These words, taken from the hymn BE THOU MY VISION, have been on my heart of late.  

It occurs to me that one of the most effective tools the enemy of our souls uses to keep us from that one thing which alone will transform us from carnal believers into true followers of Christ — intimacy with Jesus — is distraction. 

By distraction, I don’t just mean the obvious aspect of that which would divert our attention away from the Lord and onto something else — although there are definitely plenty of allurements in this world which are all too successful in doing just that. Stuff like busy schedules, sports, possessions, long hours at work, stress at home, too much time spent in front of the idiot box — or in front of it’s heinous cousin, the silver screen — and even friends and loved ones.

None of which, I suppose, are “sinful” in and of themselves, but any one of which can become so if taken to an extreme. (Exodus 20:3, NASB)

No, what the Lord has been impressing upon me is about being distracted from Him while doing “stuff” for Him — even in the very midst of it. 

I used to find myself getting caught up in this type of thing all the time, in past years, when I was heavily involved in various IC activities like attending services/meetings/events perhaps 3, 4, or even 5 times per week, helping out in the nursery or Sunday School, being in charge of this or that project, serving on committees, performing in plays, or even preaching and teaching. I mean, all of this is on the face of it, good stuff. Right? 

And I’m sure many, if not most, of us have been there and can relate, can’t we? I seem to remember Pope recently mentioning the total number of services/meetings he attended over the years at CBC as approaching a googleplex.

Now, what about doing something less public, less IC-like? What about reading and studying the Bible, for instance? We’re exhorted to do just that by the Bible itself, and not just to read and study it, but to think about it, to recite it, to memorize it, to meditate — and even muse — upon God’s Word. You all know the verses that say this. 

But I know from personal experience that Bible reading and Bible study can quickly morph into something from which both Jesus and the presence of the Holy Spirit are quite far away from.  

I remember KJC once telling me that when he used to study the Word, in the very midst of doing that, every so often, he would just stop, close his Bible or whatever he was writing in, and just close his eyes and begin to pray and commune with the Lord, and spend time with Him before going back to study. For maybe 10 or 15 minutes. I have tried to do this myself over the years, but I find that I didn’t do it nearly as often as my spirit needed me to. 

Alright then, what about prayer? Surely, we can’t be guilty of being distracted from — from missing — the Lord in prayer, can we?  

Well, again, I don’t know about anyone else, but I know for sure that I can. My wife and I pray together every morning before we leave for work, which is good, right? But, you know, sometimes, in the midst of that, my mind is not where it should be. Maybe I’m focused a bit too much on telling the Lord what I need from Him, or asking Him to do this or that in someone’s else’s life, or telling Him what He should do in this or that situation.

All of which — except perhaps the latter   — are good things to do, and which are definitely aspects of prayer, aren't they?

But what about time spent in just being before Him? In just kneeling or sitting or standing or laying there before Him — alone — and just feeling Him, and listening to Him, and communing with Him, and just allowing myself to soak in whatever He is wanting to pour into me? Although I have done this many times, I'm feeling Him call me to a deeper level of it.

I’m reminded right about now of the Lord’s admonition to the Church at Ephesus, how Jesus commended them for all their wonderful works and service which they had done to and for Him. And yet, we all know how He had just one thing against them — they had moved away from His Presence.

In the midst of the very proper stuff they were doing for Him, they had not lost, but left their 1st Love (Rev. 2:1-7, NASB). 

OK, I’m done.

Thanks for letting me open up.  

I append here the entire lyrics to BE THOU MY VISION. You can go to one of these song/hymn sites on the web (here) and (here) to read/listen to this hymn if you wish. 

(Will you forgive me if I embolden my favorite parts?) 

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

  

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;

I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;

Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;

Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

  

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;

Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;

Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:

Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

  

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,

Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:

Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,

High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

  

High King of Heaven, my victory won,

May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!

Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all. 

-joebibstudent