from what he sees.  

We all have a lot of things going on right now.  Life is busier than I've ever seen it, and it is so easy to shift our focus to the details of life, and really never experience the true Joy of life, which is Jesus Christ. God has impressed upon my heart today, that, just like the dog, I need to be fixated on Him and on Kingdom things.  I have found that when I do, all the other details of life are still there and eventually get accomplished, but the day finds a new meaning and purpose when I seek a Holy Focus.

Go

It's a glorious Fall morning, well, it really feels like Spring, because it's cool, but will be in the mid 70's today again with warm sunshine.  As I sat down with my coffee and my Bible, my sweet dog Cooper came to me and did what he does a lot. He laid his head on the chair next to my leg.  Now, before you say in your head, "Aww", this is generally the thing he does when he wants something from me, so like I have done many times before, I said, "Go".  Most of the time that doesn't work until I say, "Go lay down," to which he doesn't leave my presence, but he lays close by.

Before I sat down, I prayed that God would speak to me this morning, and as I said the word "Go", a truth resonated in my heart.  I do that with God.  When life is too busy and there are too many things on my "to do" list, my actions say "Go" to God when He comes close.  But what does He do?  Much like Cooper, He never leaves and stays by my side until I'm ready for Him.  “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)


Today my heart says, "Lord, come near, closer than I think I need you.  Thank you for never leaving me, even when my heart says "Go lay down."

Hold On

It's crazy windy in Middle Tennessee today!  Fall is trying desperately to make an entrance, but warmer temperatures keep it at bay.  The leaves have changed, but since we haven't had the rain that we need, it seems this year that the colors aren't as vibrant, along with the fact that the trees are letting them go more quickly.  As I was taking my son to school this morning, I noticed a smaller tree that was being whipped by the wind.  If the leaves could talk (which the older I get, I do animate and give things voices :) ) I believe that they would be screaming, "Hold on!  Hold on for dear life!"  At that very moment, God began forming this on my heart.  "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit."  (Isaiah 11:1)  As I looked at the leaves being battered by the wind and trying to hold on, I thought of the excruciating "wind" that this life deals us living in this world:  lies, pain, divorce, success at all cost, disease, disappointment, loss, exhaustion, addiction, shame, guilt, and the list could go on an on.  But as long as we hang on to the Branch, we have LIFE.  Leaves apart from the branch wither and die.  Leaves that decide to fly off on their own and ride the wind, never have a source of direction, and they are a slave to the wind.  The Branch (Jesus Christ) is the only source of true life.

For you

I did this for you...for you...even if you were the only one...for you

John 10:17-19 (New International Version)

¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.

The Call to Fly

"3The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice."  (John 10:3-4)

Babies know Momma's voice...They sing back the same chirp...Dad joins the song...It's a song that beckons the frightened babies to take the plunge out of the nest...The bush trembles at their movement.  Momma leaves for a moment and the babies call loudly.  She comes back, on the ground now, making her demands louder.  Their insistent chirp back seems to be screaming, "I'm not ready to go."  She continues to come back, each time with more food the strengthen the apprehensive, readying babies.

New seasons of life for our babies are so hard at times, but God blesses us with them so that we can call them out of the nest to try out what we've taught them to spread their wings and FLY!  (Sidenote...I have had 3 litters (i know they're not called litters, but you get it) of baby robins from the same mom and dad all summer.  They have been nesting since April 15th, and the last 3 flew the coop last week...)

Give Me a Drink!

The temperature in Tennessee this week will be close to 100 degrees.  The heat index will be close to 110 degrees.  I usually water my flowers every other day in the summer, but because of the heat, I am stepping it up daily, at least until the heat subsides.  The Miracle Grow has even made its way out of the shed, as I'm fearful that the flowers will wilt in the heat.

As I made my way around the yard, flooding all of my plants with a good drink of water, God turned my thoughts toward my own walk with Him.  I had to ask myself the question, "When I feel the sweltering heat come into my own life through challenges, pain, weakness, or sadness, do I flood my life with an extra drink in the Word to sustain me?"  Many times, the answer is "No".  I become so consumed with the circumstance, "the heat", that it becomes my main focus, and not the Source that can give me a drink through the relief and nourishment of His Word.

I look at my flowers and I'm reminded that they need watered regularly in order to stay healthy, and a double watering when the heat tries to consume them.  My life, also, needs a watering of His Word to keep me healthy as well, and when the heat comes, it needs a double portion! 

"you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."  (John 4:10)

Harmony?

My birdie hotel...I've been watching it since March, eager for the Purple Martins to reserve a room.  Sparrows quickly moved in, and for a few months have annoyed me, because pretty much anywhere I have provided a house, here and in my Bluebird house, they have moved in and taken over.

Last week I began to see a lone Martin checking out the hotel.  As the week passed, it started coming around more and more, with the sparrow staring it down each time it perched.  One Martin turned into to two, into three, and finally into four.  Since March, I have been wanting the Martins to come in and kick the Sparrows out....until...the babies were born, and now I just want them to share!!!

I'm a freak, I know, but Mike gave me a pair of binoculars that we've had, and I've been staring at the birds for days.  I've been worried about the baby Sparrows, and with good reason.  Today before church, I saw one of the Martins in the Sparrow's nest tormenting the babies and it made one fly out!

So my heart is torn, as I'm sure God's is when his children can't or wont live together in harmony.  I want the Martins to live in the Birdie Hotel, but I don't want them to kick the Sparrows out.  Stay tuned...as of this afternoon, the Sparrows still have a home.

  (1Pe 3:8) "Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble."