Behold!

How long do you think your attention span is? A lot has been written about the attention spans of people, and there’s debate about whether attention spans are getting shorter or not. Well, if it’s true that we have short attention spans, and if they are potentially getting even shorter, there’s a really important invitation in the Bible that we’re going to struggle with. It's an invitation that shows up 1000 times--the invitation “to behold.” What does it mean to "behold", and why is "beholding" so important? Explore that with the group in this study called Behold. Receive Does your attention span seem to be getting shorter? If the cares of this world are pulling you in all different directions, perhaps it’s time to pause and ponder why the Bible invites us more than 1,000 times to “behold!” We live in a world of glimpses and glances, but it’s through beholding God that we are transformed and find abundant life. What could taking time to “behold” look like for you?    Reflect  In Genesis 1:29–31 (NASB), why did God invite Adam and Eve to behold His creation? And why did God stop and behold His creation? Beholding something can have a positive or negative effect on us. How was the new pharaoh affected by beholding the increasing number of Israelites in Egypt in Exodus 1:8–10 (ESV)? How was Pharaoh’s daughter affected by beholding baby Moses in Exodus 2:6 (NASB)? How did beholding the burning bush affect Moses’ life in Exodus 3:1–2 (NASB)? What is the psalmist beholding in Psalm 119:18 (NASB)? What are the Israelites not regarding or beholding in Isaiah 5:11–12 (NIV)? Why won’t God behold or regard His people’s offerings in Amos 5:21–22 (NIV)? How can we guard against beholding someone in a dishonoring way as seen in Esther 1:10–11 (NRSVA)? How can we join the psalmist in Psalm 27:4 (NRSVA) in longing to behold God’s beauty and wanting to see His goodness as we read in Psalm 27:13 (NRSVUE)? How can we join the psalmist in his desire to behold what we know is true in our heart as is mentioned in Psalm 42:1–3 (NRSVA)?  Why are we told to behold in both Matthew 1:22–23 (NASB) and Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)? What role does the word behold play in John 1:29 (ESV)? What should we behold as we read Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV)? Who should we behold as we read Revelation 1:12–18 (ESV)? Respond (Use this prayer to start a conversation with God) “Dear God, thank You for Your loving invitation to stop and behold You! Help me to pause and take time throughout my day to notice Your hand in my life. Help me not miss Your goodness, grace, and mercy that’s available to me every day.” Discover more about the topics in this episode with these recommended resources Mentioned in this episode: Reclaim Today  Prayers for Ordinary Life   Listen: In God's Presence Does Sabbath Still Matter?  Read: The Intimacy of Prayer: Stepping into God’s Presence  My Soul in Silence - Learning How to Pray  Watch: Psalm 84:1-3 - Residing in His Presence  Exodus 33:14 - God Is Always with Us