Sunday, February 27, 2011

Window Shopping

Joshua 23:6 (NLT) "So be very careful to follow everything Moses wrote in the Book of Instruction.  Do not deviate from it, turning either to the right or to the left." vs8-"Rather cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now."

I think that "window shopping" is an activity that women enjoy more than men.  I used to live in a big city on a street that  was famous for their window dressings.  You couldn't avoid it, you look to the left or to the right and you were subject to these beautiful windows that would try to lure you in by their displays of the latest fashions.  Window shopping can be very damaging to a woman's wallet.  If we see something we like in the window, we might often find ourselves going in to the store.  Even if we do not buy what we saw in the window, we might find something else!  I walked this street everyday going back and forth to work.  I soon learned if I just kept my eyes face forward, I would not see the windows and therefore I would not face the temptation to spend money on something that I really did not need.

A long time ago I was reading this verse and I the Lord spoke to me.  You see, we live in a society that is filled with every kind of temptation.  You can look to the left or the right and you will see the work of the devil and his demons as they try to lure us in through their clever advertising.  Their advertising attracts men and women alike.  It may be bars, or pornography shops, or billboards that display immodesty and suggestive offers.  It may be something not as obvious such as greed or pride and worldly philosophy.

God gave good advice here in Joshua.  He says just keep your eyes focused, straight ahead....don't look to your left or your right.

If you recall, that same advice was given by the writer of Hebrews.  Hebrews 12: 1-2 (NLT) says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up.  And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.  We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."

The author gives us a great example of a runner in a race.  If you have ever watched a serious runner, you will notice they are focused on one thing- the finish line ahead of them.  They aren't looking around at the other runners or "window shopping", they have tunnel vision- they are keeping their eyes fixed.

May we focus on keeping our eyes "fixed" this week on Jesus Christ.  We can be certain that Satan is not on vacation and he is always out there trying to trip us up.  But the more we focus on Jesus, the less we will be tripped up.  We are in a race and the finish line is closer than we realize.  Let us strip off anything that slows us down and keep running.  At the finish line we will meet the One we have had our eyes focused on.  What a glorious day that will be.

To God be the glory!