A Change in Focus

by Marvin Bublitz

Every year when this collect is used in our worship services, it makes me re-examine myself. Am I focusing only on the things temporal? It is easy to do so. Many things in this world can get our attention and make us lose focus. When this happens, we need the Lord to refocus us.

One such incident is recorded in Luke 10:38-42: “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’”

Martha was distracted with the things of this world, and Jesus reminded her of what was truly necessary.

Another example is when Jesus and the disciples were leaving the temple and the disciples called Jesus’ attention to the massive stones (Mark 13). At the temple, the people of God worshipped and offered sacrifices, and it was the one place you would expect that their minds would be fully on the things of God, yet their focus was blurred. Jesus refocused them. He told them that not one stone would remain upon another. He foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and also the end of the world when He would return to judge the quick and the dead. In doing so, Jesus corrected His disciples’ wrong focus.

Jesus did not leave the disciples staring at massive stones, nor did He leave them staring at tumbled stones of destruction, rather he raised their eyes from the things temporal to the things eternal. He told them in Mark 13:13—“You will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”

All the trials and tribulations of this world will end. Do not focus on them, for our Saviour has told us: “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). All massive stones and human accomplishments will end. Do not focus on them.

Satan works to blur our focus. He sometimes uses the massive stones of human achievements to get our Old Adam to doubt whether we need God. Sometimes he uses the trials and tribulations we suffer to make us wonder if God really cares. Yet, through all this, Jesus is at work to correct our focus on the one thing necessary.

When I was a young pastor, I cared for a friend and neighbour pastor who was dying with cancer. As time went on, I noticed a sharp change in his focus. His thoughts and speech were no longer centered upon the things of this world. His eyes were raised to things above, things eternal. It was a powerful lesson for a young pastor to see. I have never forgotten and have often witnessed the same thing as I ministered to a dying member. The things of this world fade in importance as things eternal are brought into sharper focus. Such is the work of the Lord in us.

There are instances in life that give us the opportunity to re-check our focus. Properly speaking, the Lord uses them to keep our eyes focused on the things above. Lately, we have been experiencing another such opportunity, as the pandemic has forced each of us and our congregations to re-examine what one thing is truly necessary. What is truly necessary is the Lord coming to us in Word and Sacrament. All else can be peeled away. The Lord has used this pandemic to re-focus His Church.

Many things we are used to, such as potlucks, coffee time, and meetings have not been able to be enjoyed. So we are refocused on what is needful, gathering around Word and Sacraments as we are able, that the Lord may feed and shepherd us. So we see the mercy of our Lord to guide us through the things temporal that we not lose the things eternal. All praise to Him eternally!

Rev. Marvin Bublitz is Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC)'s East Regional Pastor.