{"id":1312,"date":"2010-11-14T01:22:21","date_gmt":"2010-11-14T01:22:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/11\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-where-have-you-fixed-your-attention.html"},"modified":"2010-11-14T01:22:21","modified_gmt":"2010-11-14T01:22:21","slug":"sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-where-have-you-fixed-your-attention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/11\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-where-have-you-fixed-your-attention.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Where Have You Fixed Your Attention?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Where Have You Fixed Your Attention?<\/b><\/font><\/p>\n

Psalm 16:1-11<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\nI know the LORD is always with me.
\n     I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.<\/p>\n

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Psalm 16:8<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\nPsalm 16 begins with a cry for divine help: “Keep me safe, O God, for I
\nhave come to you for refuge” (16:1). Yet the bulk of the Psalm does not
\nfocus on that from which the psalmist needs refuge, that which
\nthreatens to shake him. Rather, Psalm 16 celebrates God’s help in
\ndifficult times, his presence that keeps us safe and gladdens our
\nhearts.<\/p>\n

\tVerse 8 reads: “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be
\nshaken, for he is right beside me.” In fact, the Hebrew of this verse
\naffirms God’s presence, but suggests that the psalmist has chosen to fix
\nhis attention here, rather than on his problems. A more literal
\ntranslation of the first part of verse 8 would read, “I have set the
\nLORD before me continually.” Thus the NRSV translates, “I keep the LORD
\nalways before me” while the TNIV suggests, “I keep my eyes always on the
\nLORD.” The Message <\/em>puts it this way: “Day and night I’ll stick
\nwith God.” So, though the fact that God is always with the psalm writer
\nprovides a foundation for verse 8, the language of the verse indicates
\nthat he has chosen to pay close attention to this truth.<\/p>\n

\tFrom Jesus, we have received the promise of his continual presence:
\n“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age”
\n(Matt. 28:20). So there is never a question of whether the Lord is with
\nus or not. But there is a question about whether we fix our attention on
\nthis wonderful reality or not. How easy it is for us to live as if God
\nis distant. How easily we focus our minds on our problems and
\nchallenges, forgetting to keep the Lord before our eyes.<\/p>\n

\tWhen we choose to live in light of the truth of God’s persistent
\npresence, then we will be reassured. Like the psalmist, we will “not be
\nshaken” by the inevitable disappointments and detours of life. We will
\nstand firm in the midst of opposition and suffering. We will find the
\nstrength to press on in service to God as we live for his kingdom in
\nthis world.<\/p>\n

\tQUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:<\/strong> How aware are you
\nof God’s presence today? Have you chosen to set the Lord before you
\ncontinually? Will you remember him when life gets hard? What helps you
\nto know that God is right beside you?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
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\nPRAYER:<\/strong> O Lord, as I read Psalm 16, I find myself
\nwishing that I could set you before me more faithfully. It is so easy
\nfor me to focus my attention on all sorts of other things. When life
\nisn’t going as I wish, I can become preoccupied with my frustrations and
\nfears. How different it would be if I chose to fix my attention on you?<\/p>\n

\tWhen I do this, I don’t neglect other things. I don’t forget about
\nmy work or stop caring about those around me. In fact, the more I keep
\nyou in focus, the more I am empowered to work faithfully and to love
\ngenerously. Knowing that you are with me gives me confidence to live
\nboldly for you and your kingdom.<\/p>\n

\tThank you, dear Lord, for being with me always. And thank you for helping me to attend to your presence. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?  <\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . .<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling<\/i> is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Where Have You Fixed Your Attention? Psalm 16:1-11 I know the LORD is always with me.      I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. Psalm 16:8 Psalm 16 begins with a cry for divine help: “Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge” (16:1). Yet the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Where Have You Fixed Your Attention? - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1312","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1312"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1312\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1312"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1312"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1312"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}