This past Sunday our Lead Pastor, Jeremy White, was preaching about being overwhelmed in marriage. It was an incredible message about laying down our right to the crown (that we are in charge) and picking up the towel of service (just like Jesus did). He read several passages, but he initially went back to Genesis 3, which is the place where everything went wrong. There is a phrase that Satan uses, "your eyes will be opened". There was something in that phrase that has continued to sit on me this entire week.
I am a hyper vigilant person by nature. I watch everything that is going on around me. When I see a movement, I naturally just turn my attention to whatever that thing is. The problem is, I will sometimes (and truthfully in the past, most of the time) neglect what is right in front of me that should have my attention. Kasey, my beautiful bride, has many times marveled (maybe that's a strong word, but I like it when she marvels at me :)) at what I notice in any given situation. I actually for a long time wore that as a badge of honor. I thought, look at me and how observant I am.
Back to Genesis 3, Satan wanted Adam and Eve's eyes to be opened. He knew that at the time he was talking to Eve that he could not distract them. He had only one ploy to get their eyes opened to the distractions he offers, that was to eat of the tree. So he enticed them. He made them think there was something more, that their eyes were not fully opened, so they were missing something. Our eyes being opened to all the distractions Satan offers, both small and large, is exactly how he gets us off track.
This train of thought by Satan goes hand in hand with so many places in Scripture that God is calling for the opposite. Matthew 6:33, "seek first the Kingdom of God", focus all your attention on it. Philippians 4:8, "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things", open your eyes to the good God is doing. God knows that our eyes are open to sin, to distractions, ultimately to death. His desire is for us to turn our eyes from the things Satan wanted our eyes open to.
There are lines of work where people have to stay hyper vigilant. Their lives, and ours, depend on it- first responders, military personnel, and many others who risk their lives for people around them. And let me say thank you to each and everyone person that stands in harms way on our behalf. But here is the difference. They see a threat and destroy it. Their eyes are open, but for a specific thing. They don't get distracted by little things, they are looking for things that can harm.
This is our lesson. Stay hyper focused on God and the things of God. Also be on the look out for how Satan is trying to "open your eyes" to things that would distract you...and ultimately destroy you. And you relentlessly seek to blow those things up. Get them out of your life.
I also thought, how sad for Adam and Eve...and then for us. Before they ate, their eyes were opened to the only thing that mattered. Their eyes were on the LORD. Their eyes had everything they needed. Their eyes were opened to the very thing God has been trying to get His people to focus on ever since. That is what distraction does, that is what being hyper focused on things that don't matter does, it takes us away from the thing(s) God is calling us to.
Realize the only way for our eyes to be open, is to be stayed fast on the LORD!
