Keep Your Focus
by Andy Cokayne 3 August 2022
Reading : Psalm 34 v 1-9
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Polish astronomer known as the father of modern astronomy. He was the first modern European scientist to propose that Earth and other planets revolve around the sun, or the Heliocentric Theory of the universe. Up until that point everyone accepted that the Sun and the other planets revolved around the earth. The thought that everything revolves around us, either in planetary terms or personally, is no new thing. We do not need to be taught how to be selfish, and expect everything to revolve around us, it comes naturally to us. Yet when we are selfish and focus on ourselves, we loose sight of God and the creation he has caused us to be part of. That is why to worship God is so important. Eugene Peterson the American Pastor summed it all up nicely, when he put on Twitter on 17th February 2015: "Worship is the strategy by which we interrupt our preoccupation with ourselves and attend to the presence of God." It does not matter where we are, who we are with, or how we feel, when we worship our great God and Father, our spirits are lifted. Worship is not a matter of the emotions; "Do I feel like thanking God?" The book of Psalms, which is really the Old Testament hymn book, reminds us, for example in Psalm 145 v1-2 'I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you.' and in Psalm 146 v 2 'I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.' The Psalmist often felt frustrated, or let down by God. But recognised that worship was not a matter of feelings, but rather our 'Will', and it is no different for us today. So when we don't fancy it, or feel at our worst, or feel that God has let us down, that is the time to focus, grit our teeth, and praise our God.
Song : Be Thou my vision
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Prayer:
Father I acknowledge that at times I give in to the temptation let my focus drift, and think more about myself, and so get frustrated and wander off from you. When this happens, draw me back, and help me as a matter of will to Worship you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.