This semester we continue the theme “What’s Your Focus?” Lifeteen considers the subtopic: “What’s your problem?” as they explore some barriers to putting Jesus at the center of our life. These will be great life nights with the goal of giving you experience and resources to put these barriers aside and focus on Christ.
I’m also very excited about Edge. With the blessing of a full Core Team, Edge will meet every Sunday this semester and start building community through fellowship as they also consider “What’s Your Focus?”.
As we move through this semester staying focused can be hard. Many distractions pull our attention away from the Gospel. School, work, sports, clubs, TV, cell phones, girlfriends or boyfriends, friends, and more.
Monsignor told a great story during his 5:30 Homily on Sunday about a man who told a Priest he used to feel very close to God as he served at Mass, and did many other activities associated with Church. But now that he is older and more mature, he does not serve at Mass, and participate in these other activities, and God seems farther away. The Priest asked a simple question: Who moved?
I find it interesting that the man says he is more “mature” and yet his relationship with Christ suffers. This semester as we consider What’s Your Focus, consider how your focus can affect your maturity. Perhaps this man was mature in the eyes of the world, but he is not mature in terms of relationship with God.
Consider this semester at what level your Christian Maturity is? Are you close or far from God? Are you strong enough to proclaim the Gospel in your daily life? Do you deny Jesus when tested?
True Maturity; is not measured by our activities, but how strong we are in our beliefs. True Maturity is measured by God’s terms not by man.
True Maturity is an account of how you respond to God’s plan.
True Maturity is accepting who you are in God’s image and giving Him glory everyday.
True Maturity is Christian Maturity.
Are you Mature in the eyes of God, or in the eyes of man?
God, thank you for creating us in your image and likeness. Thank you for instilling in us beauty and dignity. Thank you for blessing us with gifts and talents. Lord we pray that as our lives become filled with school, work, sports, and other activities that we would continue to put you first.
We pray Lord that You would reveal to us your plan for our lives that we may submit our will to Yours. That we would grow in Christian Maturity. That you would be our focus without question.
And Lord, we pray that You use us as examples of Your faith and allow us to be ministers of Your Love to those around us. We ask these things in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
May God bless you and protect you.
