Lace your boots.
Lace ’em tight.
Why? It’s time to go to work!
Your first job will be on yourself. If you are like me, you have a lot of work to do. Even after decades of walking this path of extreme surrender to God, I continually discover places that need work–places I was unable to see until the previous stronghold was demolished.
We never reach the point in this life where we can say, “OK. I’m done.” It will not happen. There will ALWAYS be more to learn, more to overcome, more strongholds to be revealed, more hindrances to our faith to be discovered, or deeper relationship with God to be achieved.
If you wait until you think you are ready, you will never be ready. At some point, you must simply lace your boots tight and get on the trail. Now, assuming your boots are on and you are ready to go, what next?
Today’s Scripture passage is a good picture of a next step. The Israelites got all fired up (motivated), went out into the country, and proceeded to destroy all the idols and pagan altars they found. How does this relate to us today?
I see the search for idols to be in us as individuals because this is where idolatry happens nowadays. Some things qualify as idols in the same sense as those shrines and figures did for them in their time. They are out there–but they are not our focus today.
In our culture, we are (at least for the present time) free to choose what we believe and worship. Therefore, while your boots are on and ready for work, get to work in your own heart (spirit) and mind first. Find the places where evil lurks and compromise waits and… KICK THEM HARD! Eliminate them from your life.
In fact, like the Israelites in today’s passage, you can just go on a rampage against those things. Boots are good for that. I like me some spiritual steel-toe boots with heavy soles and high-top, waterproof leather to protect from the muck through which I may have to wade in the process–like fire boots. Yeah, some of those.
All right, enough with the metaphors and analogies–I will be literal now. Making a decision to pursue a genuine relationship with God requires action–intentional, deliberate, and decisive action. Without an intentional decision and corresponding action, most things in life tend not to happen. So, make something happen!
As you do, know that surrender is an ongoing, lifelong process. It requires you at the onset to get things out of your life that hinder your relationship with God and/or the purpose to which He called you. It never ends.
Change begins with awareness. Begin by asking God to reveal what you need to eliminate and how. They may look like activities, connections, places, habits, patterns of thinking, addictions, or the like. Regardless of what they appear to be, they ALL are tools the enemy uses to keep you from being what you can be in God.
Paul’s description of spiritual armor in Ephesians 6 includes boots (verse 15), so this metaphor is appropriate. He makes the purpose clear: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:11-12 NIV)
Lace your boots. Lace ’em tight. You have an enemy to kick out of your life. Are you ready?
Today’s Seed™ Scripture and Prayer for Mar. 17, 2023:
Now when the festival ended, the Israelites who attended went to all the towns of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh, and they smashed the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherah poles, and removed the pagan shrines and altars. After this, the Israelites returned to their own towns and homes. (2 Chr 31:1 NLT)
Prayer: LORD, sometimes a decision for You requires action. Increase me in strength, willingness, and determination to remove out of my life anything or anyone that would hinder my relationship with You or the purpose to which You have called me. Do whatever You need to do to make it so. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
(c) 2023 Randall Vaughn • All Rights Reserved • http://www.e-min.org
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‘Today’s Seed’ from E-MIN • Mar. 17, 2023
About Randall Vaughn:
With 40+ years as pastor, author, teacher, worship leader, and songwriter, Randall pioneered E-MIN in 1997–one of the earliest online ministries and today the longest operating. His passion is leading people to deeper, genuine relationship with God. He lives in Alabama with his lovely wife, Karen, and their dogs, Hadi and Rayah. He enjoys hiking, exploring new tech, and “prayer walks”.
Copyright (c) 2023 Randall Vaughn • All Rights Reserved.
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