Cold Distractions, Matthew 6:21ESV

 Devo 6/5/26…

Looking back at me, I see that I never really got it right

I never stopped to think of you

I'm always wrapped up in things I cannot win

You are the antidote that gets me by

Somethin' strong, like a drug, that gets me high

(Chorus)

What I really meant to say

Is I'm sorry for the way I am

I never meant to be so cold

Never meant to be so cold

What I really meant to say

Is I'm sorry for the way I am

I never meant to be so cold

Never meant to be so

Cold to you, I'm sorry 'bout all the lies

Maybe in a different light

You can see me stand on my own again

'Cause now I can see

You are the antidote that got me by

Somethin' strong, like a drug, that got me high

(Chorus)

Crossfade:  Cold

Released in 2004, this rock hit was written from the perspective of the songwriter about his own internal struggle and emotional detachment. The song addresses how he was consumed and unintentionally distant because of his obsession with making music. Cold, in essence, was his apology to his family and loved ones.   In a 2011 interview Ed Sloan, Crossfade’s lead singer explained:  "Back then, I had a girlfriend, I saw my family every day. I love my mother and my father and that sort of thing. And I started really sinking my life into writing that first album of which 'Cold' was one of the songs. And I noticed the distance starting to grow between my girlfriend and I and my family a little bit, as far as the time that I was able to spend,” and, “I wrote that song after going through that period of time when I was neglecting a lot of my friends and my family and my loved ones because of my music.”

Matthew 6:21, For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Apparently those around Ed figured out where his heart was:  music.  I love music and anyone who knows me knows that.  I am a walking encyclopedia of useless musical knowledge.  But, I don’t love it more than God.  I don’t love it more than my savior, Jesus.  If you are focused on things other than Jesus then you won’t have to sing songs like Cold. 

The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  Luke 6:45ESV

Plain and simple, if Jesus is in your heart you will produce Jesus like attributes and if He’s not, then you’re going to produce whatever it is that is in abundance in your heart.  If it’s not Jesus, it’s not good and if it’s not good, then we shouldn’t want it. I just finished a devotional with my good friends at Iglesia Legacy Church in Mansfield on the topic of worship.  Matthew 6:21 is one of the scriptures highlighted in this devotional.  It’s hard to focus on Jesus in the act of worship if He isn’t a part of your life.  And, it’s hard to focus on Him if He is and you’ve been distracted with something else that isn’t Jesus, which happens to all of us. Peter got distracted too and he sank.  So, let’s keep our hearts, minds and eyes on Him. Ask yourself a question:  Who do I worship or what am I worshipping? (Ps. 115:1ESV & John 3:30AMP)

We are to give up everything and follow Him.  If we do then it’s a lot easier to not be distracted (Mark 10:17-21NASB). It is in our DNA to follow and worship Him (Acts 2:27).  

Turn my eyes away from vanity [all those worldly, meaningless things that distract—let Your priorities be mine],

And restore me [with renewed energy] in Your ways.  Ps. 119:37AMP

Just like in the song, if you start to make or worship things other than the Lord, your family and loved ones will become distant.  Furthermore, you will lose some of them too in the process as Ed Sloan did during the process of focusing all of his time and life on that first album.  Gain all of Jesus and lose the world. The world isn’t sorry for the way that it is, that’s why it’s so cold.

Father, help us to turn our eyes away from all of the worthless worldly meaningless things that distract us from the only most important being in the entire universe:  YOU. We want YOUR priorities to be ours.  Restore and renew us in your word, your truth, your ways alone.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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