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By Mike Caton

Exodus 5:9, “Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

Pharaoh is a pretty smart guy. He knows if the people are working harder, they will not have as much time to listen to Moses and Aaron, and therefore won’t have as much time to think about the things they are telling them. And the less they think about it, the more they can get back to the work he has assigned them to do. It is a pretty good plan, really. If you keep the folks busy, their minds will be occupied.

It is a mechanism we often use. If there is something that we are worried about, something that we can do nothing about, if we can get ourselves to focus on something else, it is a benefit to us. It is like taking a book to an appointment, you know you are going to have to wait, and instead of fretting about the lost time, you can accomplish something positive, or at least occupy your mind. Maybe that is part of why people are always on their phones; searching social media, playing games, or something. They are probably not doing anything productive, but at least their minds are occupied.

And this is a great tool that Satan uses against us as well. He throws so many distractions our way, so many things that society tells us are important, or that we think are important, that we don’t focus on the things that are really important. There are so many things, many of them good things, that we allow to take our focus off of the Lord and the things he wants us to do. We have to work over, chores at home, responsibilities with our children, family things that have to be done, the weather is nice so we need to go fishing, hunting, play ball or whatever while we can. The list goes on and on. And as long as Satan can keep us occupied with something else, we won’t have time to really think about the Lord and his plans for us.

Father, help me focus on what is really important. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Mike Caton is the preacher at Mount Olive Church of Christ in Belhaven. He volunteers at the Ponzer Fire Department and works full time with Hyde County EMS. If you would like to receive daily devotions in your inbox, email mikecaton@centurylink.net.

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