https://odb.org/MY/2022/09/30/where-to-turn
It’s really sad to read about a brother who found Christ and laid off drugs who was athletic and happy doing his sport in high school, to only return to drugs years later and die of overdose. He attended a local church and decided to follow Jesus. However following Jesus is not a flash in the pan or a temporary fad. Neither is it only a high school or college thing. It’s a life long journey, spanning the day we first accepted Christ into our lives until the day we die. We need to go through life’s journey with God by our side and not walk on our own way every now and then.
Who or what do we turn to for our times of misery and pain? Our times of sadness and disappointment or even our times of joy and laughter? Is it cigarettes and drinks? Grass and drugs? Or even high cholesterol inducing red meat like a large juicy steak or loads and loads of cheese cakes and chocolates and ice cream! There are indulgences that are just unhealthy and yet there are avenues that are plain destructive yet familiar. Actually being self indulgent itself is not a good habit as we tend to let ourselves go and forget that we are a child of God.
This story of the Israelites running to Egypt for help when the militarily rejuvenated Assyrians wanted to invade and conquer Israel is a well known one preached by many. The then southern kingdom of Judah ran to Egypt to seek their intervention despite God telling them to trust in Him. I honestly do not know what happened to them? Taking things into their own hands in defiance and against the clear instructions of the Lord!
Israel is however often a picture of who we are in God and as much as we are surprised by the foolishness of the Israelites in not relying on God, we are at times also like that! We go running back to our old habits, our past indulgences. Instead of turning to God, we go back to our past familiar places.
Let’s not do that anymore. Let’s continue to trust God. Don’t go back to our Egypt. Don’t be like that guy who found God in high school to only return to drugs years later and who died of an overdose. Don’t look back to our past familiar places. Find comfort in God. He is the only true and faithful one to hold on to till the end as Christ is the only one with the words of eternal life. Cling on to Him and don’t look back.
Ronnie's Thoughts 