Follow The Compass

It was darker than normal when I arose this morning due to the stormy weather that we have been experiencing for the last few days.  That darkness sort of followed me into the study as I had no idea as to where to begin!  As I sat there for awhile, the cloud in my head began to slowly dissipate and I opened up my Bible and started reviewing a few scriptures that we had been studying just before we turned the light out last night.  That seemed to work as the switch that finally turned on the light and I dove into my study with a clear view and high expectations of what I would see from God’s Word.

God is always so faithful as He enjoys teaching us through direct experience.  As I was concluding my study, I was reading in I Thessalonians chapter five where Paul is talking about Jesus’ coming back “like a thief in the night.”  (I Thessalonians 5:2 Gods Word ©)  He goes on to say though, that this event shouldn’t take Christians by surprise. He said we “don’t live in the dark” and that we “belong to the day and the light not to the night and the dark.” (verses 4-5 Gods Word ©)  These verses immediately got me to thinking about my experience that I mentioned above.

When I arose today, it was dark and I just allowed myself to go along with the natural flow of things.  I threw on a long sleeve black shirt, stumbled down the dark stairs, flipped on the light switch in the study but yet sat down in a darkened sense of awareness of the actions that I needed to follow in order to enlighten my day!  Paul strongly encourages us in the next verse in I Thessalonians “to not fall asleep like other people”, but to “stay awake and be sober.” (verse 6 - Gods Word ©)  In today’s terms he would be telling us to stay alert, in tune and responsive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit at all times!

So while nothing that I did or more importantly, didn’t do this morning was life threatening, it sure did point out to me the way that our Heavenly Father would rather that we function throughout our daily lives.  The moment we become born again Christians, we become different from others.  We no longer have to be moved by the natural flow of things happening around us.  I didn’t need to mope around this morning and waste valuable time sitting in an overcast-like state as I attempted to get things together.  As soon as I began to receive the Word, the spell was broken and I felt enlightened.  I guess that is what Paul meant when he said that we “belong to the day and the light!”

I choose therefore this and everyday to live in His light and by the illumination that He gives me through His Spirit that lives within.  Does that mean that I’ll never feel down or uninspired because of the dark and dreary weather and/or atmosphere around me?  No… but it does mean that I don’t have to let those feelings be my guide.  I just have to make the decision to put those thoughts aside and to listen to my heart and the truth of His Word and then allow them to act as my compass in the midst of the stormy weather.

Makes sense to me.  How about you?  His compass always leads us in the right direction.  It will allow you to get up above the dark clouds and into the bright light of the Son!  Have a great week.  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What Good Things am I expecting today?”