Distractions

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping Your word.” (Psa 119:9) I am reminded that though I am not a young man, I still need purity of thought, because there is no end to distraction. The “almighty dollar” compels many to seek my attention, with commercials and ads. Even for someone who works in music, it is a bit distracting where everywhere there is a competition for space in my brain, without me realizing it, so that I can still sing the Oscar Meyer song. (You are already singing it in your head, aren’t you?)

I realize that even old men need to keep their way pure. We live in an age of impurity. All around us are calls for our attention, time, and our money. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life keep many a Christian from fulfilling the tasks God has set before them. We get distracted. As one sage noted, if Satan can’t trip us up with sin, then He will keep us too busy to hear the voice of the Shepherd. Yes, “all we like sheep have gone astray”, because it is so easy to pull us away from the flock. Because living is hard, and if we aren’t regularly engaging His word in our lives, we are pulled away.

Having just celebrated the greatest words in all the world, “He is Risen!”, what do we do with that news? Has life’s crushing weight once again pulled us away from the gospel story? The same Lord who bore the weight of my sin on the cross also extends his hand to help us bear the weight of living, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” As we move on into the responsibilities of May, don’t let the lessons of Easter and of His Resurrection wander away from you. The word of God is true! Christ the Lord is risen. He is alive! And because He is alive, we have hope. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. Let us keep His word deeply.