“For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”  Galatians 1:10

In this verse, Paul presents two absolutely incompatible goals: pleasing God and pleasing man.  There is no possibility of living to please both.  So each of us must choose who we will live to please.

Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure.”

When we set our eyes directly on God, we are more resolved in our pursuit of Him.

In a generation of constant distraction, the battle for focusing on anything grows harder and harder. Focus requires practice and discipline. Setting our gaze on the Lord won’t happen by accident. We won’t “find” time for God’s Word and prayer.  We must take the time we have, and discipline ourselves to use it in a way that pleases God.

So, as you fast and set your eyes on God today, I want to leave you with this quote from Ethan Hawke’s book “Rules For A Knight” as a reminder that practicing spiritual disciplines really is important for those who want to experience life to the fullest in Christ:
“In the field of battle, as in all things, you will perform as you practice; so practice hard. With practice, you build the road to accomplish your goals. Excellence lives in attention to detail. Give your all, all the time. Don’t save anything for the walk home. The better a knight prepares, the less willing he will be to surrender.”

Practice setting your eyes on the Lord all the time, so that you’re less willing to surrender when distractions come.

For the King!
Jaime Mauney, Kids Minister