Back in Stride Again

Psalm 119:59
I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statues.

You know when you've gotten off task or ventured too far away from the path.  You just know it.  You feel it.  It's easy to do.  It's like being in a boat without an anchor and the wind is blowing gently and you're drifting without even knowing that you are drifting.

If we tell the truth about it, many of us have expereinced "soul drift."  We have drifted from our noble intentions and we are not as close to God as we were in the beginning.  The wind is deceptively gentle and it pushes us off course without us even noticing the drift.  One little compromise after another pushes us away from where we are supposed to be in God.

It is only when we wake up and look up, that we notice how far we are from God.  The end of the year is a time of Spiritual reassessment.  It's time to consider our ways to see if they are pleasing to the Lord and ask ourselves, 'Have we gotten off track?'  Have we been obedient to God?  Are we living in the will of God or just spinning our wheels?  Many of us have had the sobering reality of the four lepers who were being greedy when they discovered the food, clothing and gold left by the enemies during a severe famine.  Intead of sharing with their fellow Israelites, they hid what they found.  They said, "This is a day of good news, We should be sharing, we are not doing right!"  They turned their steps back to Israel to share the good news.

Once we consider our ways and realize that we are off course, we've go to get back in stride again.

The only way we can get back in stride again is to:

1. Turn our steps towards God's statutes. verse 59 Our Lifestyle has to match the word of God.  If we are not living in alignment with God's word we are off course.

2. In order to live Holy we must keep ourselves pure by staying in the word of God.  verse 9.  We are supposed to be set apart and there are special instructions that come with our use.  Those special instructions are found in the word of God.  

3.  We must delight in God's decree and not neglect his word.  verse 16  Blessed is the man who delights in the word of God, he shall be like a tree firmly planted by the rivers of water, yielding forth it's fruit and whatever he does will prosper. (Psalm 1)

4.  Hide God's word in your heart so you will not sin against him.  Verse 11 God's word is like a virus protection software.  There are things that try to creep in to our spirit daily but if we have God's word the virus protection program of God's word will not allow you to sin against God.

Dear God,

I pray that you would get me back on track.  I've drifted too far from you and I need your word to get me back on course.  My anchor grips and holds the solid rock.  That Rock is Jesus!  Keep me Lord and do not let me stray.  I want to get back in stride again.

In Jesus Name,
Amen