Monday, August 05, 2013

Are You Aiming in the Right Direction?


There's a family rumor going around about me. And it's true.  You see I cannot throw. I cannot hit whatever it is I'm aiming at. I mean it. Put a baseball in my hand and someone's going to get hurt. Give me a baggo and I'm going to whacko somebody, something, anything but the target. It's true because you see, I even shot a bathtub once. No kidding.  But that’s a whole other story.
Anyway, I just never seem to hit what I'm aiming for. It's impossible. Now, occasionally, if I don't look closely and kind of look away from the target I'm more likely to hit it just by sheer accident. But trying dead on, nope, not gonna happen.

Through life, we all have targets to hit.  Some of them are : learning to read, tying our shoes, riding a bicycle, jumping rope, singing on key. You know, kid's stuff.  Then there are the more grown up targets: graduate from high school, go to college, get married, have kids, get a job, save money, drive a car, travel, make something of yourself, get ahead, plan for the future. On and on. There are many goals you can pursue as a grownup.

For all of us there is a really huge target we have to aim for and achieve - finding purpose in life. It's more than a job and a car and stuff. It's what you really want deep down and you know you won't be happy if you aim for less.  It's not hard to hit this target, unless you leave out the most important factor - God. You see, each one of us has a purpose we were put on earth to achieve- a target of sorts - and that is to find our reason for living which is found right in the middle of the Cross.
Wow, what a target!  If we aim for anything else, we might still look successful and have other things, but we'll end up with a misspent life and misspent everything else. But when we aim for God's target - belief in Christ and living for Him - we have it made!

Have you taken a good look at the targets in your life lately?  Maybe you’ve been missing them more than hitting them. Maybe you tried desperately to get it right, shoot straight and get rewarded. Still you've gotten 4th place, honorable mention and nothing. You keep aiming for better things but the same old troubles keep creeping in, messing with your eyesight, getting your aim out of kilter and making the target oh so hard to see. It could be that others have encouraged you to get your eyes off Jesus. The hurts, the fears, the disappointments can be really distracting even when you’re trying to aim for the best.
Oh beloved, run to the Master of the Target this morning! With life in Christ you'll achieve a bull's eye all the time. Even when your aim seems off you can lay down your abilities and disabilities and lay your head on the Lord's loving shoulder. He'll redeem your plans, fix your aim and help you get back on target.  Isn't it wonderful to know that you aren't out there trying to aim alone and shoot from the hip?  This wonderful life with the Lord will cause you to lay down your past, pick up your goals and move on with Him. His ways are so much better than your ways. His plans are so much more on target than yours are.  God knows you and He's been planning your life with Him for eternity. He knows everything, including your misspent opportunities, your misappropriated blessings and your missed targets.  Give your heart and life to Him today fresh and new, and watch as He changes your entire focus and causes you to win for Him in the aims and goals of life.

God loves you and He's for you and those two blessings are His aim for your life forever!

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

Psalm 33:18 But the Lord watches over those who fear Him, those who rely on His unfailing love.

Hebrews 12:2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.  Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

Psalm 119:32 I will pursue Your commands, for You expand my understanding.

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