Tag: Attention

Digging in Deeper: Matthew 16:7-8

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“They were discussing among themselves, ‘We didn’t bring any bread.’ Aware of this, Jesus said, ‘You of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves that you do not have bread?'” (CSB – Read the chapter)

We tend to be a reactive people. When a problem presents itself, we focus on that problem until it gets solved. Then we go back into whatever our regular pattern is until the next problem presents itself. Then, we give that all of our attention until it is gone too. If we are not careful, our entire world can be defined by merely what’s in front of us that we can see at the moment. The problem with this is that there’s more to the world than we can see if we’re only looking forward. When we fixate on the immediate, we can easily miss out on the ultimate. Matthew tells the story of when the disciples once fell into this trap. I got the chance to talk about this recently with my Wednesday night Bible study group. Let’s explore the idea today for a few minutes together.

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Advent Reflections: Colossians 3:1-4

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“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

I read an article the other day that talked about how college students can’t read like they used to be able to read. I don’t mean they can’t read at all. I mean they can’t stay focused enough to read long passages or books anymore. The author blamed a combination of our digital age and shifting emphases in education for the deficit. Whatever the reason, we can’t stay focused like we used to anymore. This is not a neutral phenomenon either. It is a formational one. How can we combat the impact of our distractible age especially in this season when life can feel extra distracting? Paul offers some helpful insights here. Let’s talk about them.

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Morning Musing: Mark 5:32-34

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“But he was looking around to see who had done this. The woman, with fear and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. ‘Daughter,’ he said to her, “‘your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be healed from your affliction.’”‬ ‭(CSB‬‬ – Read the chapter)

Have you ever been in the spotlight when you didn’t want to be there? Some people seek the spotlight relentlessly. They thrive off of people recognizing them. They really don’t care whether the attention is for good reasons or bad ones, they just want to be noticed. More—and I’d argue many more—are content to not be noticed. Sure, getting their 15 minutes of fame sounds thrilling, but only if it lasts 15 minutes. Other than that, they’re just fine being mostly invisible. This becomes especially true when they have some reason to hide. Well, this woman Jesus healed wanted to hide. Jesus called her to the spotlight. Let’s talk about why this was the best thing He could have done for her.

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Digging in Deeper: Psalm 123:2

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“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us.”  (ESV – Read the chapter)

On what have you placed your eyes?  Our world is like a carnival in the manifold of things for us to look at as we navigate through it.  There are more things to which we can direct our attention than we could possibly count.  What’s more, many of these things are not silent and waiting.  Like a carnival barker they call, no, they demand, our attention. Read the rest…