Summertime opens the door to more sunshine, memory making, and vacation! I love to pull out my camera and capture the many special moments our family creates while we enjoy each other’s company. Sometimes, when I go to develop my pictures, I find that some of them are blurry. After a wave of disappointment, I make a mental note to always make sure my camera is in focus.
It is a natural feeling to breathe a sigh of relief once summer comes. After all, it is a time to get caught up on our “to do” list and spend more quality time with family. Even though summer is a different change of pace, we need to remain focused on what is important. Just like a camera needs to be in focus to take a quality picture, we need to be in focus to have a quality summer. Here are a couple of areas we need to stay focused on so our summer does not develop into a blur.
Isaiah 40:26 says, “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things…” We need to keep our eyes focused on the Lord. If we don’t stay focused during our devotion time in the morning, by the afternoon we will forget what we learned from the Bible.
Has anyone ever asked you this question, “What did Pastor preach on last Sunday?” You smile and cringe inside, racking your brain for the subject or verse he used. If you have ever been caught in this predicament, what you were trying to remember was a blur in your mind. I think this happens to all of us, and we need to let it be a reminder to stay focused on the preaching of God’s Word.
Summertime also has a tendency to pull us away from church, causing our focus to go into a completely different direction. (I think Satan knows this and uses it to his advantage.) Although it may take some planning, we need to work at being consistent—showing our family that our focus on the house of God will not change even though vacations and days off come our way.
We also need to zoom in and focus on our family. School is out and we have an opportunity to build stronger relationships with each family member. It is hard to get to know your child if they are playing a video game or watching TV. Sometimes all it takes is a trip to the mall, grabbing a Jamba Juice or taking a walk with them to show each family member that you are completely focused on them.
When you look back on this summer, what will you see? Will you see a blur of events scrambled together? Or, will you see a time you grew closer to the Lord, His Word, and your family?