Attention Seekers Anonymous

“What is man, that You should exalt him,
That You should set Your heart on him,
That You should visit him every morning,
And test him every moment?
How long?
Will You not look away from me,
And let me alone till I swallow my saliva?” (Job 7:17-19)

Have you ever felt as if your life was under the scrutiny of a microscope? Have you felt as though you have too many eyes watching your every move, judging your every action? Have you felt as though God, in His omniscience, is applying all His knowledge and attention on you, to see how you react in certain circumstances?

It is normal human behaviour to crave for attention. We want attention from our parents, from the people we look up to, from our friends and loved ones. We continually wish that God will shower all His attention on us, so we can be totally sure that every prayer we utter and every word we say is heard by Him. We want to feel that we are worth God’s attention every single minute of the day, despite His daily cosmic affairs.

But listen to the words of a suffering man. Job is one person who, in a way, got “more attention” than other people. Satan came “from going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” And God said to him, “Have you considered My servant Job?”

If we were someone like Job, who was “a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil,” we would be glad that God finally took notice, isn’t it? For all the unjust evil and suffering in this world, wouldn’t it be a welcome break to see that God can, at least, recognize the good guys? “Finally, it’s about time that God acknowledges my efforts to be righteous,” we may think to ourselves.

God granted Job His special attention and put him under a microscope. After a while, instead of celebrating every moment of His undivided attention, Job started to hate it. He started to feel like he couldn’t take it any longer. “Will you look away from me?” He cried. “How long?” He exclaimed. “Why do you test me every moment? Who am I to You, that You should set your heart on me and give me so much attention?” Clearly, Job was starting to feel stifled.

We long for more and more of God. But sometimes, our motive of wanting “more of God” is more selfish in nature than it is applaudable. We want more of God for His good things. But we don’t want more of God for the things that make us feel uncomfortable.

Which brings me to think about heaven. Why do we want to get to heaven so much, that we preoccupy ourselves with what we must do to get there? Why do we long for heaven so much, that we want to do whatever it takes to make us sure of it? Do we want heaven for the infinite comfort it offers us, or do we want heaven because God is there?

Even while we are on earth, have we been longing for the gifts, or the Giver? When we say that we “desire God”, do we desire Him, or the things He is able to offer?

Something is not quite right if our motivation for walking with the Lord is not to find delight His presence. “The chief end of man is to know God, and to enjoy Him forever.” It is the joy of being in His presence, of having Him in our lives, that brings any genuine meaning in our relationship with God. God's real, personal presence is the desire of every Christian's heart.

Heaven is the ultimate fulfillment of that desire. In heaven, we will have Him in the closest proximity possible. If we only like what God is able to give us, but we don’t like Him too much, we’d better not wish for heaven. Because if we do get there, we’re gonna be stuck there with Him forever and ever.

Will you like it that way then? To be stuck with an all-powerful, all-knowing, thrice holy God for all eternity? You’ll be wondering if you’re in heaven or in hell.