In Christ Alone
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Where Is Your Focus? Living a Life That Delights in the Lord
Have you ever been driving down the road and found yourself drifting toward the shoulder because something caught your eye? Maybe it was a beautiful sunset, an unusual billboard, or wildlife along the roadside. In that moment, someone in the car likely shouted, "Eyes on the road!" because where we look determines where we go.
This simple truth about driving reveals a profound spiritual principle: where our focus lies determines the direction of our lives.
The Choice Before Us: Mankind or the Lord?
Psalm 1 presents us with a fundamental question that shapes everything else: Is your delight in mankind or in the Lord?
The psalmist paints a vivid picture of two paths. Those who delight themselves in the Lord are described as trees planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season, with leaves that don't wither. Everything they do prospers. This isn't necessarily a promise of financial wealth or worldly success, but rather a promise of spiritual vitality, peace, and genuine joy.
In contrast, those who walk in the counsel of the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away—temporary, insubstantial, without roots or permanence.
The distinction is clear: we cannot serve two masters. We will love one and hate the other. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.
What Drives Your Decisions?
A quick assessment of where our delight truly lies comes down to examining our driving motivations. Ask yourself:
We all want to be liked, accepted, and to belong somewhere. That's human nature. But when it comes to matters of faith and truth, we cannot compromise God's word for human approval. Speaking truth in love—even when it's unpopular—is what integrity demands.
The Marks of Someone Who Delights in the Lord
How can we identify someone whose delight is truly in the Lord? Several characteristics stand out:
They spend time in God's Word—not out of obligation, but enjoyment. They want to know the God they worship, not just check off a religious duty.
They treat prayer as conversation, not a monologue. Too often, we approach God with our list of demands, our carefully folded hands and bowed heads, rattling off requests before saying "amen" and moving on. But conversation is two-way. When do we pause to hear what God has to say? When do we give Him the chance to speak?
They run from sin, not toy with it. They don't tell themselves, "A little bit won't hurt. I can control it." They understand that the devil attacks us in our areas of greatest temptation, often in ways that seem innocent at first. Scripture says to run from the very presence of evil—not to see how close we can get without falling.
They do what is right, not what is easy. This is perhaps one of the most challenging marks. Sometimes doing the right thing means standing alone, facing consequences, or enduring hardship. It might mean losing a job rather than compromising integrity. It might mean speaking truth when silence would be more comfortable.
The question isn't whether the path is easy, but whether it's right in God's eyes.
Be Still and Know
Psalm 46:10 offers a familiar command: "Be still, and know that I am God."
In Hebrew, the phrase "be still" translates as "enough" or "stop." It's not merely about adopting a quiet posture in worship. It's God saying, "Stop what you're doing. Stop thinking you have it all figured out. Stop trying to do things in your own strength. Know that I am God."
This is where we as Christians often stumble. We get busy doing the work of God—ministering to the homeless, helping single mothers, serving children, organizing programs—but we forget to focus on God Himself. We're so consumed with doing the right things that we forget the One who called us to do them.
It's like a student who hears the assignment and immediately starts working, but the teacher says, "Put your pencil down and listen. I'm giving you instructions so you can succeed."
We need to allow God to work instead of trying to do all the work ourselves. This requires faith and trust. It means recognizing that church growth, spiritual transformation, and lasting impact aren't achieved through human effort alone—they're the work of the Holy Spirit.
Living in the Name of the Lord
Colossians 3 challenges us to set our focus on things above, not on earthly things. It calls us to put to death our earthly nature and clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Then comes this powerful instruction: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus."
This is a convicting standard. If we can't honestly say "Jesus told me to do this" or "I'm doing this in the name of the Lord," should we be doing it at all?
Consider your speech. Can you tell that crude joke in the name of the Lord? Can you use foul language at work and claim it honors God? The Bible tells us that nothing unwholesome should come from our mouths—only what is uplifting, edifying, and glorifying to God.
This doesn't mean we're perfect. We all have areas of struggle and growth. But if our delight is truly in the Lord, we cannot allow behaviors that dishonor Him to continue unchecked in our lives.
The Choice Is Yours
You cannot love God and love the world. You cannot pursue fame, fortune, and worldly success as your primary goals while claiming Christ as Lord. Your actions reveal your true priorities more clearly than your words ever could.
If you identify as a Christian—as Christ-like—you're telling people that your allegiance is to God. Your life should reflect that commitment through self-control, intentionality, and a genuine desire to honor Him in everything you do.
This doesn't mean perfection. God knows we'll fall short. But He asks for one thing: one small step toward Him. He wants our attempt, our sincere effort, our heart's desire to please Him. When we move even one step toward God, He promises to come the rest of the way to meet us.
In Christ Alone
Where is your central focus today? Are you more concerned about what people think or what God thinks? Can you honestly say, "In Christ alone"?
We were created to bring delight to the Lord, to worship and honor Him. When our heart's desire aligns with this purpose, we discover the peace, joy, and prosperity that come from being planted by streams of living water.
The world will always compete for our attention, our loyalty, our focus. But only one focus brings lasting fulfillment: fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and finding our deepest delight in knowing and serving Him.
Today, choose where you will look. Choose where you will focus. Choose whom you will delight in.
Your direction in life depends on it.
