Stay Focused

Driving a car is one of the activities that most of us participate in that requires we stay focused on what we are doing. This is especially true when we drive for an extended period of time. It is necessary that we stay awake and resist being distracted by common hindrances like cell phones, radios, eating and drinking, texting or even talking with passengers; any of which could easily result in an accident. But on longer trips staring continuously at the road mile after mile, hour after hour, is just as dangerous. We may be trying to stay “focused” on the task but we end up in a “daze” and can quickly fall asleep at the wheel. I remember a section in our Driver’s Ed textbook in high school that dealt with how to stay alert and focused on the job of driving for long distances. The suggestions included keeping your eyes moving around from looking at the road, to glancing at the speedometer, to checking the rear view mirror, back to the road, then checking the side view mirrors and back to the road. It even advised that you change the place you look on the road from the middle line, to the road in the distance, to the side line and back to the road in the immediate distance. Though it sounds like you are not focused, these subtle actions keep your mind alert and your body occupied so that you don’t lose sight of the task.

When the body of Christ begins to talk about being “focused” in its ministry we must be careful that we don’t “fixate” on just one event or ministry to the point that we fall into a lethargic “spiritual” daze. Staying focused doesn’t mean just doing one thing as a follower of Jesus, but rather moving through a series of things like attending worship, maintaining a personal daily time with Jesus, witnessing for the Lord, being involved in outreach, ministering in the body, learning more about God’s word and investing time in fellowship. All these things serve a real purpose in keeping us focused upon spiritual things. Such a lifestyle keeps us awake spiritually and our hands busy with the Father’s work, helping us to not “fall asleep at the wheel” and make shipwreck of our faith.

There’s nothing routine about following Jesus. Adventure waits around the next corner!

How exciting to be His people,

Pastor David Vanderpool