Pay Attention

5-2-2011 by Boyd Bailey

Pay Attention


“The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.” Deuteronomy 28:13

Pay attention to God’s voice and to His directives. His ways are the best ways. His ways are the wisest ways. Most of His commands are clear as a bell. You do not need a Greek lexicon to understand “love God” and “love people.” His principles for living are for our good. Seeking godly counsel is for your good. Do not seek out advice from those who will just tell you what you want to hear.

Solicit wisdom from those who diligently apply God’s Word to their daily lives. You need those around you who will prescribe Scripture to your life. They may offer God’s truth with tough love or tender care. Be extremely grateful for both. It is the truth of heaven that transcends your life and confirms your heart and mind into Christ-likeness.

Therefore, pay attention to what God is saying through others. You may not want to hear what they are saying, but still listen. Allow your anger to subside for a moment, so the Lord’s way of doing things can give you a much-needed perspective. The enemy is not your spouse, your child or yourself. You are not sleeping with the enemy, though the enemy does seek to dupe you into this delusion.

The enemy is the master of deception, the devil himself. Therefore, fight for your family and not against them. Fight the enemies of anger, distrust, disrespect and lovelessness. Love does cover a multitude of sins. Apply it liberally and lavishly. Love unconditionally and others will respond accordingly. Pay attention to applying the love of Christ. As He loves in you and through you, you are capable to love others with the same passion and persistence.

Also, pay attention to God’s work around you. Your circumstances are part of His greater canvas of creation. Your situation is part of God’s plan to accomplish His larger purpose for your life. Do not get sucked into the short-term setbacks; instead, keep the fires of faith burning. This momentary affliction is but for a season. You may be experiencing God’s discipline so you know how to develop your own discipline.

Or, this pause may be needed to involve others whom God would have you to bless. See your current circumstances as part of God’s bigger plan. Pay attention to where He has you. Do not become preoccupied with where you want to be. Be faithful today and tomorrow will take care of itself. It is all in God’s timing. You can trust His timing. Indeed, pay attention to the little things.

Be excellent around mundane and insignificant issues. Like carefully crafted bricks of a sidewalk lead to a large and inviting home, faithfulness in the little matters leads to larger opportunities. Moreover, pay attention to your soul. If it is sick and tired, allow God’s love and grace to nurse it back to a robust and engaging condition.

Your life will be limited unless you pay attention to your soul care. This caps your capacity prematurely. An unkept soul is like an unkept engine—eventually the car quits running, and so shall your life. Solitude, planning, thinking, meditation, confession and repentance will do for your soul what a healthy diet, rest and exercise do for your body. Treat it well. Pay attention to what matters. God matters most. First pay attention to Him, and you will not lack passion paying attention to His prevailing priorities. Paying attention pays!