“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7, ESV)
The kingdom is closer than you think. We live in a world that is filled with distractions. Our eyes are taken off the kingdom.
There is consumerism. This week has Black Friday. There are all the ads that tell us about all the things that we need to buy to make our lives complete.Do you find it ironic how we have a day to remember all the things for which we have to be grateful, then the next day we clamor for all the things we don’t have?
There are the violence and hatred of the world. It is hard to watch the news these days. There are the violence and the political rhetoric that makes you sick. Who is the next celebrity that will fall from grace?
There are the hardships of life. Maybe you are dealing with a health issue. Maybe you have a broken marriage. Maybe you are struggling with depression. Maybe you are filled with stress at work. Maybe you are wondering how you will make your next rent payment.
Another distraction is mindless entertainment. There are our sports teams. We watch TV for hours. We keep can’t get enough of Facebook. Then there are video games.
It might not be any one thing, but all of these things together have a way of taking our thoughts away from God. He might be sitting right there in the room with us, but we are so engrossed in other things that we fail to notice him.
Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock. Could it be that simple? Could it be the reason that we are missing out on the greater kingdom reality is that we have consumed ourselves so much with a lesser reality?
When was the last time you dedicated as much time to seeking God as you devoted to your favorite sports team or TV show? Do you see a disparity? Could it be God is more available than you ever realize? It is just that you ignored him.
Refection
- What is the biggest distraction in your life?
- How can you eliminate the distractions?
Prayer
Lord, open my eyes to your kingdom. Forgive me for allowing the distractions of my life to take my focus off of you. Give me a clear vision to see you in every area of my life. Amen.
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