Today's reading from the Chronological OT/NT Reading Plan is: 2 Kings 19-21, Galatians 5
Scripture: Galatians 5:7-9
7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”
Observation:
Even in the middle of a good race, something small can knock you off course. It can be a small thing, but even a small thing done that is not honouring God, is enough to keep you from obeying the truth.
Application:
Do any of you ever get off track from something? For myself, I find that I can be really diligent in my quiet time with God, or a new healthy eating plan, or regular workouts, then BAM, something gets me off track. It's usually not a big event or reason. It can be as small as a change in routine one day, to totally knock me off kilter. Lysa Terkeurst wrote a really great post on this here on her blog.
"On January 15th, 2009, Flight 1549 took off from New York with 155 occupants on board. The take off went fine, but three minutes later, at only 3,000 feet they encountered a flock of geese. Both engines were shut down. And, Captain Sully had to make a surprisingly successful emergency landing on the Hudson River.
As I watched this story being covered over and over on the news, I was stunned birds brought the plane down. Big things can be brought down by small things.
We would do well to remember this principle in life.
Here’s the question that begs to be asked at this point, “What are some ‘little’ things posing big dangers in our life right now?” It’s a great question to consider. However, just like Captain Sully didn’t see the geese coming toward his engines, often we can be blinded to how some things are a much bigger deal than they appear.
Here’s a great verse to consider, “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people,” (Ephesians 5:3).
Consider how Satan wants us to get these desires met in ways that draw us away from God’s best.
Emotional desires — affection from boys taken too far can lead to sexual immorality.
Physical desires — excessive amounts of unhealthy choices, cigarettes, or other numbing substances are impurities in our body.
Material desires – spending to oversupply ourselves at the expense of being able to give to God and others is greed.
What’s so interesting to me is the exact phrasing the Bible uses in regards to the amount of immorality, impurities, and greed that’s acceptable. “Not even a hint!” In other words not only should we not have these things in our lives, we shouldn’t even participate in activities that hint in that direction.
Why? Because a hint is starting to flirt with little compromises.
Little compromises lead to excuses. Excuses lead to justifications. And justifications lead to trying to get our legitimate needs met in illegitimate ways. Illegitimate ways lead to a sinful lifestyle choice. Sinful lifestyles choices always, always, always separate us from God.
And that’s exactly where Satan wants us.
Do you see the subtle progression? A hint can turn into a full blown sinful lifestyle choice which separates us from God. Indeed big things (the great life God has planned for us) can be brought down by little things (hinting, flirting, toying with compromises we think are no big deal.)"
This is a message that is close to my heart. I am the queen of subtle progression when it comes to certain areas of my life. I know that God is calling me to be a disciplined person through HIS strength, and today's reading really opened my eyes to the idea of a "little yeast working through the whole batch of dough". I love how Lysa ends her blog post:
"And if we identify we’re on the slippery slope of compromise, excuses, justifications and sin, it’s never too late to hit the brakes and throw it in reverse.
Please hear me — it’s never too late.
You’ve never gone too far that God can’t redeem you, restore you, forgive you, and give you a second chance. Though there are ramifications for the choices made, the quicker we turn away from sin, the less severe those consequences will be."
Prayer:
Father God, thank you for your whispers of conviction. Strengthen my ears and my resolve to stop and hear you today. Tune my heart and my will to be aligned with yours Father. Open my eyes to the little compromises that arise to draw me away from running the good race. Thank you for planning a great life for me! Amen.
Tomorrow's passage: 2 Kings 22-23, Galatians 6
3 comments:
Excellent post. I think it is the small things that Satan uses to knock us off our path. The big things would be an instant red flag but small things just change our path so slightly that we don't often see we're on the wrong path until we are so far on it. I love that you highlighted that it is never too late. It wasn't too late for the people of Ninevah when they repented, it wasn't too late for Jonah (and he was IN a fish!), and it's not too late with us.
The song "slow fade" is one of my favourite reminders of the gradual slide down a slippery slope. It reminds me that each decision away from God turns me in the other direction.
Great post Jody! The lesson is simple and clear, yet is one that we need to remind ourselves of over and over.
Pam, I always think of that song too!
Definitely a really important principle to remind ourselves of often. Thanks, Jody!
Post a Comment