th (1)Are you directionally challenged? Typically speaking, I’m able to navigate fairly well; however, when we first moved to Georgia I had some challenges.

Fifteen years ago, there weren’t TomToms, Garmins, Mapquest or Siri.  You were left to a map or your own sense of direction. I decided  to surprise my husband for lunch on day. My navigational method was to drive into the city, stick my head out the window to find his building in the skyline and do my best to get there.  I was making great progress, or so I thought. I was about to make what might have been my final turn but there was a police officer who wouldn’t cease blowing his whistle. It took me a moment to realize he was blowing his whistle at me. Why, you might ask? Well, apparently, I was about to drive into the Peach Bowl parade. Go figure.

It’s always important to know where you’re going.  Your chances of getting there increase substantially.

As Christians, we need to focus our attention in three different directions.  First, we need to focus UP.  We need to begin our day seeking the Lord, so He can impart to us what we’ll need to continue on our journey. Jesus always started His day seeking the Father.  Mark 1:35 says,

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”

If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to begin His day by focusing UP, then we certainly do.

The next direction we need to focus is IN.  We need to make sure that we are working on our walk, so to speak.  We can’t teach or share what we don’t know.  Acts 1:8 calls us to be witnesses for Christ.  We can’t be a good witness if we aren’t attentive.  Deuteronomy 6:4-9 talks about the importance of knowing the commands of the Lord and teaching them to others. As believers, we are to help one another in the Body of Christ to grow in wisdom, knowledge and understanding.  Proverbs 27:17 says,

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.”

In order to do so, we need to focus on building our heart and head knowledge of the Word to strengthen our relationship with the Lord.

And finally, we need to focus our direction OUT. We are called by God to take what we know and share it with the world. Matthew 28:19-20 says,

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We cannot afford to focus our attention on one direction at the expense of the others. God’s perfect plan calls us to focus on all three simultaneously.  Fortunately, we don’t have to do it on our own.  All we have to be is a willing vessel.  He will do the work [1 Thessalonians 5:24].

This is the start of a new day. Where’s your focus?