by Elizabeth Haarberg

The Importance of Sticking Close to God

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

It seems like when I sit down to write this blog the world slips into chaos around me. Either work situations or family distract from writing.

I wonder how Jesus felt when he walked on Earth. His whole goal was to reveal the Father and eventually die for the whole world. Did He ever get distracted?

“So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.'”
John 5:19

So, no. Jesus never got distracted because He stuck so close to the Father that He only did what God did.

The key to knowing what to do next and how to do it is sticking close to God. When I feel the lure of distraction, in my good moments, I will ask for God’s assistance.

We are constantly in process. We will never be completely perfect until we see the face of God in Heaven. Until then I will strive to do what the Father does. If I fall short of the goal, I will give myself grace and start again.

The flip side of distraction is thinking about the things we think we need to do; God has a different idea for our time and energy. Again, staying close to God lets us know how our time is best spent.

^“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.'”
Luke 10:38-42

Where is an area you would like more direction or less distraction?

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado