We have a new puppy. It’s been fun, but it has also been exhausting! The first thing we did was make a trip to the pet store to get her 2 special toys. One was a squeaky ball, the other a rubber bone to chew on. She loves to play fetch and she needs something else to gnaw on with those sharp little puppy teeth, besides me.
I was sitting on the floor playing with Maddie the other night and was getting so frustrated with her. She would be chewing and concentrating on this great toy I got for her when out of the corner of her eye she would see movement. I would begin trying to get her attention to remind her that she had this really great toy we were playing with. I would start calling her name, at a volume just a little louder than we were playing at. I would start shaking the toy to show her that we had this really great thing going. But most of the time it did no good. The glamour and excitement of the unknown would entice her away from our game and she’d run like the wind toward that hoped for distraction.
Often, I could see what drew her attention away from me, the toy and our playing. Sometimes it was our other dog’s toy – something old and used and not bought for her at all. Sometimes it was a dust bunny – something dirty. Sometimes it was a glint of sunshine bouncing off of another object – something shiny. All harmless things, but lesser things. But sometimes the threat was more ominous! Sometimes it was our 12 year old cat, who only has treachery on her mind where the puppy is concerned.
Of course, the dust bunny flittered away on the next breeze, the glint was off the window and when she ran after it she hit the window and bounced off a little dazed and confused. And the cat? Well the cat let Maddie know who’s boss! Each time, I was trying to draw her back to the good toy that I had bought with her in mind. I wanted Maddie to finally understand the futility of chasing dust bunnies and the danger of chasing cats.
For many years my life was the same. How many times had God offered me His very best only for me to get distracted and chase after something dirty, shiny or dangerous? How many times must my heavenly Father have called me by name only to have me run like the wind toward the lesser thing? Like Maddie chases after moving and shiny distractions, I have chased after my share as well. All the while He was calling my name and holding out the gift He had chosen specifically for me.
No wonder the author of Hebrews said “fix your eyes on Jesus.” Do not be mistaken, one of Satan’s fiery darts is distraction. So today, I am going to fix my eyes on Jesus remembering that He is the “author and perfector of my faith.” And, I’m going to listen more intently to His voice when I am tempted to follow the lesser things that lead to futility, dirt, or danger. Because it is only when we cease chasing the distractions and keep our eyes on Jesus that we can rest in that gift that He has chosen just for us.
My prayer today is that God would find my eyes on Him, my heart increasingly satisfied with the gift He has chosen and my ears attentive to His voice. My prayer for you is the same.
Blessings.
