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The Distractions that Deceive Us
Andrea Lende • May 18, 2021
Mark 4:18-19
The Distractions that Deceive Us
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/The-Distractions-that-Deceive-Us-e1141hr
Mark 4:18-19
“And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word;”
“Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.
Jesus was talking about how the cares and distractions of this world keep us from real communion with Him.
He gives many reasons why that is so.
I know when I am too focused on the cares of this world, I am unable to receive messages from God.
There is too much static in the lines.
I may receive part of the message, but it’s unclear and weak at best.
This usually happens when I am too busy attending to useless tasks.
My heart soon becomes uneasy which then leads to anxiety.
Anxiety is all consuming and keeps me from experiencing God’s true presence.
Next, Jesus talks about distractions.
Distractions take my eyes off the important as I focus on the less important.
The Lord also warns against pursuing glamor and running after false riches.
They deceive us.
It’s almost a mirage which I think will provide happiness and joy, but it does not.
Lastly, when I am consumed with keeping up with the world’s ideas of success and following new social trends, I lose connection with the Lord.
I start putting those things in front of my time with God.
Jesus said, “the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.”
I have experienced what Jesus warned against in this passage, and at the end of all of it have come up empty.
Empty of meaning in my life and joy as exhaustion sets in.
Empty of satisfaction because I always wanted more.
Full of anxiety and frustration.
However, when I started seeking the Lord, I found more of Him.
As I found more of Him, He healed my spirit and body.
He enfolded me in His love and showed me the true treasure here on this earth.
The real joy is in worshiping Him.
Peace is found in His presence.
Satisfaction is in doing His will.
And the thrill our hearts and minds desire, is truly in watching the miracles He does every day.
Today I choose to put God first and protect my heart and mind from the distractions and cares of this world.
May you find the Lord is close by you, vying for your attention, so He can love you and care for you as only He can do.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for showing me I need to make You the priority in my life. Thank You for showing me I need to protect my heart and mind from the things that distract me from You and Your perfect will for me. Keep me seeking You above the world, Lord. Keep my heart open to You and closed to the cares of this world. Thank You for working in every circumstance of my life. Help me remember You are making all things work for Your glory. Give me patience to wait and watch You work. Do not let my mind take over what only You can control. Keep me at Your feet, Lord. May I serve You with a humble heart. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child and am working all things out for your good and My glory.
Response: Keep my eyes on You, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.