Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.

Psalm 123:1-2

I have never focused on Lent or its meaning until I came across this study topic two years ago entitled, A Sabbath Journey for Lent. This study comes to mind again as I saw people in town recently with ash marks on their foreheads. This time frame is leading up to the remembrance of Christ’s crucifixion and the celebration of His resurrection which we will specifically observe during Easter next month. Permitting the world to take this time frame and twist it into focusing on ashes and self-guilt instead of the amazing redemptive work of Grace and freedom through Christ is heartbreaking. Letting God work and making this time that the world deems one thing into something of eternal value for me personally is part of my March “grace goals” theme on “Renewal”. Giving up ‘stuff’ for Lent tends to be temporary, but focusing on giving my life to the One Who gave His for me means something and has an eternal effect. It is taking the attention off religion and placing it on the relationship with Christ. In Luke 10, Christ tells Martha who was “cumbered about with much serving” (vs 40) and “careful and troubled about many things” (vs 41) that all that wasn’t needful. What was needful and good was what Mary was doing- sitting at the feet of Jesus, body at rest, ears listening, and eyes on Him. By the end of the book of Luke, Christ was being crucified. I live in a predominately Catholic society and with Easter around the corner and signs of ashes and sacrifice lately, it has me pondering on renewing focus.  

How much do I let media, religion, or busyness distract my heart? When I watch the news more, I become frustrated. A lot of the world is an angry place right now staring us down -daring us to defy their wants and ungodly wishes, no matter now illogical they are. God is not surprised by any of this. He is not afraid or anxious. It is easy to notice the spiritual unrest because it is everywhere. Paying attention to religion (instead of a personal relationship with Christ) and man-made rules can hinder the ability to let God be the One to lead. Too much busyness leaves little room for meditating on God’s heart and hand in my life as well and can drown out His still small voice. How much do I focus on what other people are doing, how they are thinking, and where they are going? I should be sitting at the feet of Jesus, body at rest, ears listening with my eyes on Him. 

Renewing focus is to rest the eyes. It is turning my attention to God’s heart and not the world’s unrest. It is occupying my time with God’s view of me because He sees me, He knows my shortcomings, and even still, He has a purpose in mind for me. 

Father, We Seek Thee (a prayer found in the back of an old hymnal)

Father,
We seek Thy truth lest we be deceived and misled.

We seek Thy love lest we go unloving and uncaring through the day.

We seek Thy peace lest we waste our time in anxieties that eat up our energies and profit neither ourselves nor others.

We seek Thyself lest, living to ourselves, we remain lonely and alien and frustrated.

May we know today what it means to live in Christ’s life, to be open to His mind, to be governed by His love, to be ruled by His purpose. -Amen