I am notorious at my house for being physically present but hopelessly lost in thought. It's so bad that my young son once jokingly asked me if he could drive my car...and I absentmindedly gave him the keys!
Fortunately, my wife and kids can usually laugh with me (and at me!) about my tendency to "zone out." But habitual inattentiveness is no laughing matter, because attention is a critical building block for any relationship, including our relationship with God.
What about you? Do you pay attention to Jesus? Does He occupy your thoughts and fuel your passions? Can your discipleship be summed up by the things you know about Jesus and the things you do for Him? Or is it based on attentiveness to Jesus Himself?
These questions are important for serious-minded believers, because focusing on "not sinning" is not the same as pursuing intimacy with Jesus. I'm discovering this revolutionary truth: Real change is accomplished by Jesus as I am with Jesus (John 15:3-4).
The essence of a Jesus-focused life is attentiveness to Jesus in every moment. And since connection to Jesus is the key to transformation, learning the rhythms of being with Him are the most important lessons in life.
A careful look at Jesus' life and those who have followed Him closely reveals practices that help us learn to stay connected to God—for example, Bible reading and prayer, silence and solitude, confession and accountability, giving and service, fasting and meditation, thanksgiving and celebration. And while these practices in themselves have no power or merit with God, they can bring us continually before Jesus to be changed by Him.
An ordinary farmer named Brother Lawrence gave us an extraordinary example of this kind of life. After his conversion in midlife, he joined a monastery, hoping to cultivate his relationship with Jesus. Instead, he was assigned to permanent dish duty in the kitchen.
Although initially discouraged because of having no time to observe religious rites, Brother Lawrence began experimenting with "practicing the presence of Christ" as he washed pots and pans. Much to his joy, he soon discovered that it was possible to retain a conscious awareness of Jesus even as he worked.
He found that the sweat and activity of daily life were not impediments to true worship. Whenever his mind drifted from Jesus, he would simply return his attention to Him and begin communion afresh. Soon, Brother Lawrence was radiating the presence of Jesus to such a degree that monks were lining up at the dish room door to learn his secret of the Christian life!
Brother Lawrence is but one example of thousands of ordinary people who have found the extraordinary power of living life with Jesus. When the goal of the Christian life changes from right behaviors to cultivating a right relationship with Jesus, every moment of our lives can become a pathway to the kind of freedom Jesus promised.
Maybe our choice to love Jesus above all else needs to begin with a reintroduction to the One we love. As we quiet our souls and set aside competing passions in order to focus on Jesus, we'll rediscover the joy and power of relationship with Him.
Download this practical list of truths from John Ortberg that will help you cultivate the practice of God's presence.
Go
Sign-up to receive Life Action’s quarterly revive magazine. Join more than 30,000 pastors, leaders, and individuals seeking God for spiritual renewal.
Subscribe to Revive Magazine