“Return, faithless people; I will cure you of backsliding.” Jerermiah 3:22a NIV
The original Hebrew word “backsliding” used here means falling away or rebellious. Most of the disobedience in my life is related to falling away, instead of down right rebellion. I can’t remember a time when I decided to directly go against God. Falling away is just as damaging, yet harder to discern. Let’s shine a light on it.
I drove a race car at Texas Motor Speedway and achieved top speed in my class. This doesn’t mean I had the best knowledge of the sport or best driving skills. It means that I followed instructions and obeyed every command. Finishing the safety course and signing the waiver allowed me to get into the car. Following the exact pace behind my guide, gave him the confidence to take me to top speed.
The same is true with God. Accepting Christ as my Savior allows the Holy Spirit to take up residency in my life. Demonstrating obedience to His ways instead of my ways allows Him to take my life to top speed.
God created us with the need for love, His love. The world is constantly competing for our attention, flashing images of surreal love at a rate we can hardly process. Life speeds up. Unmet expectations become our focus and we find ourselves racing ahead of our Guide after things that leave us stranded.
Racing after any love other than the love of God guarantees a life of defeat, interrupted by unsustainable periods of temporary control and fleeting happiness.
Every time I found myself off course my Guide was there waiting for me to choose Him again, and again. Once I was too scared to get back in the race for fear of repeated failure. He said to me, “You will always have a tendency to fall away because you are human, but when you choose to love me with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, I will cure you of backsliding.”
Obedience is following God in spite of our natural desires.
God will take you farther than you could ever ask or imagine, only after He knows how close you will stay to Him.
Are you following the only perfect love worth racing after?
~Brandi
