Keep your eyes on the mark!

I've been busy the past few days stitching decorative stitches on a new quilt I am working on. You can see some pictures here, but something struck me as being so very true as I was stitching.

To keep my line of decorative stitches straight, I have to keep my eye constantly on the fabric. My eyes are focused on the red guide line on the presser foot, making sure the line is following the seam line on the fabric. If I take my eye off the red guide line, whether to glance at my thread or perhaps to look at the stitches my machine is creating, the straight line of my stitches will have a slight curve. In less than a second, the moment my eye gets distracted from that red line, I have an undesirable stitch.

As I was stitching, the thought crossed my mind that it is the same way in the Christian life. I have to keep my focus on Christ and not let other things in this world distract me and pull my eyes away from Him. The moment I let other things become my focus, whether it's computer work I need to do, the latest quilting project I am working on or just my never-ending-to-do list, is about the time I feel like I'm falling apart and can't accomplish everything on my own. My eyes have left the mark, what my focus should be on - Jesus Christ.

When I'm stitching, I have to ignore the other things going on. The thread feeding through the machine, the fabric I'm holding in my hands and the stitches the machine is making. With all the other things going on, it is so easy to take my eye off my red guide line and take a peek at my thread or stitches.

The same is true of the Christian life. I have to put aside the things of this world that distract me from my daily quiet time, memorizing Scripture or other ministry. It is so easy to let things crowd in and then I don't have time for the things that God desires me to do.

If I keep my eye on the red guide line, never drifting away, my row of stitches is nice, even and straight - just perfect! But when I glance away, a little curve or detour appears that ruins the row of beautiful stitches.

When I keep my eyes focused on Christ and what He wants me to do, things fall into place, my day goes smoothly. But when I let other things crowd in and don't spend time with Him, it seems like I can't get everything done and the day just falls apart. I have to continually keep my eyes on the mark - Jesus Christ!