Are we tuning in? Are we waiting with hope and assurance? We need to be waiting with anticipation and readiness.
We have become a people that tunes everything out. We zone in to our phone, put our earbuds in, and let everything else around us go. Can you imagine the daily blessings we miss out on by living in our little zone? We live in such a way that we try to quiet all the noise around us. So much so that it causes us to become numb to our very own senses.
Long ago when my children were young, well, not so long ago, but it seems a lifetime ago, we would gather together and watch American Idol. My husband would be working at night, so it was just me and the kids. We would get snacks and all scrunch in close on the bed and get ready to be wowed.
On one particular night we weren't getting good reception. At the time we had rabbit ears for our antennae. Those were the good days, right? Well, up until they wouldn't give clear reception. One of the kids had knocked over the antennae. Upon crashing on the floor we all watched in horror as one of the antennae broke off. Oh mercy. Not on this night. Not on the finale.
What would we do? Oh, this country girl has learned a thing or two about living in a rural area lol. I ran and got the foil paper. I glued that antennae back together with as much foil as possible. I think we could have reached aliens on Mars this night.
Well, there was a catch to this creation of mine. One of us would have to hold the antennae to make it work. Let me tell ya. That's a LOT of American Idol love, right? So, that's exactly what we did. For the next two hours we took turns holding the antennae so we could tune in to see who would be the season winner.
There wasn't any complaining. Just great laughter at our antics to watch this show that had captivated us. We couldn't watch the entire season and miss out on who would win, right? We went to great efforts that night to make sure we were tuned in.
Everyone headed off to bed after the winner was announced. That night we were totally connected in. We were glued to the television and for us it was worth every effort with all of us working together to make sure that all of us got to watch together. Yep, a family thing for sure.
How's your reception? How closely are you tuning in? Maybe the question we need to ponder is, just what are we willing to do to make sure we are getting the best reception possible? For one thing, we just gotta stop tuning out everything around us. We gotta set down those phones, take out those earbuds, and start paying attention.
So often we are working so hard to tune out the world around us that we are missing out on the obvious. We are ignoring the very things right in front of our eyes. The thing is, we are trying to connect to all the wrong things. Our focus needs to be on Jesus. How long are we willing to hang on to the antennae?
Amazingly when we tune in to Jesus, seeking Him with everything in us, He is good to open our eyes and ears to the blessings around us. He is good to show us where to reach out and where there are needs. It is in our actions of helping others that His love his shown in a mighty way. If we are willing, if our hearts are ready, He will send us and equip us with everything we need.
Through being His hands and feet we not only reach others, but our heart changes. Every time we see His glory in impossible situations our faith grows. The more willing we are, the more perceptive we will become to the Spirit moving within us.
May we keep up those rabbit ears. Keep them ready in expectation at the amazing show before us. After all, we wouldn't want to miss one minute that leads to the long awaited finale, right?
"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2
"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." Galatians 5:16-17
"Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." Philippians 3:15-16
"Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth." Colossians 3:2
"My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." Proverbs 2:1-5
