But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Memory of the month: Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Today's reading: PSALM 33-34 ACTS 24
Play Skillfully
It is sometimes hard to keep focus when excitement is running high. When the band is 'really cookin' and the crowd is into it and you feel it, it is sometimes hard to keep your head and heart right in the middle of it and stay tight.
It is the same in sports. It is the same in business. If the 'big-time' professionals 'let it go to their heads' and focus is lost, titles and fortunes can be lost and lives turned upside-down.
It gets down to self-control. How well do we really control our own thought patterns? It literally takes some of us entire lifetimes of victories and defeat to get our 'arms' around the fringes of our minds and reel it all in.
A musician gets into the crowd's reaction and is really having a great night and in the best part of the best song plays the wrong chord and the excitement falls to the floor.
David penned a line in Psalm 33 that would usually go unnoticed:
"Play skillfully with a shout of joy."(verse 3)
Turn that around and hear it say, "As you are rejoicing, play skillfully." As we are learning to live in the joy of the Lord, there are pitfalls. Before King David became king, he was a boy who 'soothed King Saul' by playing his harp so well for the king. David was good on the harp, but never let it go to his head. He did lose focus after he became king and committed adultery-his place was on the battlefield but he had stayed home.
Paul wrote, "In your anger, do not sin".(Ephesians 4:26). This is a pattern in the scripture.
As you are rejoicing, play skillfully.
In your anger, do not sin.
God wants us as His children to stay in control of our faculties, no matter how much emotion is involved. Some people say, "I just can't do that-my anger is too strong".
God says that we can do it.
"We just had to let our hair down"--maybe--but you didn't have to be out of control.
Again, relax, there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.(Romans 8:1). Confess and try again-in the power of the Lord God.
All of us have self-control issues. Some have little control and some have great pride in how much control they have. In either case, God is not the center of focus-self is.
Want peace? Don't focus on peace-focus on God.
Want joy? Don't focus on joy-focus on the Lord.
Want self-control? Focus on God-not self.
...because He loves us...
Father in Heaven,
Forgive me for losing focus and control. Teach me to stay focused on You in the middle of my emotions and do the right thing.
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