- Psalm 73—(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2073&version=31)
- Matthew 6:1-15—(http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206:1-15;&version=31;)
- Marriage Blog— Tuesday, May 29, 2007, “Married to the Mob?” (http://marriagegodsway.blogspot.com/2007_05_01_archive.html)
- Joe Eaton’s Devotional—John 4:31-42, Chapter 4, (available upon request)
Summary of Psalm 73—Asaph, the writer of this psalm, begins by stating that God is surely good to those who are pure in heart. However, he still became envious of the prosperity of the arrogant and the wicked. He wished he could have their health, good looks, easy life, etc. They could do whatever they wanted to, and trampled on those beneath. Asaph longed to be so carefree, free from having to be careful, following this rule and that, yet it stung every time he noticed the others, and increased the bitterness. That is, until he went to God with it, and understood more fully what would happen to the worldly ones. He realized their inevitable complete ruin, soon to befall, and the terrors that lay ahead. Slowly his mind began to comprehend that when he was bitter and envious he was “senseless and ignorant” (22), and yet God was always with him, holding and guiding him, and keeping him strong. Finally understanding it all, Asaph said “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (27-28). Asaph realized a taste of God’s goodness and justice, and was content. Not only content, but he was also grateful to be near God. He no longer obeyed because he had to, he chose to follow God, and to give up the option to follow the others.
Summary of Matthew 6:1-15— Whether in prayer or helping those in need, Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, that both should be done in secret and not so that others can see you and grant you honor. If we do things to be seen by others, to be thanked, appreciated, honored, looked up to, in any way that our pride is appeased and puffed up, we have received our reward, and God is not glorified. Instead of seeking our own glory, we ought to be quiet about what we do, and let God get the credit.
Summary of “Married to the Mob?”—This particular blog post I thought was really interesting. It talked about how many, many marriages have been broken up or seriously hurt because of all the people outside the marriage giving input, advice, or saying things that were particularly damaging, and the either or both marriage partners listening to the mob over and above of their spouse. Instead of finding out the facts from the source, or listening to them first, they pay more attention to what other people—people they aren’t married to—over their other half.
Sadly, I know there are a lot of Christians who are supposed to be married to Christ who pay more attention to what teachers, books, devotionals, family, friends, and others say about God and what He wants rather than listening to Him in the first place. It is so easy to get misinformed and to hurt your relationship with Him when you listen to anyone or anything more than, or above Him.
Summary of Joe’s devotional on John 4:31-42—In this devotional Joe revisits the story of the aftermath of Jesus meeting the woman at the well when the disciples come to him and ask Him to eat. Jesus does not because to Him doing the will of the Father—sharing His love and grace to the woman at the well—was not only spiritual food, but more important food than the physical. Joe goes on to point out that not only do we need to reach out, but that we need to not sit around waiting for it—it’s already here! However, we shouldn’t focus on numbers, but on being passionate about Christ, and the things He’s passionate about because we love Him. The goal is not to win souls, the goal is Christ.
Okay… so, we seem to have scattered ideas again, at first glance… but are they really so different?
At first we have Asaph, being bitter about others getting to do what they want, while he can’t cause he has to be perfect…and then realizing the eternal side, and slowly moves from being inward focused and discontent, to being upward focused and being more than satisfied in Christ. Then we have Jesus talking about not being focused on ourselves when we are serving others or talking to God, but being focused on God and not doing anything to gain attention for ourselves. From there we have the Scotts (authors of the Marriage Blog) talking about how married couples need to be focused on one another and not on what other people are saying. They need to shut the others out, put on another first, communicate, share, and be one, and, as one, then examine what others are saying to a degree. Finally, we have Joe pleading with us to be passionately focused on God and in that passion reach out to others.
Amazing isn’t it? Every single passage or devotional we looked at really all boils down to focusing on God, not ourselves, not others, but on God, and with that focus, then look at the world and reach out to them because, as Asaph realized, they are lost and they do have a horrible fate. But, reaching others is not the point—the point is to love God and to focus on Him.
A dear friend once stated it thus:
It isn’t about you,
It isn’t about the situation,
It isn’t about them…
It’s about God and what He wants.
When you focus on God, on loving Him and doing what He wants, all else falls into place.
May the Lord bless you and may your eyes be only for your Husband—your maker, your Saviour, your only Love.
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