Where are you going?
by Grace Bull
When I was a student in London, I used to cycle everywhere. I loved my second-hand lightweight bike with its racing handlebars.
One day I was cycling at low speed and was distracted by something in a shop window. So, there I was, cycling in London with my head turned to the left - what could possibly go wrong? Not surprisingly, I ran straight into the car in front of me when it stopped. Thankfully the car and I were fine. But the frame of my bike buckled, and from then on, my front wheel was closer to the pedals than it should be. If I turned the wheel too far, my toes caught in the wheel, which was quite dangerous.
I thought of that incident when I read today’s verse in Proverbs 4, ‘Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet’. Isn’t it so easy to get distracted?
It could be an urge to look at the phone and scroll mindlessly. It could be that surge of emotion when angry or anxious that tries to change your direction. Life can seem like one distraction after another.
Luke says Jesus ‘steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem’, meaning he made a difficult decision and resolutely stuck to it, determined to overcome every obstacle (Luke 9:51).
Is there anything in your life that would benefit from that determined setting of your face forward - that firm decision to set a direction and go there?
Maybe you have felt the Lord's gentle urging to spend regular time reading the Bible. Maybe you know you need to start taking exercise or do something else that would be good for you.
Whatever the issue is, you know you haven’t really committed yourself to do it just yet.
Unfortunately, it won't get any easier in the future. Putting it off till later doesn’t work, does it?
Can I suggest that now is the time to make that decision, fix your gaze straight ahead with determination and stop being double-minded. The Holy Spirit will help us, but He won’t take over and make our choices for us. Only we can do that.
Why not take a moment right now and reflect on the direction of your life with the Lord?
Grace Bull is a member of the Ellel Ministries team, working in course development and the support of Ellel centres worldwide, having previously been a full-time GP (family doctor) for 15 years. Her passion is relationship with God and doing anything that will help other people to find that close relationship too.
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