Daily Truth: “My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.” Psalms 57:7
Do you ever get your mind so fixed on something that you think about it through out the day? I think we can all say that we have done that at some point in time in our lives. Especially women/ moms!
It can be a good thing your mind is fixed on. “Yeah, my son was polite to the lady.”
It can be a bad thing your mind is fixed on. “I can’t believe she did such and such!”
Sometimes that good thing can turn into a bad thing. “Yeah, my daughter did an outstanding job on her part in the program.” Then that turns into pride. Never mind you drive everybody nuts that you have to tell!
The word “fixed” in this case means “determined, established, set”.
My youngest son OFTEN gets this way! We are constantly working on him with it.
The other day we were getting family pics done at a local park. It wasn’t cold – chilly, yes – but not cold. Well, he got it fixed in his little brain that he was freezing. About half way through the photo session, he started throwing a temper tantrum.
Now, before we had the photo session, all the children were told that they would not participate in the fun activity that night that they had been looking forward to all year if we had any tempers or bad attitudes.
Nope! Didn’t work on our youngest. He was so fixed on being “freezing” that he didn’t care that he would miss the activity that night. Well, that is until he got home and all the other kids went with dad and he had to stay home and do jobs. Suddenly, he wished he had obeyed.
BTW – our photographer did a fantastic job! She was so patient with the kids and was able to get quite a few pics despite the melt down. Probably because she was fixed on getting a good pic!
The Israelites are a perfect example of being fixed on something. In fact so fixed on their circumstances and their situation that it consumed them.
There was the time they were fixed on the Egyptians closing in on them and the Red Sea ahead of them. They forgot all about the plagues that God had delivered them from. (Exodus 14)
Then there was the food situation. They were so fixed on the fact that they were eating the same thing over and over again that they wanted to go back to Egypt and enjoy the foods they had there. Ummmm…did they not remember they were slaves? (Exodus 16)
Then there was the food situation – again. Well, God had it with them this time and sent fiery snakes among the people. But as God always does, He gave a way to escape the snakes. All they had to do was look at the serpent on the pole and they would be saved from the fiery snakes.
I often wonder how many Israelites were so fixed on the snakes around them that they didn’t fix their gaze on the serpent that could save them. (Numbers 21)
Ok. Before we get a little prideful and speak against the Israelites, aren’t we ALOT like them.
How often do we have our gaze fixed on our circumstances or our situation and forget to fix our eyes and heart on the One who has put us into those circumstances or situations.
Once we think, “Hey, I got this ‘heart fixed on God thing’ down pretty good”, that’s when we get ourselves into trouble and our eyes get fixed on things around us.
We can teach our children to keep their eyes fixed on God. When someone doesn’t share, instead of saying, “Well, he was being naughty, ” how about saying, “Mommy is more concerned how you act and what God says about sharing”.
Or when your child worries about a certain situation, remind them that God is in control and we are not to worry. Thus, we are teaching them to keep their eyes and heart fixed on God.
Be careful! Your words may come back to haunt you!
I have a dear friend who had been crying over a particular situation. Her 7 year old son saw her crying in the kitchen again and the following dialogue occurred.
Son: “Mom, are you crying because of (particular situation)?
Mom: “Yes, buddy. Mommy’s sorry for crying.”
Son: “Mom, haven’t you told me that worry is sin and that it adds nothing to your life? Mom, God had this. So, no more worrying okay?!”
My friend had been teaching her son how to keep his eyes fixed on God. Then when she needed that reminder, God used her son.
As we go into this holiday season, where it is so easy to get our eyes fixed on things around us, let us remember to keep our eyes fixed on the One that is the reason for this season.
Until next week,
Rebekah
