How will you give God your attention?
AJ Zaldivar
Mary Oliver wrote,
“Attention is the beginning of devotion.”
Toward the end of last year, I focused on the word “faithful” and thought about what that might mean for me. Well, this is it: As a faithful child, I must focus all of my attention toward God. If I sense a prompting from the Spirit to worship in the night, then that is what I should do. If being faithful means waking up before the sun rises to read God’s letters to us, then that is what I should do. My attention is all he wants, and he is worthy of it all.
Luke 5:16 acknowledges that,
"Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Some of the most beautiful encounters I’ve had with Jesus are when I have sung my heart to him—whether they were praises, prayers, or laments. Spending time with my Father is always powerful and sweet, and I want for others to be able to experience that as well.
The second and most challenging thing for me to do is to intentionally spend time reading the Word. When Jesus was battling in the desert, he used Scripture as his weapon. Psalm 119 reads,
“I have hidden your word in my heat that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.”
There is so much power in the living word of God; we learn more about who he is and who we are, we fight battles with his truth, and we encourage others through his words. Ultimately, his word is our light and daily bread.
Maybe giving God your full attention looks different than it does for me, but it’s important that we all have rhythms in our lives that bring us closer to Him and bring Him glory. Jesus is the perfect example of one who spent time with his Father, which in turn helped him in his ministry and in battle.
It takes time to build rhythms but starting off small will help you reach your goals (think S.M.A.R.T goals: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound). You might start off with setting a reminder for yourself to say a prayer of thanksgiving in the car on your way to work. You might miss a day or two, but it's important to stay motivated, pick up where you left off, and press into your goals harder than before. The practices you choose will eventually begin to weave into your routine, and you’ll not only build the discipline, but you’ll desire and delight in it.
How will you give God your attention?