Turning Our Attention

Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalms 42:11 (NIV)


I awoke this morning ready to face the challenges of the day that lay ahead. Tuesday is a big day within my week as it starts with spending time with God early in the morning, and then meeting the men of our church for prayer at 6:00am. As I looked upon the prayer request sheet I saw so many people who are reaching out and asking for prayer to meet the needs of others as well as their own.

As the body of believers meets together, we earnestly lift those in need up in prayer. I remind the men of the blessed hope that we all have in Jesus. And I remind them that God is still in the business of doing miracles. I shared Matthew 19:23-27, where Jesus is telling the disciples of how hard it is for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of heaven. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, Who then can be saved?

Jesus looked at them and said, With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.

Did you get that? It is impossible for us, as men, to enter the Kingdom of Heaven in and of ourselves. That means that the very fact that we have been saved is a miracle. And it is from God, as is every answered prayer that heals us, or delivers us from danger, and fear.

I heard one of the Calvary Chapel Pastors speaking yesterday on the radio, and he was giving a story of his family, and a situation that involved the healing of his sister. She had become very sick one time when she was a young child, and had taken a turn for the worse, and was just short of dying. His mother was a strong believer and knew that she had little hope of survival, and so she turned to God. She picked up her daughter and brought her to the local church about a block away. There, the Pastor of the church prayed with her, and then turned to her and told her, turn your eyes from your daughter and put them on the Lord. Praise Him! The Pastor continued to say this to her each time she would look at her daughter.

The childs father returned home, only to have a neighbor greet and tell him, I think that your daughter has died, and your wife took her to the church down the street. His father ran down the street, frustrated that his wife hadnt taken their daughter to a doctor. When he entered the church, he saw his daughter and knew immediately that there was nothing that any doctor could do, and that this truly was the best hope. Again the Pastor said, take your eyes off of the girl and put them on the Lord.

As the parents prayed and praised God, their daughter opened her eyes and was immediately healed. She left the church happy, healthy and cheerful.

God is still in the business of performing miracles.

All too often we focus on our own problems, our own concerns, and our own needs. Our dwelling on our not having these legitimate needs causes worry, fear, anger and anxiety. I believe that we can glean a valuable lesson from this story above, and we can turn our attention from what we dont have, to what we do have. We should put our sights on Jesus, and all the blessings that we have been given by our Heavenly Father through Him.


Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

Knowing that God has a perfect plan for our lives, should, in fact, give us peace. Dont let your faith be limited by what you think can be done, or by what you may think that God doesnt want to do for you. Simply put your trust in Him, and let your request be known in prayer, and then begin to praise Him for who He is, and what He has already done.

As Christians, we might have times where we wonder or even doubt if God is going to bless us with a miracle healing to our sickness, a repair to our broken relationship that is beyond repair, or with the daily needs that seem to be out of reach. When this happens, always remember that you have already been a recipient of His miraculous healing power, and have received immeasurable blessings. Dont doubt Him now-simply trust Him&

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matthew 6:26 (NIV)

STUDY QUESTION: How did the Psalmist deal with his sorrow and downcast countenance?

PERSONAL INVENTORY: Do you find that there are times when you focus on your needs to much, and not what God has done enough?

APPLICATION: Turn your attention to Him today, and stay focused on Him.