It is hard to stay focused all the time but it is really helpful to do so. I was coming out of the bank yesterday and walked over to my car and inserted the key into the lock to unlock the front door. The key fob has not worked in several years; somehow it was dropped in water and nothing seems to fix it and at $75.00 to replace it I have resorted to simply unlocking the door manually – not a great hardship but a necessary one.
So you might understand my concern when the key seemed to jam in the lock. I have had a few times where the key does not seem to fit the lock as perfectly as it should and it jams a little when I try and unlock the door. Usually, like most locks, I jiggle the key a little and maneuver it around a bit and it finally meshes with the mechanism and the door unlocks.
Today was a little more challenging. I tried to unlock the door and the key really jammed up on me. I groaned a little inside thinking this is not the time or place for the key not to work. I pulled it out, flipped the key upside down (like that was supposed to do something) and tried again, nothing. It was catching on something and I was a little concerned because it had never jammed this hard before. So I kept maneuvering the key but nothing was working. Suddenly I heard a soft voice behind me, “Excuse me” but I was so enamored by this key that I thought they were talking to someone else. “Excuse me” the voice came a little stronger in which I pulled the key out, turned and greeted this Hispanic gentlemen who was obviously coming over to help me in this crazy dilemma. “That’s my car” he said. I cracked a smile, spun around, and looked again. Two identical cars, both Nissan Altimas, same color, year, the same sun roof too!! My car was the one right beside it.
Hebrews tells us to “keep on fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”. I am reminded that 2 Corinthians 11:14 reminds me that “…Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…”. “For false Christ’s and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.” (Matt. 24:24).
It was a good reminder that I have to keep my eyes on Christ. There are many things that look good, seem right on, appear exactly like the original but are not Christ. The better we know the original the better we can tell it apart from copies that are not for Christ. Of course none of this suggests this gentleman was a deceiver or anything like that so don’t extrapolate. What I am challenged with is how easily we can be distracted when we are not paying attention. We get overconfident, start thinking about other things and suddenly we are blindsided, not because of what other people do but because we are not paying attention.
How do we pay attention? being in the Word; getting on your knees in prayer; memorizing the Scriptures; walking by the Spirit of God. We need to keep on fixing (riveting) our eyes constantly on the Son. My lack of attention here was a humorous blunder – getting a little off line with God can have far more serious consequences.
Pastor Brad
