Articles
Focus
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And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see." (Eze. 40:4)
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What Ezekiel saw next in his vision was a glorious new temple, the meaning of which has puzzled commentators for ages. The identity of this temple is not our concern here; rather, it is the injunction given to Ezekiel at the beginning: "look with your eyes . . . hear with your ears . . . fix your mind."
What the "man" (or angel) is telling Ezekiel to do is to focus on the task at hand. Pay attention. Don't get distracted. Don't take your eye off the ball or let your mind wander to lesser pursuits. FOCUS!
This message to Ezekiel applies to all of us. Each one of us were brought to this point in our lives for a purpose. For Ezekiel, it was to declare God's message to the exiles in Babylon. For Moses, it was to deliver God's people from bondage in Egypt to a new home in Canaan. For Jesus, it was to offer up His perfect life for the sins of humanity. For Paul, it was to deliver that message of salvation to the Gentiles. Every one of these great heroes accomplished something great with their life because they learned how to fix their attention on the task they were given, refusing to be distracted by more trivial concerns.
Our purpose in life may not be as newsworthy as theirs, but for the people whose lives we touch, it's just as important. God put us here to serve others with the talents He has given us. We have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these people, but that commission will not be fulfilled if we allow our attention to be drawn away to more insignificant interests. Jesus spoke of those who are "choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity" (Lk. 8:14). They are busy enough, but their busyness is all about themselves--their interests, their desires, their goals. They remain blind to the more noble mission God has placed before them; consequently, their lives end up self-absorbed, shriveled, and unsatisfying.
God did not put us here to serve ourselves, but in a world full of temptations and distractions, it's easy to fall into that trap. That's why we need to hear the warning issued to Ezekiel: "look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind" on the real mission.
"You were brought here" for a purpose. Focus on that purpose, and you will accomplish more with your life than you dreamed possible.
--David
