Psalm 119:1-8
You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
Then I’d never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I’m going to do what you tell me to do;
don’t ever walk off and leave me.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, my husband pointed out a dead branch on a tree under the bluff in our back yard. For as long as we have lived here, buzzards have perched on that branch. We commented several times that one day, the branch was going to snap and take the birds with it! I don’t know how this actually transpired, but the end of the branch is gone. Greg said, “I guess you noticed that the branch broke…it happened about 2 weeks ago.” I had not noticed. I had also not noticed his new eye glasses…the ones he picked up at the eye care center last week! Greg laughed and said, “There’s a devo in there somewhere!” And he was right!
I get so caught up in my own world…in the things on my “to do” list…going here or there for the kids…what’s for dinner – and what’s on the grocery list…who I need to send a card…when I can fit in a workout…and a zillion other things that probably don’t really amount to a hill of beans. And I neglect people right in front of me…namely my wonderful husband and our sweet little cat…as I check off other a myriad of things and the needs of others on my list. It’s not that my own “family” is not important to me…or that I don’t love them…but I get sidetracked and distracted – and ultimately, they get pushed farther down the list! And – bless them – they never complain!
Here’s the thing…we do this all the time with people – but especially with God. We get sidetracked and distracted…and days/weeks/months go by without our so much as opening our Bibles or spending a few minutes in earnest prayer, short of a “God, please help me!” uttered in sheer distress. We don’t notice the things that God does for us…the “broken branch” or the “new glasses” because we are so busy with our own agendas and juggling a dozen balls in the air – many of which are not “top shelf” priorities!
So we miss the beauty of a sunrise or sunset…or the amazing Hunter’s Moon that has illuminated our nights this week. We wake up one day, and those closest to us have vanished. They have either drifted away mentally, physically or emotionally…or they have grown up - or aged to a point where they can’t, or won’t, interact with us as they once did. Sadly, in some cases, they have even died and physically left us forever. And we wonder…what happened? How did we not spend our time more wisely? Why didn’t we pay more attention?
This passage reminds us that we are blessed when we stay on course…when we maintain focus – first on God, and then on a prayerfully constructed “to-do" list! There is no time like today to stop and re-order our lives…to get this right and ask God to organize our steps and help us maintain proper awareness of our surroundings and what is truly important. Life IS short…and we don’t have a minute to waste! God can help us prioritize and sort out the details so that we always stay on course. I’m asking Him to do this in my life…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
You, God, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
Then I’d never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I’m going to do what you tell me to do;
don’t ever walk off and leave me.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
This morning, my husband pointed out a dead branch on a tree under the bluff in our back yard. For as long as we have lived here, buzzards have perched on that branch. We commented several times that one day, the branch was going to snap and take the birds with it! I don’t know how this actually transpired, but the end of the branch is gone. Greg said, “I guess you noticed that the branch broke…it happened about 2 weeks ago.” I had not noticed. I had also not noticed his new eye glasses…the ones he picked up at the eye care center last week! Greg laughed and said, “There’s a devo in there somewhere!” And he was right!
I get so caught up in my own world…in the things on my “to do” list…going here or there for the kids…what’s for dinner – and what’s on the grocery list…who I need to send a card…when I can fit in a workout…and a zillion other things that probably don’t really amount to a hill of beans. And I neglect people right in front of me…namely my wonderful husband and our sweet little cat…as I check off other a myriad of things and the needs of others on my list. It’s not that my own “family” is not important to me…or that I don’t love them…but I get sidetracked and distracted – and ultimately, they get pushed farther down the list! And – bless them – they never complain!
Here’s the thing…we do this all the time with people – but especially with God. We get sidetracked and distracted…and days/weeks/months go by without our so much as opening our Bibles or spending a few minutes in earnest prayer, short of a “God, please help me!” uttered in sheer distress. We don’t notice the things that God does for us…the “broken branch” or the “new glasses” because we are so busy with our own agendas and juggling a dozen balls in the air – many of which are not “top shelf” priorities!
So we miss the beauty of a sunrise or sunset…or the amazing Hunter’s Moon that has illuminated our nights this week. We wake up one day, and those closest to us have vanished. They have either drifted away mentally, physically or emotionally…or they have grown up - or aged to a point where they can’t, or won’t, interact with us as they once did. Sadly, in some cases, they have even died and physically left us forever. And we wonder…what happened? How did we not spend our time more wisely? Why didn’t we pay more attention?
This passage reminds us that we are blessed when we stay on course…when we maintain focus – first on God, and then on a prayerfully constructed “to-do" list! There is no time like today to stop and re-order our lives…to get this right and ask God to organize our steps and help us maintain proper awareness of our surroundings and what is truly important. Life IS short…and we don’t have a minute to waste! God can help us prioritize and sort out the details so that we always stay on course. I’m asking Him to do this in my life…what about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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