Watch Your Step!

I have had several occasions in my life that should have taught me the importance attributed to the "watch your step" concept.  Sadly, I sometimes forget the lessons that I thought I had painfully learned and I get the privilege of learning them afresh.

Once when I was in my pre-teen days, I was walking along a sidewalk without really paying attention to where I was going.  I was unaware of utility work that was going on and I fell down the hole that had been opened to get to the pipes below the sidewalk.  The result was that I took all of the skin off the back of my arm from the wrist to the elbow.  Interestingly, my dad never considered suing the city, but he did teach me a lesson in the first aid he provided to me.  After his treatment of peroxide, alcohol, merthiolate, and iodine my injury healed.  I have often told him that it was afraid not to heal.

A little over a week ago, I again learned the importance of watching your step.  While descending a ladder in the church auditorium, I thought I was at the bottom of the ladder and stepped off.  Unfortunately, I was not at the bottom and this resulted in me losing my balance and falling against the wall.  The end of this story is that I broke three ribs due to my own carelessness.

It is crucial for us to diligently watch our steps.  The Bible tells us that God will direct the steps of those that look to Him for guidance, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." (Psalms 37:23).  None of us will follow the Lord by accident, it is a purposeful decision that requires daily dedication.

We must be perpetually alert to watching our step for there are many that would encourage us to go in destructive ways, "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:" (Exodus 23:2).  Our steps will reveal our character much clearer than our words, "Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God." (III John 11).

Perhaps the greatest danger to our steps comes when we think that there is no one that will see us and we will not be discovered, "For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house," (Proverbs 7:6-8).  This chapter is devoted to the one who tries to satisfy his passion in secrecy, but it leads to his destruction.

We must watch our step because it impacts our own relationship with God.  We must watch our step because our path does influence others.  We must watch our step because our actions will either bring joy or pain to those that we love.  We must watch our step because Jesus deserves our best and our total devotion.

"Watch Your Step!"

Help Lord! I'm Leaking!

The past few days have led me to recall a great truth that I first learned in Bible College.  Dr. Kenneth Dean, as he was teaching the second year Greek class, stated an intriguing truth about this familiar verse:  "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" (Ephesians 5:18).  He said that the verb construction of this verse should be understood that being filled with the Spirit is on ongoing, continuous process.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I realize that if I am not being constantly filled with the Spirit, I will soon be empty and dry of God's presence and power.  Scripture teaches us that we have the treasure of God contained in earthen vessels.  Earthen vessels, at least mine, are often cracked and the only way to keep them filled is to continue pouring a fresh supply into them.

Why are our earthen vessels leaking?  Sometimes it is the weights of life or the sin which so easily besets us, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2).  It could be the difficulties and tragedies of life that cause us to become distracted from our relationship with the Lord.  We may even find ourselves so disappointed in others that we lose our joy and purpose through a time of despair.  Perhaps we have been praying diligently for a certain thing, yet God did not answer our prayer in the way we desired.  Regardless of the cause of our Spiritual seepage, we must remember that "......for the joy of the LORD is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10).

If I allow sin to gain a foothold in my life, I leak.  If I doubt the promises of God, I leak.  If I try to solve problems by myself without casting my cares upon the Lord, I leak.  If I let the struggles and heartaches of life overcome my being, I leak.

Although, if I remember the source of my help and come to the Lord in brokenness and faith, He is my source of spiritual supply.  Even though my earthen vessel is often cracked and leaking, His ability to fill me is more than adequate to overcome my shortcomings.

If you feel like you are leaking and growing dry in your relationship with Jesus.  Join me in crying out "Help Lord!  I'm leaking!"