I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace
unto his people, and to his saints. Psalm 85:8
Joe and I were saddling our horses for an evening trail ride back into the mountains beyond our campsite when my mare suddenly swung her head around and bit me hard on the left shoulder. Joe glanced over at me with a silly grin and chuckled, “Got your attention, didn’t she? Next time tie her up shorter.”
“Pay attention!” This admonition was occasionally directed toward me by my grade school teacher as I daydreamed in class about baseball, fishing, or camping with my family. She well knew that I would never learn my subjects if she did not have my attention. God used a burning bush to get Moses’ attention (Exodus 3:2), a talking donkey to jolt Balaam into considering his course (Numbers 22:28), and a series of plagues to alert Pharaoh of impending destruction (Exodus 9:14). When Elijah was in the cave, God used a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire to direct Elijah’s attention away from himself so he could hear God’s message in a still, small voice (1 Kings 19:11-13).
In our ever-busy, fast-paced society, getting our attention may require extreme measures. The admonition “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) is as appropriate today as it was in the days of Moses, Balaam, or Elijah. Our Lord wants our attention in order to communicate not only His love for us but also His will for our daily lives. It takes effort to resist the rush of the world around us, but we must take time to focus our hearts on the wonderful God of heaven and have fellowship with Him in Bible study and prayer. When He has our attention, He can safely guide us through the sorrows, trials, and snares of our earthly journey.
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober,
and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7
~ Pete Lewis