The Bible speaks of a young prophet who was lured into bypassing the command of the Lord. If we could encapsulate the moment, he was simply sidetracked. He knew the word of the Lord, but his attention was diverted and it cost him his life. Of course, there were a number of factors that led to the moment, but at the foundation of failure was an interruption in his walk.
Driving under the influence, DUI’s, are responsible for multiple highway deaths. The reports rage across the nation as the innocent, unsuspecting lose their life. Mothers and fathers have wept uncontrollably as they realized their loss. It is a lifetime of grief without resolution.
Yet, the worst of it are distracted drivers. They are not inebriated or under any influence. Cell phone use, texting, even movie watching while driving are contributing factors. Accidents, fatal and otherwise, are increasing as people have their heads down while driving. They are mostly good drivers with all their faculties in tact; just distracted. Lives are changed forever. Distractions have been the cause of so many fatalities in so many areas of life. When our eyes move from the “purpose” our attention is divided. The results speak for themselves.
Our eyes guide our body. Abraham’s nephew set his house facing Sodom. Eventually, inevitably, he moved where he was looking. As it has been said, “The eyes have it.”
Sight is vision. It is desire and direction. What we look at is what we become and where we live. The apostle wrote: Looking unto Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith.
It may very well be that spiritual darkness will not overtake us. It might be that we will not fall into sin or deny the name of Jesus. The years have taught me that most just get distracted: caught in a snare; sidetracked from the mission and the purpose of the Kingdom. The loss is all the same.
Ambition is a good thing. Hard work, family time, vacations, education, and so many other factors can benefit our lives. Yet, all present traps which steal our attention away from the one needful thing. I suppose we must ask: What shall separate us from Heaven; The Mission; and our faithfulness to the House of God? Interruptions are part of the enemy’s plan. The distracted believer is in just as much danger as the unbeliever.
So I admonish those who read: Stay focused on the Lord and the work of the church. The world is depending on our keen attention to the purpose of the Kingdom.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole
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