Distractions
I can easily stray from having a close relationship with Jesus. I sleep in instead of having my quiet time where I pray and read the Bible. I choose to stay home instead of going to church because I think the sermon does not relate to me and my situation. When this mindset kicks in, a domino effect occurs. I am no longer connecting to my source of living water. As a result, I start being more selfish than usual, I get lazier, I do not want anything to do with anybody. All in all, I am no fun to be around because I am dying on the inside.
The reason I might not get up early and pray or decide not to go to church is because I am often lead astray by something else. Satan whispers in my ear and the bed feels much more comfortable than getting up at 5:00 a.m. to be with Jesus. Satan comes and entices me to skip church, leading me to believe that I cannot learn anything from a sermon that I do not find interesting.
I am allowing myself to be led astray by the father of lies, the master deceiver. He wants to do everything he can to take our eyes off Jesus. It may be a warm bed, a baseball game, shopping with friends, staying up late watching T.V. or fill-in-the-blank with whatever leads you away from God.
The Leader
Since I am an easy target for distraction, I need a fierce Leader who can keep me on target and focused on my goals as a Christian to become more like Jesus every day. This means I must be willing to hand my life over to the Master Leader who can capture my heart and help me to stay in relationship with Him.
Sheep
In Isaiah 53:6, we are called sheep. Sheep have the mindset that they need a strong leader. They will follow anything or anyone to the detriment of their wellbeing. Without a leader, they will wander off the path away from the rest of the sheep, get lost, drink dirty water, get stuck in bushes, start to pick fights with other sheep and need protection from the enemy. This is a great picture of me since I so desperately need a Leader to guide me and protect me. I need a Leader that will direct me down the road of life over the ups and downs of every hill. In Psalm 23, it describes our Good Shepherd: He cares for us (v. 1); He provides for our physical needs (v. 2); He shows us how to live holy lives (v. 3); He restores us, comforts us and blesses us (vv. 3-5); and He will not abandon us (v. 6).
I do not mind being called a sheep as long as I am in the right fold and close to The Shepherd, Jesus. My tendency to stray is curbed by my relationship with the Shepherd. I do not live a perfect Christian life and I do not know anyone who does. I am going to slip up but in the end, I always come back to the fold. Staying close to the Shepherd helps me to make the right decisions for my life and to shine the light of God to others around me.
Jesus Our Shepherd
Do you have a relationship with Jesus? Is He your Shepherd, leading your life? You can have a relationship with God through Jesus. Email me at [email protected] and I will be more than glad to discuss with you how you can begin a relationship with Jesus.