Where are we turning?

Where are we turning?

Scripture:- If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it. And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so. Ezekiel 33:18-19

Observation:- “It’s not how you start, its how you finish that is most important” We have often heard these words. Many a great man has started off well, having great potential and serving God faithfully at a young age but going astray and losing it all at a later stage. Similarly, there are also many who started off life deep in sin but repented and found a new life of hope and purpose in God, serving Him until the end.

Life is a race, a marathon. Until we actually finish, we cannot take for granted that the race is over, that we have fought the good fight, that we have finished the race. The heart of a man is deceitful beyond cure. It goes astray so easily. How important it is to guard our hearts.

The “turning” from righteousness is an important word we must take note of. What holds our attention? When our eyes are on God, on Jesus, our goal is to please Him, to know Him, to serve Him. But there are many things in life that call to us from the side, from below, from behind. In the parable of the seeds, Jesus spoke of our hearts as the soil of the ground with the gospel as the seed thrown by the farmer. Firstly, there are the seeds that fall on the path has no soil, depicting a very hard heart. Then, there are the seeds that fall in rocky places which have a little soil, but it is not enough to withstand persecution. Also, there are seeds that fall among thorns, which grow up with the seeds and choke the Word, making it unfruitful. The thorns are the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things. Finally, there are the seeds that fall on good soil, producing a crop, a 100, 60 or 30 times what was sown.

For Christians who have walked a long time with the Lord, the greatest danger lies in the thorns. Wealth, worries, and ungodly desires pull our attention away from the Lord. Wealth is not wrong, and in the right hands can do much good for the Lord. However, it is the greatest snare for most of us. That is why Jesus warned us “You cannot serve both God and mammon (money).” We must recognize that money is simply a tool, a gift that God gives us to serve others. The hoarding of wealth in greed and the pride in having more and more are things we must avoid.

In this day and age, there are a lot of things that cause us to worry. Crime is high, terrorism is a real threat, natural disasters abound. Inflation is on the rise, and sicknesses are aplenty. If we turn from Jesus and become caught up in our worries, we will lose sight of the Lord. Our Lord Jesus tells us, do not worry about your life but seek ye first the kingdom. Our life is only temporary but God’s kingdom is eternal. What are a few years on earth compared to eternity in Heaven? With the right perspective, we will worry less, and treasure each day and see how we may serve the Lord.

Chief of the ungodly desires, the desires for other things, is covetousness – the desire to have what belongs to others. Cain coveted Abel’s approval before God and his jealousy drove him to kill his own brother. David coveted Uriah’s wife and adultery led to murder. The only cure for covetousness is to learn to be content, for godliness with contentment is great gain. In Christ, we already have far more than we could ever need. Knowing Him is far greater than anything we could desire to possess.

Application: A marathon runner needs to keep looking forward towards the finishing line. Then only can he finish. Jesus is our final goal, our final destination. If we keep the Lord before us in our sight, the distractions and desires of the world will fade away. If we are drawn towards what is not right, stop, and reposition ourselves to face the Lord, seeking Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, let my eyes be continually fixed upon You. You are my goal and my purpose O Lord. Forgive me my sins, and for turning to silly things that distract me. Keep my heart pure, Holy Spirit, let me run the race to the end, being confident that you who began the good work in me will bring it unto completion. In Jesus name, Amen.