Staying Focused On God

Psalm 123:1-4

A Song of degrees.

“Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.  Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us. ” (Psalm 123:1-2)

David describes their attention to God as a servant watching his master, or a lady’s maid watching her mistress.   Few of us have been in that situation, but imagine a nurse assisting a doctor with surgery.  The nurse focuses on wht the doctor is doing, constantly ready to hand him a different clamp or scapula or such away blood so he can see what is needed.  We need to be giving God a similar level of attention, especially since we are the ones being operated on.  We don’t want to let our attention wander until the operation is complete. 

“Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us: for we are exceedingly filled with contempt.  Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.” (Psalm 123:3-4)

Our beliefs and practices are attacked almost daily by those around us, encouraging us to forget our standards and go along with their agenda.  When we refuse, we are called fools and worse, by those who spend their lives in pleasure and those who consider themselves smarter and better than others.  .  Sometimes we begin to feel really discouraged and are tempted to quit.  In those times we especially need God to show his mercy and love for us.  Those are the times when we need focus on him the most.  Unfortunately, it is also the time when it is easiest to focus on the problems and overlook what he is doing.