Engrossed - Thursday January 14, 2016
...those who use the things of this world as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:31 NIV
At a family reunion time this past summer I walked into our family cabin living room and caught an amusing sight: every person's eyes (the group was ages three into their sixties) were glued to their hand-held electronic devices. No one was talking; everyone was in his or her own little world. Fortunately, this was a short-lived phenomenon. We had lots of time boating, swimming, and playing together without the help of our electronics! But aren't we all familiar with this type of scene?
It isn't just electronic devices that can capture our attention. I can get just as engrossed in completing my "to do list"! Webster's dictionary defines engrossed as "having one's attention wholly absorbed or exclusively occupied."
When I think of being absorbed, I think of not being able to pull out of whatever I am filled up with. Obviously God wants us to be disciplined and responsible, devoting ourselves to the duties that each of us is called to each day. But when whatever we are doing becomes a god in itself – something that we can't let go of or walk away from if God asks us to – then we know we are engrossed and ensnared.
To put this all into perspective, notice Paul's last sentence in the verse above. This world is passing away. The things we see, touch, and do, are all going to end. As Jesus succinctly put it, "moth and rust will destroy and thieves will break in and steal." This world is short-lived.
May we all be less engrossed with the here and now and much more absorbed with the eternal things to come.
Submitted by:
Dawn Bovenmyer
Stonebrook Community Church
Ames, Iowa
One-Year Reading Plan:
Genesis 30:1-31:16
Matthew 10:1-23
Psalms 12:1-8
Proverbs 3:13-15
[Read
Online]
© 2024 Great Commission Association of Churches, Inc All rights
reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher.
Online Bible Services provided by
The Bible Gateway (TM) a service of
Gospel
Communications Network.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCB-ES: Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible B) The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy, Bible, New International Version, copyright B) 1973, 1978, 1984 by InternaB-tional Bible Society; (NKJV) are from New King James Version B) 1982 by Thomas Nelson; (NLT) are from the New Living Translation, B) 1996, Tyndale House Publishers; (ESV) are from English Standard VersionB., B) 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers; (TM) are from The Message B) 1993 by NavPress Publishers.