Where are your eyes?

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in his wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of his glory and grace. ... written by Helen H.Lemmel 1918

The lyric's to this song are so true,If we keep our eyes on Him we won't be so caught up in the ways of the world.But we, including myself have what is called wandering eyes.When something shiny and new or more interesting comes along we lose our focus and long to follow the new.

Look at most peoples lives.They are killing themselves to have the so called American dream.If this is a dream I would hate to see a nightmare.Every day people are moving into bigger homes with bigger mortgages, shopping till they drop,our children are in every activity and sport running endlessly on a treadmill that they probably want to get off of ,but the parents won't pull the plug.Its all about prestige who has what,who's children excel in what sport.

People are moving from church to church in search of the perfect one,with all the right people in it,everything just perfect to meet our needs ,why even the color of the carpet is pleasing to us. When something arises that we don't like we decide to move on.We are on a endless quest to have it all,do it all,and in search for perfection that does not exist, and we are going no where fast.

Sure we can have nice homes and cars,Our children can be involved in sports,we can leave a church if the Lord has prompted us to go elsewhere.But the problem is we become like the fish the barracuda who is attracted to shiny objects and wherever it sees that flash or shine it darts in that direction. And sometimes that shine has a fish hook attached to it.Its days of following the shiny objects are over.

I find that the days I keep my eyes on Jesus,I am more thankful for everything I have.
Even though my home has spiders the size of your palm,walking through my dining room.When there is a mouse living in my computer desk drawer with its small children.When The wind blows so hard through the cracks and crevices of this old house ,that the tinsel on the Christmas tree is moving and the windows and doors aren't even open.

I can still choose to be thankful.Or I can choose to be like the fish chasing the shiny object.I can demand that we move out of these woods,and out of this old home that really has some awesome things about it.It has spectacular sunsets ,it is nestled away in over 100 acres of woods away from the noise and the world.There is abundant nature all around it,even though some of it does take up residence inside once in awhile.

I can demand that we move to a new home complete with spider free rooms,another bathroom or 2 or 3.And with it will come the bigger mortgage and then slowly we will start to look for more shiny things.Maybe a bigger car,maybe a different church with new exciting people,and so starts our journey ,the endless journey that never ends.Like the Israelites who wandered in the desert for 40 years.We are in the desert of uncontentment.It is only when we put our focus back on Jesus ,do we realize where we are, and he will show us the way out.

We need to thank Him each morning for what he has provided for us.Though at times we would like more. If we look at our surroundings with eyes of gratitude we will begin to look at things differently.We will reside in green pastures,not the desert.We will not become the fish chasing the shiny objects that now sits on someones dinner plate,no longer able to enjoy his life at sea.Swim away from the flash and shine with the hook hidden under it,and turn your eyes upon Jesus,and let the things of this earth grow strangely dim.You will be thankful that you did.

Philippians 4:12-13
I know what it is to be in need,and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned that the secret to being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want, I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Blessings
Dee