Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

• Hebrews 12:1-2

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

• Colossians 3:2

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

• Matthew 6:33

“[Verse 1]
Whenever skies look gray to me
And trouble begins to brew
Whenever winter winds become too strong
I concentrate on you

[Verse 2]
When fortune cries nay, nay to me
And people declare, “You’re through”
Whenever the blues become my only song
I concentrate on you

[Bridge]
On your smile, so sweet, so tender
When at first your kiss I decline
On the light in your eyes when I surrender
And once again our arms intertwine

[Verse 3]
And so when wise men say to me
That love’s young dream never comes true
To prove that even wise men can be wrong
I concentrate on you”

• Cole Porter, I Concentrate on You

This song was written by Cole Porter in 1940 for the movie, Broadway Melody of 1940.  It has been recorded by many of the greats.  To name a few: Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Perry Como, Dinah Washington, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Carmen MacRae, Dionne Warwick, and Rosemary Clooney.  The Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga duet is provided along with the Ella Fitzgerald versions below.

The song is so simple.  It could refer to a loved one, or a special loved one.  But if it refers to God, it means so much more than the song might have intended.

We go to God.  We concentrate on God.  When the skies are grey.  When fortune says “nay.”  And when wise men say our dreams will not come true.

Why not concentrate on God all the time?

It eliminates the middleman.

Concentrating on God can go a long way toward avoiding some of those grey skies, and when the grey skies come, you see God through the clouds.

This song is too perfect to think of tampering with it.

Instead, I will leave you with two versions to listen to while I concentrate on my Savior.

Here is Ella Fitzgerald singing I Concentrate on You.

Here is Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga singing I Concentrate on You.  He sketches a sketch of Lady Gaga’s profile while the song they recorded is playing.

Life would be a lot simpler if we could do one simple thing, concentrate on God, our Father in Heaven.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.