Vigorous and Total Attention // Matthew 7:13-14 (MSG)
Yesterday we looked at how loving God wholeheartedly begins by giving God your full attention. I want to follow-up today with something from the Message’s rendering of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, which speaks to giving God total attention: “Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention.”
We live in a world full of self-help and self-actualization, but it occurs to me that self-esteem is at a catastrophic low point. All the things that tell us to believe in self, trust self, and love self first miss the biggest point — God created you with a plan and a purpose, and you will always be restless until you find God. We need a God-first approach to living since He is the source and destination of life.
Are you trying to find shortcuts to fulfillment? Have you been seeking the surefire, easy-going formulas for a successful life? Have you found that to be lacking and unwilling? Seek God wholeheartedly and give Him your vigorous and total attention. You’ll be amazed at what you find!
