When Moses decided to be attentive to what was going on around him, God responded. 

When Moses turned aside to see, God called out.

Moses was in the presence of God whether he paid attention or not. But when he decided to be attentive to what was going on around him, God responded.

Our American culture places an emphasis on getting things done, not so much on slowing down and paying attention.

We go on walks to get our steps in or to cover a certain number of miles or time. We drive our cars to get from point A to point B. We check off attendance sheets to mark our presence.

But when we are there, are we actually paying attention?

In a world full of attention stealers, and attention disorders, it becomes a battle to focus and absorb.

I know this is true in my own life.

It is incredibly difficult for me to sit through anything that goes longer than about 45 minutes. That includes when I am reading my Bible and praying. There is a battle that goes on that, if I am not aware of it, will consume my time and fill it with distractions.

Slowing down and paying attention in my relationship with God is one battle that is absolutely worth fighting. But I must have a plan.

For me, one thing I do is I have a notebook close by when I am reading my Bible. If something pops into my mind that I need to do that day, or anything that isn’t relevant to what I am reading, I will jot it down. This helps me to clear the thought away quickly. If I don’t write it down, I will keep thinking about it, so I don’t forget it later.

I try to be purposeful in having times each day that I slow down and look for God around me.

I have a large window in my living room with a bird feeder outside of it. I love to sit in my chair with a cup of coffee and binoculars and look at the birds. I watch them eat, I watch them fight, I watch them hop around. I try to pay attention to what they look like and what they are doing. I know their Creator, so observing them helps me see more of Him.

Another thing I do is that I put my phone away or turn it off for a certain amount of time each day. My mind will distract itself enough on its own…I don’t need any help from the dings and rings of notifications!!

I am working on being more attentive to people. Listening to learn as opposed to listing to refute. Again, I know their Creator, so the more I learn about the people around me, the more I will see Him.

And finally, I try to spend time meditating on His Word. I want to consume His Word so that His Word consumes me...my every thought...my every decision.

Think about your own life. What are some things that you can do to slow down and pay attention to God?

Prayer:

Oh God! My days seem filled to the brim with activities and thoughts, but I want them filled with You. 

Help me to not only see the burning bush, but to stop and look at it. I want to see you in each moment, because I know you are there! I want my days to be filled with You!   Amen – So be it.