By Cindy Phillips
Ice. We’d had a LOT of ice lately. I was reminded to put my YakTraks on my chore boots when I walked to the barn this morning. It’s so easy to slip. You don’t have to do anything, really, to slip. It just happens on ice if you are not prepared. You have to take action to not slip. This reminds me of a very real Spiritual principal as it relates to our walk with God.
If you do nothing to grow closer to God, you will slip further away from Him. What can we do to prevent this?
Stay connected to the Vine. Jesus said in John 15:4-5 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
Don’t harden your heart toward God. From the writer of Hebrews 3:12-15 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Be full of oil. Matt 25:1-13 is the parable of the 10 maidens (virgins). They all fell asleep and when the Bridegroom arrived, only 5 of them were prepared to meet Him. In this story, I believe the oil represents the Holy Spirit. In Eph 5:18, the Apostle Paul is telling believers in Ephesus to “be being filled” with the Holy Spirit. In the Greek, it carries the idea of an active filling. This is a conscience effort to “drink” of the Holy Spirit (to be influenced by Him), like a drunkard would drink alcohol.
The shadows of the end of the age are approaching. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, Jesus will come for those who are His. Stay connected to Jesus, with a soft heart of belief in God and filled with the Holy Spirit. These actions are the “YakTraks” that will keep you from slipping away from the things of God.