Have you ever watched those shows like Dr. Phil when they have guests on who have a grudge against someone for years and they just can't give it up. Dr. Phil will invariably say something logical to them like, "You've got some issues you haven't let go of and it is controlling your now and your future. Then they will all talk about those issues of something that happened when they were a child and they thought they were over it, but to the surprise of no one, they aren't. Then they talk it out and let the wound heal, have a group hug, and walk away changed. Don't' get me wrong. I think dealing with those things are vital to moving on in your life so you can get on with bigger and better things. What if you don't get over it? What if it is something so powerful and so lasting, you can't move away from it. It consumes your every thought and no matter what you do, you feel like something is not right.
Believe it or not, that is what happens when you "give your life" to Christ at salvation. If not nurtured and grown that seed of faith will not grow like it needs to, but you never get over it. You can't "get things right" with a group talk session or a group hug. It gnaws at you every day. And the gnawing is not from what you ate that day or how good or bad your week is going. The gnawing is the Holy Spirit (that is in you) drawing you toward a deeper walk with the Lord. That is why an intense discipling of a new believer is so vital to their continued growth in the Lord. When a person accepts Christ everything is different, but unexplained that difference can be confusing and sometimes frustrating. The new convert knows there is "more" but they don't know what the "more" is. So they think attending church and praying from time to time and quitting smoking, drinking, cussing, and hanging around with those who do it will suffice. But as good as those changes are, they don't represent the whole "package" when it comes to knowing God. Sometimes the person will even get in a new Bible Study and get charged up, to only fall back into mediocrity again......confusing. Some people will get so frustrated that they totally drift away from God, church, and other Christians and sadly enough, that is the condition of the church of today in our country. What's wrong? Our bones are dry and disjointed. There is not "meat" in our faith and our lives are listless and dead. So we say, "ok. I give up!" Here's the thing....the gnawing doesn't stop!!! You can't get away from it. It's going to stay there until you let the Holy Spirit have full control of your life.
In Ezekiel 37 the prophecy went like this:
Ezekiel 37
1 God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and sat me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. 2 He led me around and among them - a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain - dry bones, bleached by the sun. 3 He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" I said, "Master God, only you know that." 4 He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones: 'Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!'"5 God, the Master, told the dry bones, "Watch this: I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life. 6 I'll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God!" 7 I prophesied just as I'd been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. 8 I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them. 9 He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, 'God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!'"
I see the problem of our day and it is going to get worse, as long as we turn a deaf ear to God's call for us to BELIEVE again in these dry bones coming to life. You may say, "What will it take?" I believe verse 14 speaks to what must take place 14 I'll breathe my life into you and you'll live. Then I'll lead you straight back to your land and you'll realize that I am God. I've said it and I'll do it.
If you have not grown in your faith, or become lifeless in your walk, you need a fresh touch from God. When you reesatablish that relationship, it will be like you have been saved all over again, when in reality you are now using the connection that Jesus established for you when you accepted Him. I know for me personally it is a constant struggle at times to keep myself focused on learning more from the Master, but He is faithful to freshen me up continually as I do. We have been drifting far too long and now the gnawing is the calling God initially put in our life and the only satisfaction and peace we will get out of life is when we "give in" to the call and follow God as we know we should.
The writer of Hebrews 2 made total sense when he said: 1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, 3 how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation ? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard, 4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. Are you looking at the signs? Are you listening to His Call? Are your bones ready to be put back together with meat on them? Are you ready for the breath of God? The moment you open your life to God in that way is the moment your heart will be complete! No more gnawing. No more drifting! Just direction, peace, and completeness. Pay attention to what is going on around you and let God lead you and you will never drift again. I think that is what Jesus was trying to tell the Samaritan Woman at their well encounter, don't you? When you pay attention you will see that God is up to something huge and you are a part of it. Now is the time to move....You will never be the same again....
The Pilgrimage continues......
David Warren
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