Pay Attention!

Most every morning before I leave for the office, Holly and I sit down with the girls to have our morning time of devotion. I asked them their catechism questions that they are memorizing and they recite them back. We then read the next questions and chapter from Big Truths For Little Kids (Has a slight Presbyterian angle in places, but other than that it is a great book to use with your children). After we read the story we pray.

On Saturday we were reading the chapter and, as happens sometimes, the girls minds began to wonder and they were not paying attention very well, which to an exent is understandable, though we should be training them to be able to sit and listen during a time of worship. After a time or two of having to stop and get them back on track, I finally responded, "Pay attention!" This was not the first time I have had to respond in that way during our morning devotions, but it was the first time God taught me something in that moment.

When I said, "Pay attention!" God showed me myself in my girls lack of attention. In that, what must it be like for God when He is day in and day out, moment by moment trying to teach us and show us things of eternal importance, but yet our minds are wandering and our focus is off. Do we even hear the Father as He lovingly rebukes us with, "Pay attention!" ?

How many times are our minds wandering in the church service on Sunday mornings and our focus is anywhere else but worshipping God and learning of Him and God says to us, "Pay attention!" How many times as parents are we so distracted and focused on other "more important" things instead of taking the time to invest in the lives of our children spiritually and God says, "Pay attention!" How many times are we so busy going about our day and our responsibilities that we do not see the person God has just brought into our path to give the Gospel to and God says to us, "Pay attention!"

And so this week I hope that I pay attention more and I pray you will as well. And when we all fail to pay attention as we should, what a glorious truth it is to know that we can know that our Father still loves us and forgives us because He has saved us through His own Son's death on a bloody cross. There, on behalf of all who believe,Jesus Christ paid the punishment for our failing to pay attention to God like we should and glorify Him!