Proverbs 4:26-27 “Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.”
Joshua 1:7 “Only be though strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.”
Ephesians 6:11-13 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
During one of my college winter breaks, I worked at a local logging and paper mill. I had a project that took me throughout the property and into every corner of the facility. On a chemical survey trip during my time there, I stepped out of an old industrial elevator and as soon as the doors closed behind me I realized that I couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t that there was no atmospheric gas to fill my lungs, but that my inhale only caused me to cough and gag. I immediately pulled my gas-mask from its holder, required gear for just such a situation, and slapped it into position. Fortunately, it protected me from the chlorine gas that had been insidiously leaking from that portion of the mill undetected; the consequences could have been dire. While it took a few days to overcome some mild dizziness and headaches, those symptoms were far better than the alternative without the mask. Yet, it was clear on that day that I had made my way to the wrong place, on the wrong path, at the wrong time.
Sometimes as Christians, we find ourselves at the wrong place, on the wrong path, at the wrong time. The errors that get us there may be insidious and undetected, though the consequences may be dire. We may be able to slap on the protection of the armor of God at the last minute, but it would have been a whole lot easier to be at the right place, on the right path, at the right time – already armed.
In order to do so, we need to ponder the path of our feet. We need to let all our ways be established. We need to be strong and very courageous. We need to observe to do all the law. And, we need to stay on track – turning not to the right hand nor to the left.
PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD STAY ON TRACK IN SERVICE TO THE LORD. We are to maintain ourselves at the right place, on the right path, at the right time, avoiding deleterious detours.
NOTE: My next PLUS post will not be until August 21st. Enjoy your next few weeks, and please continue to faithfully and fervently pray for our nation and our leaders.
