There is a better way!

Jeremiah 2:18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? (dark or turbulent waters) or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

2 Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

I think if there is one thing we have trouble with as Christians, it is not realizing our position in Christ.  There is so much available to us that we, for some dumb reason, refuse to claim and use.  We would rather pin ourselves in a corner with our fleshly lusts and be servant to sin rather than walk in freedom with the Master.

One time while living on the banks of the Rio Negro, my husband was talking with an Indian family that had moved from a small village up river to our town.  They were slowly but surely establishing their family in a more modern way and needed Mark’s help with getting some trees they had cut for building their house.  In their more primitive thinking, they had decided to float the lumber down the river and then down a stream that cut into our town and ran along the back side of their property.  Mark agreed to help them guide the logs with his canoe until it reached their land.  The day came when they had everything ready to go and my husband went to do his part watching over the trees as they floated down the stream.  Now, one thing Mark noticed was that after you left the main river which was called black for it’s color, the stream they were now on ran just as quick, but it was filthy.  The waters were murky, filled with leeches and also the dumping grounds for most of the sewage.  It was not a pleasant place to be.  As the logs got closer to their destination, they hit a barrier and the men had to get out of the boat and untangle them.  The whole process was time consuming and hazardous, but Mark eventually made it back home.   Afterwards he told me that he could have hired a taxi to haul the logs from the bank of the main river to this Indian man’s land for five bucks.  But because he was helping based on the man’s plan, he had exposed himself to disease and danger, when had he thought it through, he could have realized that there was a better way. 

Mark and I look back at that event and laugh.  I cringe a little when I think about how sick Mark could have gotten or all the things that could have gone wrong.  But this little story fits perfectly with today’s thoughts on how we can get to know God better. 

If you and I want to know God and draw closer to Him, the one place we don’t need to go looking is in some “dark and turbulent” waters of the world.  Jeremiah lamented over the people of Israel and their unwillingness to realize they were GOD’S people.  He reminded them that they were not slaves to be told what to do by their enemies, but rather they were free to follow and obey the Living True God.  And yet, Israel would have none of it.  They chose to be entangled and pinned in by their enemies.  When all along there was a better way.

There is a better way for you and me to take today.  As we go about our daily tasks we have a choice to go through them as redeemed and regenerated children of God filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to walk correctly or refusing to acknowledge our position and handcuff ourselves to failure.  It is really that simple, but it means we have to think about God and being His child.  Once we think about it, we see our freedom and we will act in it.  The other side is to believe the lies of the enemy that we are worthless creatures who God does not care about and has left to our own devices.  (click)  Did you hear the sound of the handcuffs locking?  That is what the enemy wants, to make us prisoner to his deception.

You have gotten up this morning and you may be carrying a load no one around you understands.  But, can I assure you that you do not have to see that load as your master?  You are God’s child, He isn’t going to let you fall under the weight.  Make the conscious choice for His way, the better way, on how to manage what He has allowed in your life.  Don’t listen to the devil tell you that you are the cause of your troubles and that you have no hope.  NO!  Take those handcuffs and throw them at his face as you pick up God’s Word and seek your Heavenly Father’s face about how to manage today! 

1 Peter 5:7-9 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

You aren’t alone.  You don’t need to put yourself in danger of spiritual disease and allow the enemy to leech the happiness off of your spiritual walk.  You can resist him….IN FAITH!

Recognize you are a free child of the King.

Have Faith in God to stomp the enemy and deliver you in a better way!

Until next time, Lord willing,

Sheri