Originally published Wednesday, 04 May 2016.
I brought my kids to the beach. I needed to find some refuge to let them a.) play so that I could b.) get a moment with God. Doing this kind of thing is essential, in life, by the way. Sometimes, you have to break away from what you are immersed in so you can find yourself immersed in love, that way when you are re-immersed into life (mothering, relationships, work, health issues, etc.) you survive. This is what I figure, anyway.
Doing this kind of thing is like pre-CPR, it saves you before your signs go vital - from the anxieties and worries of life that intend to put you 10-feet under. I knew the warning signs for myself, so I hightailed myself over to my personal refuge.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him. Psalm 37:40
When the beach party was done and all were packed in the car, I slowly meandered down the road to home. The birds chirped, the seagulls floated on the water, the landscape was cloud layers perfectly hovering right above the ocean horizon. I breathed deep, inched on and turned my head ocean to road, ocean to road. Life was good.
I wasn't missing anything! So big, and so proud - God's love nearly gave me a hug. We united and it was a beautiful thing.
Until, that guy did his thing. Until, he became - a tailgater. My face tensed, my eyes squinted, "If only he could get a glimpse of me and my contorted and ugly face through the rearview mirror." Left and right I scooted trying to make sure he saw me!
He was ruining it all. He was my problem. My heart was pumping with the fresh blood of aggravation.
All I knew was that I was getting tailed by pressure, and it was stealing peace. I guess it happens all the time, when I stop, and really think about it.
I feel that others are climbing faster and farther and quicker into writing success than I am. They tail me.
I let demands tower high - be a great mom, author, marketer, wife. Don't mess up. They tail me.
I have issues, pressing things that need to be handled - bills, agendas, contracts, promises that may not come through. They tail me.
What is tailing you, demanding you to take your eyes off of God?
Work? Others? Finances? Fears? Demands? Children? Health? Progress? Pride?
When we allow external pressures to make us testy,
we can easily miss God's majesty.
Yet, when we let people or things do what they may do, but we keep our eyes straight, we find ourselves driving straight into peace, calm and serenity.
How do we do this?
Let's investigate 5 Ways to Keep our Eyes on God:
1. Be present - If you look for God everywhere, you will find him.
2. Delight in him - If you worship him and commune with him like a best friend, he will become your best friend.
3. Detangle with him - Let the best counselor, the Holy Spirit, counsel your heart when it goes haywire (John 14:26). He will, you know, and you'll find a way.
4. Observe Gods' teachings intended for you - Consider the question, "What is the Lord trying to teach me through this?"
5. Say thanks - When you get offering thanks, you get knowing who you really are - a loved child, who God will always provide for. You relish in the feeling, your God and your forever standing.
Sure, that man nearly bumped me. He nearly bumped my heart right away from receiving the love of God, but this is the ultimate truth: Even if you get away for a moment, as a believer, your heart will never be removed for an eternal lifetime.
With this, we can just get our heart, our being and our focus back on his trajectory. We can drive, and keep our eyes on God, knowing that we are heading into his glorious riches.
***All pictures were taken by my 4-year old son! ;)
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