Spring–with it, come and go weather, snow one day and mid-70’s the next, blustery winds….  Oh, well, isn’t that what spring is, especially in Oklahoma.  After all Puxsutawney Phil told us we’d have an early spring.  Of course I do believe in God, not the government, the weatherman nor “Phil”, the ground hog.  Isn’t it amazing the things that we will believe in or claim to believe in?!!  I am so glad that we who follow Jesus, serve the unchangeable, sovereign, creator God of the universe, aren’t you?

What then should be our focus from day to day?  Paul gives us some great advise and a wonderful example in 1 Corinthians 2:1-10 “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.6 Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”  Oh, that we could be so single-minded as Paul—to know and trust God’s wisdom.

As we look at the words of verse 10, we see two of my favorite words in all of scripture—“But God”!!!  Oh, how wonderful those two little words are when we know the Savior.  In Genesis 45:8 we see Joseph proclaiming a wonderful principle “So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.”, and 50:20 “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” After all that Joseph had been through he understood that God had a plan—even 13 years after his dreams as a 17 year-old, God brought them to fulfillment.

Samson, after he had fought a great battle was in need of water and we see the principle again in Judges 15:19a  “But God clave an hollow place that was in the jaw, and there came water thereout; and when he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived:” Our needs create a canvas on which God paints a picture of His sovereign power and His love for all the world to see.  In 1 Samuel 23:14 David experiences the principle, “And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand.”.  There is no safer place to be than in the center of God’s will.  Why would our focus be distracted from such a God?  Well, we all know that we live in a crazy world that is continually trying (and much too often succeeding) to distract us from the God we love.

We can see this provision of our God in Psalm 73:26 “My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.”   Oh, to learn to trust and know that this is the God we serve!!  Yet sometimes God uses this principle to teach us hard lessons or to correct us, as Jonah saw in Jonah 4:7 “But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.” Do I have any gourds that God needs to cut down to help me focus on HIS purpose?  Or do I need to remember that I am forgiven? The Pharisees in Luke 5:21 rebuked Jesus –“And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? “; and Jesus goes on in verse 24 to answer their rebuke “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.”  Oh, praise HIS name He does forgive our sins and that good news, and the opportunity to share it should ever be our “focus”.

‘Focusing’ on this God who knows us in and out, let’s look at Luke 16:15 “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God”.  Am I justifying myself or following the Spirit’s direction and “esteeming” that which pleases God? Where is my focus?  Do I remember what HE has done for me? John 1:12-13 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”  Praise God for our new life in Christ— extended to us by God Himself.  Peter reminds us that when we follow God, He will reveal His will and way for and to us, Acts 10:28 “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”  God opens His arms to all and Peter made that known to all those around him.

Finishing our perusal of ‘focus’, Paul says in Romans 6:17 “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”  And one of our beginning verses , “2….. I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”  Finally, Paul gives a capsule version of our ‘focus’—the gospel, in I Corinthian 15:3-5 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve..:”  Let’s remember that God is ‘my strength’ (2 Sam 22:33),  but I am expected to be planting (sharing the gospel and reaching out to others) as I go.  May we each have a week filled with ‘FOCUS’ on the opportunities to share and minister JESUS to the world, especially those right around us.