"Pay Attention"

I was never what you would call a hyper active child growing up.  I didn't’ have a great deal of trouble sitting still in classes.  I was brought up back in the day when if you didn’t sit still in school and your parents found out you wouldn't’ feel like sitting for a while when you got home. Sitting still isn’t much fun but it does have its advantages.   Sitting still can give the teacher the impression you are really paying attention even though in your mind you’re a million miles away.  Sitting still means you will not have to hear the constant reminders to pay attention, because it looks like you are.  But as I said, looks can be deceiving. I was sitting still but not paying attention, I was in the room, but not paying attention, I could hear the teachers words, but wasn’t paying attention, I had my book open but I wasn’t paying attention. 

I don’t think this is a problem that is found just in the school system.  The inability to pay attention is becoming an epidemic of our age.  The ability to focus on one thing for a long period of time is becoming a thing of the past.  The gadgets we have in our pockets, constantly want our attention. All these things compete for our attention and in an undisciplined world we don’t seem to have the ability or the desire to say no to any of them.  It is one thing to ask a person to put there cell phone on silence mode so it will vibrate instead of ring.   But I often wonder what would happen in church if people were asked to turn off there cell phones for an hour.  Cut off from the outside world.  Cut off from tweets, Facebook, messaging with no chance of feeling that vibration in your pocket . . .   Sounds like something out of a horror movie.  When was the last time yoiu sat in any class or meeting at church or in your business with your smart phone turned off?  Unthinkable for some. 

Proverbs tells us something I think every generation needs to hear but especially this one.  

Proverbs 4:20  “My son, be attentive to my words, incline your ear to my sayings.” 

My son “PAY ATTENTION”  Pay attention to my words.  Read them, study them with your whole heart.  Read them and as you do so cut down the possibility of interruption as much as possible.  When you go to church and the Word is read, PAY ATTENTION.  When you go to church and the word is preached PAY ATTENTION.  When your parents are speaking to you PAY ATTENTION. 

God tells us to pay attention to His Words.  They are life, they are wisdom, they are protection, they are direction, they are truth, they are all we need.  They tell us about God, about our lives, marriage, families, relationships.  They tell us the good news of the gospel, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.  They give us good counsel, they give us strength, hope and courage.  Joshua 1:7-9

When I read God’s Word during the day, am I paying attention to what I’m reading or is it just reading to get the reading done?  

They’ve banned talking on cell phones in cars because people were getting hurt if not killed due to lack of attention.  When your driving the most important thing is not who is on the phone, the most important thing is to pay attention to the road.   You can do one or the other but not both.   When the word of God is opened there is nothing more important.   

Countless lives, marriages, families, and churches have been destroyed because people opened up the Word of God but they did not pay attention.  They were distracted.  Sitting still but not paying attention, In the church but not paying attention, can hear the words  but not  paying attention, have their bible open but not paying attention. 

 “Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.  For they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh.”   Proverbs 4:21-22

If we really believe that we will make every effort to PAY ATTENTION to God’s Word.  If we don't, someone could get hurt.


That's enough for now, i just noticed,   "I'VE GOT MAIL".