Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (1 Peter 1:13)
My husband has dementia. He has met with various neurologists and has had the usual cognitive screening assessments. In one test, the screener gives the subject five words to remember, and then later asks him or her to repeat those five words back in sequence. For my husband, that test was an early indicator something wasn’t right. He couldn’t remember all five words, let alone put them in order. The dementia had diminished his ability to focus.
Sometimes I get impatient, thinking that if my husband would just listen better and concentrate harder, then maybe his focus would improve. But then I am reminded that God must wonder at times why I don’t do the same. I might blame day-to-day responsibilities and cares that can keep me from listening for and hearing his voice, but I know that I sometimes find myself distracted by things that are of my own making. I can be so caught up in playing my favorite word games on my iPhone that I’m not spending adequate time in his Word, which keeps me spiritually sharp and focused on things that are of eternal importance.
Life gets hard, and though dementia is an intrusion, we will not let it control us. Our focus and our hope are in what is yet to come and what we look forward to. Jesus is coming back!
Focus on God’s Word as your number one priority.
Marcy Burke enjoys living in Alabama, being a retired pastor’s wife, former missionary, and worship leader. She enjoys playing the piano and taking long walks with her husband, Larry.
© 2023 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
