Two elderly women were out driving in a large car - both could barely see over the dashboard. As they were cruising along, they came to an intersection. The stoplight was red, but they just went right on through. The woman in the passenger seat thought to herself, "I must be losing it, but I could have sworn we just went through a red light." After a few more minutes they came to another intersection, and the light was red again, and again they just went right through. This time the woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really very concerned that she was losing her mind. She was getting nervous and decided to pay very close attention to the road and the next intersection to see what was going on.
At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was definitely red, and they did go right through it! She turned to the other woman and said, "Mildred! Did you know we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us!" Mildred turned to her and said, "Oh, am I driving?"
Boy have I been there a time or two. It is so easy to lose our focus. To get so consumed with day to day struggles and day to day activities that we lose our way. I heard of a Detroit bus driver who finished his shift on the route 21 bus and headed for the terminal. Somehow, he took a wrong turn. He didn't arrive at the terminal at the scheduled time of 7:19 PM, and a short time later his supervisors started looking for him. Meanwhile, the driver's wife called the terminal and reported her husband might be disoriented from medication he was taking.
For six hours, the 40-foot city bus and it's driver could not be found. Finally the state police found the bus and driver - 200 miles NW of Detroit. The bus was motoring slowly down a rural 2-lane road, weaving slightly from side to side. The police pulled the driver over, and the driver said he was lost.
The police later said, "The driver had no idea where he was and agreed he had made a wrong turn somewhere. I think we have all been there, or are currently there now. We have been so consumed with things that we have lost our way. We are disoriented and confused about our purpose.
Oh, how our adversary loves to divert our attention and overwhelm us to the point we lose our focus. I, like so many of you have struggled at times with trying to determine what God's will is for my life, and at other times I've seem to have taken a wrong turn "somewhere" and was unsure how to get back on course. I don't want you to feel alone. Sometimes, while doing and searching for the "right" things, Satan finds a way to blur our vision and take our focus off of whats important.
I have found three simple principles of Scripture to keep me focused. I find that if I can keep my simple little mind focused on these three things the rest falls into place and my life finds purpose and meaning. Its when I get off doing and flirting, and trying to find new ways and things, "In the name of Jesus" mind you, that I get lost.
Step 1 - Spread the Gospel: We are instructed in (Mark 16:15), "And He said to them, Go into the entire world and preach the gospel to all creation." Don't read so much into this that you miss the point. He is instructing all of us that are followers of Christ to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We all have areas of influence that becomes our platform and it is our responsibility to share the impact He has made on our lives. He wants us to be proud enough of Him and what He's done for us that we share our experience with those we come in contact with. Satan wants to busy us to the point that this goes undone and left for those with more knowledge then we have.
Step 2 - Love Others: (Matt. 22:39) says, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." You love yourself enough to not want to go to Hell...don't you? You love yourself enough to want whats best...don't you? You love your family, your friends enough that you want what's best for them...don't you? Sure you do! Jesus said in (John 13:34-35), "A new commandment I give you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you... That adds another dimension to love doesn't it. He loved you and me enough to lay down His life for us, enough to share with us the way, the truth and the life. He came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly, (Jn.10:10). In turn He wants us to love people we have influence with enough that we share that good news with them. He goes on to say... "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." We are instructed to love people in such a way it draws them to the Christ we follow.
Satan, on the other hand wants us to be so overwhelmed that we act in such a way as to repel others from Christ. He's perfectly OK with doing this through all sorts of means, even "religiously good stuff." If we can be so consumed with doing church stuff that we neglect the commanded stuff we can be in danger of turning people away.
Step 3 - Make Disciples: We are instructed in the Great Commission found in (Matt. 28:19) to, "Make disciples of all nations...teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded." Well, He commanded us all to share Him... to love others...are we doing that? It may be we are having a hard time getting God to show us "our way" because He wants us to find "His way" first?? If we will share Him, love others and the word "make disciples" literally means "to attach one's self to someone, to come along side of," then God can open our eyes to who we are in Him.
Tim Tebow is taking a pounding in the media right now for his faith, and for trying to find who he is in the Denver Bronco's organization. But he said something in his book that's worth mentioning here, "My parents always told me, from an early age that we all have the ability to influence others, whether through our words or actions, or both. They always added that, besides possessing the ability, we also have the responsibility to use it in a positive, encouraging, and uplifting way - a platform. I am responsible for how I use my platform. We all have stories to share. We all have life experiences that can bless the lives of others. Whoever we are, wherever we find ourselves, whatever we are involved in, no matter our age or situation in life. We all have stories that when shared with others, can make a positive difference in the world."
Do you get it... Mildred? Yes, you are driving! The question is are you so focused on the journey that you fail to realize what your missing? How many opportunities have been passed because you were so consumed with God "showing you the way," or with things that don't really matter, and you failed to realize the difference you could have made? Your spouse needs you to follow these steps, your children need this kind of attention, your co-workers, your friends, those people who in some way have been brought into your realm of influence need you. People are watching and wondering.
I have a rule that governs my life. I strongly encourage you to set down and develop one for yourself, or adopt this one. This was given to me years ago when I first entered the ministry and it sets in a frame on my book self and is read often to keep me on course. It goes like this...The Rule That Governs My Life: "Anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I MUST, as a Christian turn away from it."
God has a plan for you and He is going to use you, or He wouldn't leave you here. He wants you, loves you and is proud of you. He wants you stay on course and if you'll follow these simple, easy steps I feel confident along the way you'll find meaning and purpose. God bless!!
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