I want to use my young gundog for deer hunting. This requires, however, that he not be led astray by the distractions of pheasants or other game birds which also inhabit the woods and forests we hunt in. So I keep training him on deer scents and tell him “no” firmly if he starts to pursue anything else. This takes a lot of time, patience, and diligence, for he’s having to learn to do the type of hunting that I want him to do, not the wide variety of interesting pursuits that he would like to engage in.
God provided His people with a special land filled with plentiful food (Deuteronomy 6:3,11). But after so many years of wandering in the wilderness, they now also faced the obstacle of hostile enemies intent on destroying Israel, and the temptation to worship other gods and pursue sensual satisfaction from earthly desires (Deuteronomy 6:14). Therefore He wanted to prepare them by making sure that their focus was on Him all the time (Deuteronomy 6:3). Moses said, “You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5). God alone deserved the people’s worship and devotion.
Moses declared that the worship of God wasn’t confined to one day a week, nor was it the role of only a select group of people (Deuteronomy 6:6-7). It was the duty of everyone to focus on and worship God every day as a way of life. This was the only way His people would stay pure and not be led astray by an easy life or the lure of other cultures.
As we grow in our dependence on God, the One who is worthy of our true devotion, we’ll learn to steer clear of distractions and follow Him. He lovingly provides what we need to love and worship Him in return.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Corinthians 15:1-20
More:
Read Philippians 3:7-14 and consider Paul’s true devotion to Jesus.
Next:
Do you see Bible study as a chore or as a gateway to freedom and life? How do you reveal your love and commitment to God in your words and actions?
Gary Shultz on November 25, 2015 at 7:29 am
If there’s room, I should stay with the dog at times and re-learn the skill of no distractions. I think distractions will always happen, but as your dog we must know the smell of the right path. That’s where the Bible study comes in, you speak about. At times it’s not always thrilling, but discipline can trump distractions and the commitment is strengthened. Actions are not too difficult to me; however, I am curious to what words we should say to reveal our love to God. I am often puzzled what phrase or words to say. I know kind words are good, but that does not seem to hit the mark you are describing. What do you suggest we blend into everyday conversation show our devotion?
Tim Gustafson on November 25, 2015 at 7:31 am
Russell, I never thought of myself as being like a hunting dog before. Thanks for this timely reminder. I am SO easily distracted from my purpose.
russell fralick on November 25, 2015 at 11:24 am
Join the club, Tom! I have found with all my hunting dogs, that the best way of training them is to put them around the scent you want them to follow and encourage and reward them when they do well. I try to avoid the scent I do not want them to follow for as long as possible. This way, they learn what the correct one is, and so when the incorrect comes, they tend to ignore it, or at least recognise it is not what I require them to follow. In the same way, if we keep our noses in the Word of God, we are less likely to be distracted or fooled, when the false, or the world’s distractions come along to try to mislead us.
russell fralick on November 25, 2015 at 11:19 am
Gary, I like what you say, and the question you ask is an “everyone” question; it applies to us all. I think our devotion to God is expressed in our heart towards Him. This is what He looks at, more than our actions or even words. God sees our motivation. Look at the conversation Jesus had with Peter in John 21, to show Peter his own heart attitude and the fact he was forgiven and restored. Our actions and words are an outpouring of our heart, and God knows our sincerity or not. The joy of this is that it is God Himself who gives us this heart that yearns to honour Him and glorify Him in our actions. It’s all abut Him; His finished work on the cross is reflected in our hearts operating out of gratitude and worship back to Him. Hope that makes sense.
Tom Felten on November 25, 2015 at 10:42 am
Russell, this is a great reminder that our worship of God isn’t confined to Sundays or in prayers before meals—it’s for every moment of our day. It’s int he way we great others. It’s in the way we work. It’s in the way we live.
russell fralick on November 25, 2015 at 11:21 am
That’s absolutely right Tom. Worship is in all we are as we surrender to Him in every circumstance, every conversation every action.
Roxanne Robbins on November 25, 2015 at 11:33 am
Such a good reminder of how easy we can stray from pursuing the One we were created to pursue, and the importance of keeping our focus on Him even when distractions tempt us to wander in other dierctions.
Winn Collier on December 6, 2015 at 9:20 pm
Just today, I was having a conversation with someone about how, whenever we experience a long glut of immense blessings, we often seem to get very disconnected from our truest selves and from our deepest longings in God. All distractions – and from things that are themselves good things, God’s abundance. I wish this were different.
russell fralick on December 7, 2015 at 6:06 am
You are right Winn. I find it distressing that it is so often the case for me that I need adversity to bring me close to God and to progress in my walk with Him. If only I could learn the easy way! Such, I suspect is the human condition.