Have you ever been driving down the road and found yourself drifting toward the shoulder because something caught your eye? Maybe it was a beautiful sunset, an unusual billboard, or wildlife along the roadside. In that moment, someone in the car likely shouted, "Eyes on the road!" because where we look determines where we go.
This simple truth about driving reveals a profound spiritual principle: where our focus lies determines the direction of our lives.
The Choice Before Us: Mankind or the Lord?
Psalm 1 presents us with a fundamental question that shapes everything else: Is your delight in mankind or in the Lord?
The psalmist paints a vivid picture of two paths. Those who delight themselves in the Lord are described as trees planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season, with leaves that don't wither. Everything they do prospers. This isn't necessarily a promise of financial wealth or worldly success, but rather a promise of spiritual vitality, peace, and genuine joy.
In contrast, those who walk in the counsel of the wicked are like chaff that the wind blows away—temporary, insubstantial, without roots or permanence.
The distinction is clear: we cannot serve two masters. We will love one and hate the other. A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.
What Drives Your Decisions?
A quick assessment of where our delight truly lies comes down to examining our driving motivations. Ask yourself:
- Am I constantly seeking higher-paying jobs primarily for the money and status?
- Do I crave recognition, awards, and social status symbols?
- Am I more concerned with how people perceive me than how God sees me?
- Do I seek man's approval or God's?
We all want to be liked, accepted, and to belong somewhere. That's human nature. But when it comes to matters of faith and truth, we cannot compromise God's word for human approval. Speaking truth in love—even when it's unpopular—is what integrity demands.
The Marks of Someone Who Delights in the Lord
How can we identify someone whose delight is truly in the Lord? Several characteristics stand out:
They spend time in God's Word—not out of obligation, but enjoyment. They want to know the God they worship, not just check off a religious duty.
They treat prayer as conversation, not a monologue. Too often, we approach God with our list of demands, our carefully folded hands and bowed heads, rattling off requests before saying "amen" and moving on. But conversation is two-way. When do we pause to hear what God has to say? When do we give Him the chance to speak?
They run from sin, not toy with it. They don't tell themselves, "A little bit won't hurt. I can control it." They understand that the devil attacks us in our areas of greatest temptation, often in ways that seem innocent at first. Scripture says to run from the very presence of evil—not to see how close we can get without falling.
They do what is right, not what is easy. This is perhaps one of the most challenging marks. Sometimes doing the right thing means standing alone, facing consequences, or enduring hardship. It might mean losing a job rather than compromising integrity. It might mean speaking truth when silence would be more comfortable.
The question isn't whether the path is easy, but whether it's right in God's eyes.
Be Still and Know
Psalm 46:10 offers a familiar command: "Be still, and know that I am God."
In Hebrew, the phrase "be still" translates as "enough" or "stop." It's not merely about adopting a quiet posture in worship. It's God saying, "Stop what you're doing. Stop thinking you have it all figured out. Stop trying to do things in your own strength. Know that I am God."
This is where we as Christians often stumble. We get busy doing the work of God—ministering to the homeless, helping single mothers, serving children, organizing programs—but we forget to focus on God Himself. We're so consumed with doing the right things that we forget the One who called us to do them.
It's like a student who hears the assignment and immediately starts working, but the teacher says, "Put your pencil down and listen. I'm giving you instructions so you can succeed."
We need to allow God to work instead of trying to do all the work ourselves. This requires faith and trust. It means recognizing that church growth, spiritual transformation, and lasting impact aren't achieved through human effort alone—they're the work of the Holy Spirit.
Living in the Name of the Lord
Colossians 3 challenges us to set our focus on things above, not on earthly things. It calls us to put to death our earthly nature and clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
Then comes this powerful instruction: "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus."
This is a convicting standard. If we can't honestly say "Jesus told me to do this" or "I'm doing this in the name of the Lord," should we be doing it at all?
Consider your speech. Can you tell that crude joke in the name of the Lord? Can you use foul language at work and claim it honors God? The Bible tells us that nothing unwholesome should come from our mouths—only what is uplifting, edifying, and glorifying to God.
This doesn't mean we're perfect. We all have areas of struggle and growth. But if our delight is truly in the Lord, we cannot allow behaviors that dishonor Him to continue unchecked in our lives.
The Choice Is Yours
You cannot love God and love the world. You cannot pursue fame, fortune, and worldly success as your primary goals while claiming Christ as Lord. Your actions reveal your true priorities more clearly than your words ever could.
If you identify as a Christian—as Christ-like—you're telling people that your allegiance is to God. Your life should reflect that commitment through self-control, intentionality, and a genuine desire to honor Him in everything you do.
This doesn't mean perfection. God knows we'll fall short. But He asks for one thing: one small step toward Him. He wants our attempt, our sincere effort, our heart's desire to please Him. When we move even one step toward God, He promises to come the rest of the way to meet us.
In Christ Alone
Where is your central focus today? Are you more concerned about what people think or what God thinks? Can you honestly say, "In Christ alone"?
We were created to bring delight to the Lord, to worship and honor Him. When our heart's desire aligns with this purpose, we discover the peace, joy, and prosperity that come from being planted by streams of living water.
The world will always compete for our attention, our loyalty, our focus. But only one focus brings lasting fulfillment: fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and finding our deepest delight in knowing and serving Him.
Today, choose where you will look. Choose where you will focus. Choose whom you will delight in.
Your direction in life depends on it.
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