What a Day for a Daydream!
Enjoy!
Nutshell (June 12): What a Day for a Daydream!
As the turbulent decade of the sixties came to a close, more and more pop-rock groups released mellow, peace-seeking songs, among them John Sebastian’s composition, “What a Day for a Daydream,” performed by Sebastian’s group, The Lovin’ Spoonful.
The tranquil ballad evokes images of cool, breezy, laid-back summer days when we yearn for a quiet meadow or a gently flowing stream, where we can close our eyes, and cast our worries aside as our mind flutters through idle, insignificant, and often incoherent thoughts.
It is, indeed, advantageous to take time to relax and clear one’s head. Once we have done that, however, it is important for us to sharpen our focus and seek clarity in all that we do.
This past week, I attended the East Ohio Annual Conference. Because of Covid, this was our first in-person gathering in three years. Since our last gathering in 2019, the venue has changed. Instead of the peace and serenity of Lakeside, we met in an urban setting — Downtown Akron at the John H. Knight Center, which is quite different from the historic Hoover Auditorium at Lakeside.
I guess the location really shouldn’t matter. After all, it’s the content of the meeting that matters most, provided of course that we are giving the speakers our undivided attention, which shouldn’t be a problem because most of them are engaging, if not dynamic.
Still, I found my mind wandering from time to time, reminding me that I need to be brief and to the point when sharing a message with you on Sunday morning.
The Bible provides plenty of guidance in regard to paying attention, including Hebrews 2:1, which states, “Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away.”
There is, indeed, a danger of drifting away if we are not paying sufficient attention. Our inattention can give way to complacency, which can lead us into temptation and make us vulnerable to the evil that surrounds us.
Another verse that stresses the urgency of paying attention comes from I Peter 5:8, which warns of the danger of temptation when it says, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
Not only does inattentiveness cause us to drift away, it also threatens to make us vulnerable to the enemy, which has one objective in mind — total destruction.
The Book of Proverbs also has a lot to say about paying attention, including this passage from Proverbs 22:17, which says, “Pay attention and turn your ear to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach.”
It is prudent for us to listen to the wisdom of those who have come before us; those who have experienced more in life than we have. Those people can provide invaluable advice that will help us to avoid the pitfalls of inattentiveness.
Those who pay attention increase the likelihood that they will have success in life and avoid the pitfalls of ignorance. So, too, in our spiritual life — if we pay attention and follow God’s Word, he will guide us on our journey.
Until We Meet Again, Be Blessed! – Pastor John