Walk-on Wednesday - Don’t Forget God - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands. Deuteronomy 8:11 NLT 

Forgetting can be embarrassing and aggravating.

I once could memorize things, names, and events easily. Having a college professor who required memorizing long lists of answers to numerous questions wasn’t a problem. Despite having a good memory, I’ve always carried several calendars. Then I turned forty, and life changed. Names were the first thing to go. I could look at people I’d known for years and forget their last names—and sometimes their first. I still record scheduled events, birthdays, anniversaries, and a “to do” list on several calendars, but now I need to. These memory lapses disturb me, but I’ve accepted them as a part of the aging process.

God’s Old Testament followers tended to forget as well, but it wasn’t due to age. Instead, they usually forgot because they turned their attention to something else—often idol worship. Or because things were going so well they didn’t see the need for God anymore. God cautioned them to be careful.

Forgetting God is never something I intend to do, but it happens just the same. If things go too well in my life, I begin thinking I have life under control and can handle anything that comes my way. So, God sends or allows a little adversity to remind me I can’t handle life without him—at least not without messing it up.

Things can easily distract us: relationships, material things, hobbies, sports, substances, etc. 

When distracted, we’re more apt to focus on the distraction than on the God who wants our undivided attention. 

Taking precautions is necessary if we’re to focus on God and obey his commands continuously. God is behind every success we enjoy, and he will see us through every adversity we encounter.

Don’t forget God along life’s journey.

Prayer: Father, may we never forget loving and serving You are the most essential things in our lives.

Tweetable: Have you forgotten God? 

 

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Distracted - Martin Wiles

But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. Luke 10:40 NLT

Beauty surrounded them, but they didn’t see it.

My wife and I were keeping our daughter’s two sons while she was on a four-day cruise. Needing to get them some fresh air, we decided to take them to Star Fort, a nearby national historic site. A paved trail winds through woods and the battlefield and would give the boys enough space to romp and roam, while learning about history and nature at the same time.

After our walk, we rested at the picnic area. The boys played with the two toys they had brought along. I decided to re-walk the trail while they rested—only this time I’d do it in quiet. As I strolled along, I passed a number of individuals.

With the exception of two of the people I passed, they all had one thing in common: heads tilted downward. They didn’t even look up when I passed them so I could speak to them. And I didn’t force a “Hello” since I didn’t want to interrupt what they were doing.

What interested them so much was a smartphone. I wondered why they decided to take a trip into nature if they didn’t plan to enjoy it. Beauty and history surrounded them, but a device distracted them.

Mary didn’t have a device, but something did distract her. She, her sister, and her brother were good friends of Jesus. During one of His visits, Mary sat at His feet, listening to Him talk. Martha, on the other hand, let preparing the meal distract her. When she complained to Jesus about her sister’s inconsideration, Jesus told her Mary had chosen the more important thing.

Martha reminds me of my mother in the days when she cooked family meals. The preparation and serving distracted her too. Most of the family had finished eating before she ever sat to join us in conversation. She mimicked her mother, who did the same.

Getting distracted by unimportant things in life comes easily if we don’t intentionally set priorities and goals. Technology makes getting distracted even easier, but distractions happened long before the new inventions and the busyness of life they have brought.

Loving God solely and our neighbors unconditionally have always been the greatest priorities. Anything that prevents doing so is classified a distraction and will lead us to look in the wrong directions and miss out on the best in life.

Don’t let distractions keep you from enjoying the most important things in life.

Prayer: Father, keep us focused on the most important things so distractions won’t steal our focus.

Tweetable: What things distract you and why?

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Distracted by Distractions - Solace from the Psalms - Martin Wiles

For thousands of years, people have found comfort in the Psalms. No matter what emotion you are experiencing or fight you're facing, the psalms have something important to say. For the next little while, Love Lines from God will feature, "Solace from the Psalms." We hope you enjoy. And please share them with a friend. 

Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 17:8 NLT

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

But it hasn’t ours…at least not yet. Only because we have tried to control her distractions.

Emma is a rescue kitty we adopted from the local humane society. Since she still had a great deal of kitten in her, she was easily distracted by things we didn’t want her to be distracted by. A small piece of litter from her box. A tassel dangling from an expensive curtain. A costly piece of glass nestled on a table. Cords on our plantation blinds. The blinds. Cables connected to our electronic devices. When we left her alone for a few hours, we never knew what devilment we would come home to. Controlling her distractions was a full-time job.

David asked God to guard him as he would his own eyes. An honorable request since he was drawn toward distractions as well.

I know the feeling too. I’m often distracted by distractions. And not all of them are sinful, but left unchecked they can steal my attention from God, family, work, friends, and important details in life. Those who are too easily distracted are sometimes diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), but when there are spiritual elements involved I call it SADD (Spiritual Attention Deficit Disorder).

Time in God’s Word helps me focus. Here I find general principles to apply to my specific distractions. Through regular prayer moments, God impresses upon me the direction He wants me to travel. And by hanging around other believers, I discover I’m not the only one distracted. They encourage me to focus, and we learn from each other’s mistakes.

So when you’re distracted by too many distractions, let God re-focus you on what’s important.

Join the conversation. Tell us one way you deal with distractions. 

Tweetable: Are distractions distracting you? 

Prayer: Merciful God, when we’re distracted by things that are less than Your best for us, draw us back to the most important aspects of life.  

   

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