Replaced
I am sure every parent has that moment where they move from being the center of their child’s world, to having to take a back seat. First boyfriends, new interests or hobbies, even getting married are times when parents move to the sidelines.
During one of those occasions when my child’s focus was an endless string of talking on the phone, my immediate thought was, “You are so busy using that phone, that you forgot the one who gave it to you. You should be spending some of that time talking to me!” This is one of the times when it remained a thought and did not come out of my mouth.
It would be wonderful to say that the words stayed in my head because I showed restraint and controlled my tongue, but that is not what happened. The truth is as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I felt that familiar tug in my heart. In that moment, my thought became the voice of God saying to me, you’re so busy (fill in the blank), that you have forgotten the One who gave it to you.
Ouch…
Am I too busy using and spending time with the opportunities the Lord has provided, that I have forgotten to spend time with Him. How about money? Am I so busy – even being a good steward of the resources God has entrusted to me – that I forget to spend time with the Owner. Or even worse, that I have allowed the gift to receive more of my attention than the Giver.
I am grateful that the “ouch” is a reminder of my heart’s true priorities to ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ * The reminder is a chance to turn my attention to God and to not allow Him a spot on the sidelines. In those moments, I am reminded of what happens without those nudges from the Lord.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2:4-5
Thank you, Father for turning my attention, focus and love to you! Help me to continue to love You, not the things that You provide.
*Matthew 22:37