"Nothing Else Matters"

By: Zach Wood

Psalm 16:2

I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."

 

 

We've all had times in life where we focus on something for so long that nothing else seems significant going on around us.  Whether it's at work, home, on a business trip, or on some other trip, we have times when we zone out from everything else and concentrate on the task we need to complete.  Maybe it's not always a task, but maybe a situation we must think through.  We all have situations we must think through and act upon.  We wouldn't be human if we didn't deal with situations and tasks through life.  Some people can focus and concentrate on a given task and let nothing else distract them.  I admire these people.  However, there are others who have a difficult time and become distracted easily.  I tend to be one of those people.  It's always important to focus on the task we need to complete. 

 

This passage is a beautiful psalm David wrote about keeping the Lord in focus.  He makes a statement, and I think we all should take his example and put it into practice in our own lives more.  He tells the Lord that apart from Him there is no good thing.  He's right!  There are a lot of good things that occur in life, but if God is not the priority in them, then they don't really have much meaning.  David is saying that apart from the Lord, there is no good thing in life.  If we keep our focus on Christ and not let other things distract and take us off the path from where we need to go, then nothing else matters. 

 

I'm not saying we shouldn't give attention to any interruptions that might take us away from our daily routines.  Unexpected things do occur.  People may come to talk with us and ask our advice.  People might call us up and need a listening ear.  So many situations can arise that we don't plan for.  Again, I'm not saying to disregard these things.  But, we need to make sure we are keeping Christ as our center of purpose.  Whatever we are doing, we need to honor Christ and seek Him in what we do.  If we're not serving Christ in what we do, what's the point of doing what we're doing?  Keeping our focus on Christ will help us as we seek to advise others, help those in need, take the time to listen to someone who is hurting or just taking the time to be with someone who is important in our lives.  Whatever the situation, as long as we are keeping our sight set on Jesus Christ, seeking to serve Him and further His Kingdom, then we are putting Him first and showing others that He is our Lord. 

 

Apart from Him, there is no good thing.  He makes things beautiful all around us if we realize He is Lord and that He is in control.  If He is not our center of life, then everything else we do in life means nothing.  Yes, that's a strong statement, but it's true!  Without Him, everything means nothing.  Living for Him and making Him our Lord is what life is all about.  And He wants us to share that life with others.  Nothing else matters.  We all need to do a better job in witnessing that nothing else matters to us but Christ.