What captures our attention influences how we life.

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After our first year of parish work, Janice and I met friends from college and seminary at a dude ranch in Montana. I could barely walk after a few short hours of riding on our first day.

Estes Park, Colorado

I rode the same horse the entire week. Granted this was thirty years ago and I don’t remember my horse’s name but I do remember one of his characteristics: He was blind in one eye. This made for an interesting experience our last day.

We made a trip along a beautiful river. On this journey there was one section where the bank dropped off quite steeply on one side with a rock cliff rising on the other. On the way in to our destination my horse’s good eye was toward the river, on the way out it was toward the rock cliff. There wasn’t any problem on the way in, but the way out was a little scary when all he saw was the rock cliff.

“I will not put anything wicked in front of my eyes.
I hate what unfaithful people do. I want no part of it.” 
Psalm 101:3 God’s Word to the Nations

When our thoughts and intentions are focused on wickedness our life’s journey is different then when they are focused on Jesus. When our eyes are focused on Jesus the journey of life takes on a different character than when we focus our eyes on wickedness.

I’m not saying that things will be easier or better when we focus our thoughts and will on Jesus but that the character of this kind of life will be different than when all we see is that which breaks God’s heart.

May we turn our eye to Jesus and see what the journey brings.

Copyright Douglas P Brauner