Attention.......

THE BACKGROUND

I can remember going to church when I was a little Cifu.  In Riverside, California my family and I attended the Assembly of God church.  It was a small church that boasted a decent size congregation and a pastor who seemed larger than life itself whenever I would sit through the services.  Even though I would pull the typical "kid stuff", such as crawling on the floor and finding any reason I could to talk during the sermon, I was always drawn to his presence.  If you asked me today about any of the words that came out of the pastor's mouth, I could not tell you one.  I would put money on it though that he talked about God somewhere in the mix.  It's a wonder I am not rich and famous with those kind of deductive skills!  Anyway, when was the last time you were simply mesmerized by someone solely based upon their presence?  Maybe it was their looks, their position, or maybe even how they moved around the crowd in a room? 

TODAY......

I never let God have my full attention for a quite a while.  I always found someone else to fill that role.  Maybe it was whatever girlfriend I had at the time, or even my Mom getting ready to have a "Come to Jesus" meeting with me.  Unfortunately, I always paid attention to someone else first.  There are endless amounts of individuals out there who would never believe there is a God.  Why should they, what with all the bad stuff going on in the world.  It is easier in the short term to tough it out and commit their attention to the next big thing.  How wonderful would it be to finally find that permanent patch, the fix to end all of your break downs in life?  It's even harder for the man or woman that has had a good life to believe God would ever need to find a place within them.  Sure they might have had a few set backs, but everything worked out for the best, right?! 

I read that poem, "Footprints," from time to time.  Even though I never quite gave God the focus He so much deserved in my life, He was always there carrying me.  God is to me what that Pastor was back in the day, a person who gets my attention without needing word.  I have never found myself as fortunate as most televangelists out there that have heard God speak to them.  I find myself following a graceful figure whom I have never seen or heard so much as one word from.  In most cultures that would get you a trip to the institution for "special people."  I follow Him because at the end of the day, whether things went outstanding or poorly, He will be there when I drop to my knees and lift up my praise and worries.  God you have my attention!  This little boy is no longer stuck crawling on the floor of life thanks to you.

Jesus Walks on the Water

²² Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. ²³ After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, ²⁴ and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
²⁵ Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. ²⁶ When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
²⁷ But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
²⁸ “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
²⁹ “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. ³⁰ But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
³¹ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
³² And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. ³³ Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”