They keep my teeth clean and prevent tartar build-up!
Wow – there’s just so much here in the reading today. Again, Neil takes things down quite a different road from where I thought we were going.
At issue seems to be that the longer (more intently) I look at something, the more I want it. What captivates my attention? What do I spend my time reading, watching, doing? What am I fascinated with?
God created a beautiful world, and He did so with us in mind… He knew that when we are standing in front of a breathtaking scene – whether it’s a thundering waterfall or a patch of tiny, exquisite flowers – our soul is enriched. We feel peace and awe. I think He did all that so we’d have a taste of what it will be like to stand before His awesome beauty.
The fact that we’re so visually geared was a gift from God, but instead Satan uses that gift for our downfall. Hey, look over here! Sadly, we’re easily distractible, which makes us easier to lead astray.
Picture the dog trainer who puts the milk bone on the dog’s nose… The only way the poor dog can handle the temptation is to keep its eyes on the trainer. Wow. An unlikely metaphor, but it works for me! (Plus, if I remember right, those milk bone biscuits don’t taste all that bad…)
One more thing… I love what Neil said in the last paragraph: There is no way you can cleverly word a prayer so that God must respond to it.
What a relief! That frees me to focus on Him more as I pray, and less on me. And isn’t that the point?
I am glad to be reminded often from Neil’s devotional that Satan uses small things and things in our own mind to distract us.
ReplyDelete“Hey Pattie look over there” or “you really should be mad /sad about THAT”… I pray I will keep my eyes on you Lord, this day and not be distracted by the little things.
Something else you said brought this to my mind and I wanted to share :)
Michele the visual angle is one of my very favorite responses to my brother-in-law when he asks me how I know there is a God, I respond so he can understand what I see… I tell him look at the sunset, look at the pine trees up close on the mountain, look at a waterfall or the ocean. I look at them and know they were made to be seen and enjoyed, there is a creator making this beauty for ME to see. It has to have a creator it is not random act that has created all this beauty that my eye beholds!