Bang! “Ouch!” The visit to the bathroom in an unfamiliar hotel room in the middle of the night changed my focus. The moment of contact with an ill-placed towel rack made me aware of my situation. “That’s going to leave a big bruise.” And sure enough, it did—large and painful. The pain throbbing in my thigh awakened my mind to a future where shorts and bathing suits would not be part of my wardrobe choices. My soul protested at getting angry: There’s nothing you can do now.
This crash into a towel rack grabbed all my attention—physically, emotionally, even spiritually. I was aware. But does the Lord hold this kind of all-encompassing attention for me? Do I seek and praise Him with my all? I sometimes sit at the kitchen table, open His Word, get up to make coffee, and then return to His Word. Only to be interrupted by a text, then back to the Word, etc.
It took my crashing into something to remind me that something can totally consume me. In this case, it was a bruise. But can’t I apply my all to God? Isn’t God’s Word worth my full focus and undivided time?
Since I can give my all to something, why not make it praise for my Lord? He is worthy of ignoring or postponing texts. He is worthy of my focus. He has earned this respect and praise by living a perfect life, dying a horrific death, and miraculously rising from the dead—never to die again. The Father has given Him the authority to reign over heaven and earth, which qualifies Him as worthy.
But His ongoing love for His creation—for us—catches my breath, and I join the angels who sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God almighty.” With hands raised, I sing, for He is holy (Psalm 103:1).
What has your full attention and affection? Let it be the Lord. Even just for a moment, focus on Him and praise His name with your all.
Susie Wong has been a storyteller her entire life. Her lessons for either her fifth-grade students or a Sunday chool class were taught through a picturesque, detailed account of the subject. Her two boys were lulled to sleep with their version of a never-ending story. If you ask her husband to tell their engagement story, you’d get three lines, maybe four. If you ask Susie, it’s a four-page story painting a picture of Yosemite with which Ansel Adams would smile. Susie’s books and devotional stories can be found at: amomentwithjesus.net.