In The Zone

If I try to take in all of the tasks ahead of our team, there is no way I can maintain my focus on the job in front of me, it is overwhelming. My greatest comfort is knowing the Lord is with me every step of the way, He has never failed me, He has never forsaken me and His plans are perfect. I’m reminded you walk a mile one step at a time and you win races one round at a time.

A few days ago the song Oceans, by Hillsong United, caught my attention and captivated my spirit. I posted the lyrics and Youtube video on my Facebook wall. The video is also on the front page of the JAMA website. This song is my resetting place as we navigate our current situation.

When life is overwhelming, we must maintain our focus above the troubled waters and fix our eyes on Jesus. While I handle the work in front of me, I’m concentrating on Him. I’m glad He’s in control, nothing is to hard for our Lord…N O T H I N G.

Blessings

In The Zone
by Os Hillman
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. – Joshua 1:7

In sports, there is a term known as “in the zone.” It is a description of a person executing his skills so well that total concentration is taking place, and the athlete is performing flawlessly. It is a wonderful feeling. Performance seems effortless because it comes so easily. For the tennis player, it is hitting every shot right where he wants. For the baseball pitcher, it is throwing to a strike zone that seems big as a house. For the golfer, the fairways are wide, and the hole is big. Everything is flowing just right.

I grew up playing competitive golf. I turned pro out of college for a few years, but later God led me away from playing professionally. When I played competitively, I knew when I was in the zone and when I wasn’t. A few years ago, I played in my club championship. It was the opening round, and I was in the zone. I recall the difference was that my mental attitude was focused on executing the swing I wanted to make with little regard to the outcome. I could visualize the swing so well; it was like a movie picture in my mind. Very little thought was given to the outcome of the shot. I knew that if I could make the right swing, the outcome would take care of itself. That day I shot four under par 68. I went on to win the golf tournament. I have had few such days of being “in the zone.”

Obedience in the Christian life is being in the zone. When we live a life of obedience, we begin to experience the reality of God like never before. Wisdom grows in our life. Meaning and purpose are accelerated. In the early Church, the Hebrews gained wisdom through obedience. Later, the Greeks were characterized as gaining wisdom through reason and analysis. Today, we live in a very Greek-influenced Church. Many Christians determine if they will obey based on whether the outcome will be beneficial to them. Imagine if the early Church had adopted this philosophy. No walls would have fallen down at Jericho. No Red Sea would have parted. No one would have been healed. No coins would have been found in the mouth of a fish. Reason and analysis would not have led to making the obedient decision. Trust and obey. Leave the outcome to God.