Thursday of the Second Week of Lent - March 21, 2019

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Jeremiah 17:5-10  Luke 16:19-31

"...Cursed is the one who trusts in man who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord." (Jeremiah 17:5).


Life is hard. Things are difficult. It is easy to succumb to life altering distractions when we are being pummeled by numerous catastrophes that occur within our own personal lives and the lives of others in the world. So how can we keep focused on God in the midst of these crises? For most of our lives, we experience what seems like a never-ending cycle of gloom, but we have the choice to keep our eyes focused on God. A great song that comes to mind when handling a dark situation is a song called Bring the Rain by MercyMe. The song reminds us that although bad situations make us feel alone and angry, they also are a means to come crawling back to God. The song beckons God to bring the rain in order to redirect our eyes after a bout of sorrow or discomfort.

Life certainly has its rewards, as well. In my own experience, I have had many great moments in my eighteen years. I have graduated from high school.  I have excelled in some sports and have had many happy moments with my family and friends. I have found great comfort in the appraisal of others and, honestly, I revel in the attention. This can be a dangerous distraction from God as well. Our good moments can be harmful to us if we give them the wrong attention. Giving all of the glory to God, who is our Creator, allows us to bask in the goodness of life and keep us focused on Him.

Life is about our relationship with God directly, as well as with Him indirectly through our relationships with others.  The trick is to let God into our lives. God wants to be in our lives. God does not need us but he wants us.  Our struggle is to see past the things that would distract us from seeing Him.   
           
Q: What things, good or bad, distract me from my relationship and dependence on God?

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