"The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself."
Proverbs 14:14
A backslider is someone who slips back, or relapses into old errors or sins. To be filled with those ways seems kind of like going back to using an 8 baud modem to try to stream a movie from the internet. We know there is something better, but we're more comfortable with doing it our own way. Even though our own way is obviously going to cause us a lot of frustration and pain, we're kind of addicted to that modem sound.
On the other hand, the good man is satisfied from himself... he's got the fastest connection available, and he doesn't have to worry about whether it will stream or not.
For the analogy, just switch out the internet for our connection with God... our effort in making that connection. We can talk all day about how we are doing what God asks, and waiting for him to answer, but when our efforts amount to an 8 baud connection, we can be absolutely certain that only miracles will get through. God will still try, and maybe leave us a message for when we have time to read it, but whether or not we'll pay attention or have our connection stay up long enough to notice is in question. We'll be filled with our own static and lack of effort. If our efforts add up to an always-on connection running the highest speed possible, then our communication problems in reaching God are going to be very rare. We'll be satisfied in what we've done, because it works, and connects with God.
Today, let's remember that our relationship with God is a *relationship,* not a one-way demand. If we told our friends that we were just waiting around until they proved themselves to us, or we made no effort to contact them and only waited for them to contact us, that would put a damper on our friendships... and it doesn't work very well on God either. God is always trying to reach us, leaving us messages all the time. Let's start noticing, and listening, and responding. Let's reach out to him and move forward rather than continuing to backslide and relapse into our old sins and destructive habits.
Proverbs 14:14
A backslider is someone who slips back, or relapses into old errors or sins. To be filled with those ways seems kind of like going back to using an 8 baud modem to try to stream a movie from the internet. We know there is something better, but we're more comfortable with doing it our own way. Even though our own way is obviously going to cause us a lot of frustration and pain, we're kind of addicted to that modem sound.
On the other hand, the good man is satisfied from himself... he's got the fastest connection available, and he doesn't have to worry about whether it will stream or not.
For the analogy, just switch out the internet for our connection with God... our effort in making that connection. We can talk all day about how we are doing what God asks, and waiting for him to answer, but when our efforts amount to an 8 baud connection, we can be absolutely certain that only miracles will get through. God will still try, and maybe leave us a message for when we have time to read it, but whether or not we'll pay attention or have our connection stay up long enough to notice is in question. We'll be filled with our own static and lack of effort. If our efforts add up to an always-on connection running the highest speed possible, then our communication problems in reaching God are going to be very rare. We'll be satisfied in what we've done, because it works, and connects with God.
Today, let's remember that our relationship with God is a *relationship,* not a one-way demand. If we told our friends that we were just waiting around until they proved themselves to us, or we made no effort to contact them and only waited for them to contact us, that would put a damper on our friendships... and it doesn't work very well on God either. God is always trying to reach us, leaving us messages all the time. Let's start noticing, and listening, and responding. Let's reach out to him and move forward rather than continuing to backslide and relapse into our old sins and destructive habits.
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