Distractions

 To say that I have been distracted lately is a large understatement.  Work has taken over my life since late August.  Actually, pretty much since March really, I have been consumed by work and its many challenges.  First the pandemic forced education to restructure its entire modality of distribution.  At the same time, I was transitioning to a role of more responsibility, a transition that has not been smooth or uneventful.  Challenges of all kinds have arised as I have become the Chair of our Department: financial, relational, professional, you name it.  We are witnessing many colleagues losing their jobs around us; and while I Praise the Lord my job is pretty stable at the moment...there are no guarantees...plus, the pain of seeing those we know being left out in the cold...makes the situation much dire for us all.

And that's just stuff at work, right?  I still have all the everyday worries and tasks that go hand in hand with being a Mom and a Wife...and way, way, way at the bottom...a housewife (One of the few benefits of the physical/social distance we need to keep is that the chances of someone popping up unannounced are pretty small, so nobody has to endure the trauma of seeing my messy house).

Many times I've just wished I could quit my job.  I was very close to it last week...

This morning, as I read more about King Solomon's life I began to think about how the biggest danger of distractions is the fact that they have the ability to take our attention away from what truly is important: keeping our eyes on Jesus...seeking Him first.

King Solomon was the wisest and richest man to ever live.  He had God's blessing.  He was anointed by the Most High.  God even appeared to him a couple of times!  But...he got distracted and things began to go south for Israel.  For starters, all that wealth.  Reading through the descriptions of how he built his palace and all the material treasures he accumulated is insane!  So much gold, silver wasn't even valued! But then...the worst thing for him was the women: 700 wives and 300 concubines...for a grand total of 1,000 women as part of his household.  Yep, attempting to keep 1,000 women happy would not leave much chance for anyone to think of much else...notice I said "attempting"...

Sigh...

I have no clue what he was thinking.  Where did all that wisdom go?  I mean, really?  The wisest man in history...1,000 women?  I don't get it.  

And, of course, most of them were from tribes and groups that were forbidden.  God had told the israelites not to intermarry from this list of groups of peoples...but...here comes Solomon...the wisest guy in town, thinking he knew better than God.  And God had not given that command for capricious reasons.  God knew the pull a spouse has, and those tribes and groups of peoples were not followers of the Almighty.  They had their own idols that they worshipped.  God knows how fickle our human hearts are and how easily we are swayed by those we love.  That's why it was best not to enter in relationships with those who could take our eyes away from Him.

But Solomon thought he could handle it, I guess.  But, he couldn't, of course.  So, soon, he found himself so busy building temples and altars for the gods of his many wives, that before he knew it, he was worshiping those gods too.  His mind was distracted...so, unlike his father David, his heart lost its way and didn't know how to chase after God's own heart anymore.

I certainly do not want that to happen to me.

After considering quitting my current position as Chair, I decided to stick with it until I finish up my term in 2023...if God allows.  But, I must keep my priorities straight.  Distractions would come and go, but as long as I am aware of Him, I must not let them take over me.  My goal is to put myself in the Hands of Jesus and let Him lead everything I do.  I want to do this job as if onto Him...and in order to do that, I must surrender to His holy guidance.  May His Word be the light to my feet and the lamp to my path.  And may the many distractions in our lives never usurp the place of He, Who Must always sit in Throne of the Most High.  Amen.