The Godward Focus

Over the last three years since the pandemic hit our shores, I’ve noticed how subjects such as anxiety, fear and worry have been the topics of so many sermons. The church has been addressing these issues for good reason. God’s people just like the rest of the world have felt and experienced the fallout of the pandemic some more than others. God has given us abundant counsel and comfort in His word for the vast range of our trials and troubles. He knows that we as His people would not be immune from the range of human emotion in the difficult days. And thank God for the reminders from many a pulpit over the past three years on the faithfulness of God in everything we will experience in this life! Although many things will never go back to what we once knew, we have been able in the last few months to resume a measure of normalcy. With that being said, perhaps the time has come to keep our focus in check! From the earthbound complexities to the Godward realities is something we must continue to pursue.  After all life will always present us with every reason to focus on the next bothersome issue, while the eternal realities get so little attention.

I recently came across one of those eternal realities that came as a solemn reminder and it put my own focus in check.

Do you not know? Have you not heard? the Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. Is 40:28

 The rebellions and complaining nation needed to be reminded of WHO God is and that their God was the all-powerful Creator; the generous Provider; their strong Tower and Shepherd; their Peace and their Defender – their ever-present help in time of trouble.

The name of God in this scripture is El Olam and it means, the eternal God, the everlasting God. His is the Beginning and End the One who works His purposes throughout the ages. And this same Everlasting God gives strength to the weary.

Sometimes we too can wander from the Lord or murmur against Him in unbelief or we can simply become so familiar with the words of Scripture that we forget Who our everlasting; omniscient; gracious; Creator God is and of what He is truly capable.

But this is a scripture that we would do well to recall to mind on those occasions when the stresses and strains of life cause our faith to be tested or on those occasions when the pressures of life start to bear down on us or we find we despair or doubts flood into our being all over again.

We must, at all cost keep (keeping) our focus GODWARD! Never let us forget that our God is the same yesterday, today and forever – and that He is our everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.

The hour is upon each and every one of us to take command of what we’re focusing on and train our vision upward. Our God never grows weak or weary – in Him is everlasting strength, eternal power and never-ending might.

Deut 33:27 The eternal God is a dwelling place and underneath are the everlasting arms.