Focus

Scripture Verses that Caught my Attention Today: Nehemiah 4:15-16 When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. 16 From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armor; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah,

Observation: Nehemiah organized the people in such a way as to allow them to build the wall and protect the city at the same time.

Application: So often we’ll hear someone say something to the affect of: “if I just had time to dedicate to _____________, then I could get it done.”

There’s truth to that statement, of course, but the fact of the matter for many of us is that we have to make and fit the time into our existing schedule. It’s not so much that we need to multitask. Rather, we need to designate times to focus on one thing and the designate other times to focus on another. Nehemiah basically had the people organized into shifts, with some protecting and some building and then, presumably, the would switch over. Reading further he speaks of people protecting the city with one hand and building with the other. That might seem like multi-tasking, but actually it is a compartmentalizing of sorts, with one part of the body focused on one thing and the other part of the body focused on another.

In another part of Scripture we are reminded to number our days. Sometimes I think we would also be wise to number our hours so that we can focus our time on the opportunities at hand.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for the example in Scripture of your people accomplishing considerable feats with your help and their own sense of focus and will. And for Nehemiah’s ability to lead them in such pursuits. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Nehemiah 3-4 and Luke 23)