It’s All About Me

God loves each of us so much that there are times when we start to think: 'It's all about me, Jesus.'

Jeremiah 47:1-7

Reference:  v.1 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines before Pharaoh attacked Gaza… (NIV Bible)

Explore:   A criticism that has been flung at current worship songs is that they are all about the individual.  Many of our songs, whilst sung corporately, focus a great deal on 'me' this and 'I' that.  It's really easy to slip in to that mentality.  God loves each of us so much that there are times when we start to think: 'It's all about me, Jesus.' I think this is indicative of our current culture.  We have so much at our fingertips these days.  Knowledge comes quickly via the web, food comes quickly via the fast food chain and entertainment comes quickly through the multiple channels on the TV.  When we have access to so much we start to think that it's just a matter of what I want and knowing how to get it. 

Application:  This culture can sometimes translate in to our faith.  However, that is not the message that God promotes.  When we read through the gospels (the books that tell us of Jesus' life on earth) we get the strong message that instead of everything being about us it's actually all about God and others.  Jesus lived his life in worship to God and helping others and when asked about the greatest commandments He said they are to Love God and Love others.  Interestingly enough, even the Old Testament, which focuses so much on the chosen people of God, even gives us insight into God's concern for other nations too.  God even gives Jeremiah a message to the Philistines, the enemy of the people of God, and uses a totally different nation again to defeat them.  I wonder how the people of Judah would have felt if they had known God had given Jeremiah this message in Chapter 47.  It's a clear message that 'It's not all about you.'  I guess we need to be careful not to slip into this same mentality.  Yes, God does love us and care about us.  However, it's not all about me.  When we read the Bible we are encouraged to have the same focus as Jesus: God and others.

Prayer:  Lord, when I'm always living inside my head its hard not to think that 'It's all about me'.  Help me to turn my focus back on to you and out on to others.  Amen.

Does your whole life revolve around you?  How can you turn your focus back on to God and others?