What Do We Find When We Really Focus On God?

Gaze upon Him, join your life with His, and joy will come.
Your faces will glisten with glory.
You’ll never wear that shame-face again.
Psalm 34:5

Gaze – Join – Joy

You know it’s common for us to watch something or someone that we like that draws our attention.  I think about ball teams and athletes that I enjoy and have become a long time fan of. 

There are also Christian worship artists that I connect with more than others. I love anyone who worships whole-heartenly and I’m not limited to styles or genre of a particular one over another. But there is an authenticity about the way certain worshipers present a song that causes me to join in with what they are doing and together we experience satisfaction and pleasure.

Those examples are just scratching the surface of what this passage means to me.

There are many God moments that this scripture represents in my life. For the sake of keeping this read within a reasonable length, I’ll only share one. Perhaps it will cause you to recall your own meaningful moments.

Nature walks with my soul-mate are gazing upon Him opportunities.  Annette and I see so much of God in what we experience when going on a hike.

We connect with His creation. The conversations we have with one another and Him are priceless.  We’ve processed many life situations in the woods of the Carolinas.  Our Way Maker meets with us and His joy is poured out in countless encounters.

What do we find when we really focus on God? It will create a leaving behind of something less while coming into so much more.

What does this focussing mean? Study the matter and you will see that it means two things—gathering in all that can be gathered, and letting the rest drop. The working of any lens—microscope, telescope, camera—will show you this. The lens of your own eye, in the room where you are sitting, as clearly as any other. Look at the window bars, and the beyond is only a shadow; look through at the distance, and it is the bars that turn into ghosts. You have to choose which you will fix your gaze upon and let the other go. “Focussed: A Story and a Song” by Lilias Trotter

God desires that we all gaze upon Him….turning our eyes towards Jesus and letting everything else go.   We can find Him all around us if we really look closely.  And when we look with that intent, then we’ll want to gather in all that can be gathered.

It will create a leaving behind of something less

while coming into so much more.

When we do glance His way and notice Him, don’t unlock your eyes with His.  He doesn’t want us to leave.  For remaining makes so many other things so much less. And when we join Him we join the winning team. The winning team that has the reigning King who conquers all and pours out goodness, provision, protection, grace, mercy, forgiveness, salvation, and love. And all that comes with Him will produce great joy within us!

Hallelujah! Let that joy rise up within you now. It will cause your face to shine with His brightness, wiping away every negative thought, issue, or circumstance that you are presently in. 

A simple gaze in His direction can be life changing. 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus…look full in His wonderful face….and the things of earth will grow strangely dim…in the light of His glory and grace.” Helen H. Lemmel

Lingering Thoughts:

What are you experiencing right now that has grabbed your focus and holding it captive beyond your intention?

Go through the motions in your mind of handing it over to Jesus today.

Pray with me…Jesus, You came that I might have life and have it more abundantly.  My focus has not been on You as it should be. I need to refocus and see You more often in my daily activities, realizing I can gain so much by doing so. Right now I hand over my issues that are consuming my thoughts and causing my attention to not be on You. As I draw near to You, may Your joy overwhelm me in this moment, reassuring me that I am apart of an amazing winning team!

In Jesus name,  Amen

Photos by Create228studio