Attention!!!!

 Yesterday I was frustrated, irritated, distracted, annoyed or something on that order. Something wasn't right and I didn't know how to explain what was going on or what to do.

So, I started to read my Bible and my thoughts went to the word "attention". Like usual, my curiosity spiked and I began to look up scriptures with the word attention in them. This is some of what I found:

Proverbs 4:20-23 - My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life

Proverbs 4:1 - Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, And give attention that you may gain understanding, For I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction.

Proverbs 5:1 - My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel.

Proverbs 7:1-4 - My son, keep (pay attention) my words And treasure my commandments within you [so they are readily available to guide you].

Keep my commandments and live,
And keep my teaching and law as the apple of your eye.
3 
Bind them [securely] on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 
Say to [skillful and godly] wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And regard understanding and intelligent insight as your intimate friends;

As I read those verses I realized they were not telling me something that was optional or just a good idea. They weren't even words of encouragement. These were warnings to me.

The clincher for me was found here:

Hebrews 2:1 - For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.

Pay close attention to God's Word. 

Why?

So we do not drift away from it.

Then I saw my problem.

What? you ask....

Here it is..... Coronavirus issues, mask rules, distancing rules, Thanksgiving rules, rules for group meetings,  schools, churches, election fraud issues, job issues, threats of closing the country, fears of many people, fake news, false teachers.....need I continue? Distractions, distractions, distractions .....everywhere I turn....Distractions.

Here's the warning....do not be distracted by all of the things that so easily lead us astray!!! Pay Attention to God's Word. If you don't it is not at all difficult to drift away from it.

Why would that really be an issue? It seems like distractions are commonplace among many... How often do I hear Christians say, "I know I need to spend time with God, but I have been so busy. I just haven't had time". 

Let me ask these questions...how much time have you spent feeding your physical body, but left your Spirit man hungry? How much time have you spend watching the news, worse yet watching "fake" news, yet put the Truth aside? How many other things have we placed as priorities in our lives that really are nothing more than distractions from the truth that brings life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. 

Are those distractions leading us to drift away from getting truth planted deep within our hearts? Apparently, God knows this is a serious issue  Something we should Pay Attention to.

As I read and reread Hebrew 2:1 - For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.

I asked the question, "For what reason?" What is the reason?

Hebrews 1:14 clarifies this issue....Are not the angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?

The reason for me to Pay Attention to getting God's Word planted deeply into my heart and not being distracted so that I do not drift away is because I am one who Jesus died for, so I will inherit salvation.

How am I treating that? How am I treating my Savior? How am I treating the Word who was made flesh?

Pay Attention!!!