Sad sights

"A stranded ship,
an eagle with a broken wing,
a garden covered with weeds,
a harp without strings,
a church in ruins -
all these are all sad sights,
but a backslider is a sadder sight still." - J.C.Ryle

I found this quote quite challenging. Initially I thought it was a little harsh on people who have turned away from God, but then I realised how true it was. When we 'backslide' in our relationship with Christ, we often become 'sad' and 'bitter.' We tend to blame a lot of people or circumstances for our position, but usually we resist returning to Christ.

Backsliding should not bring us judgement friends, but rather a desire to return to the place of Grace. If you recognise that your faith has moved backwards then don't blame anyone else - accept that this the case, ask God for forgiveness and do all you can to get back into the right spiritual space. God doesn't delight in seeing us in this state - he longs for us to be restored to him again.

Living in Grace
D3LM3

The Hill of Ice

Have you ever felt like you are getting somewhere in your life/faith/relationships and then suddenly you slide all the way back to square One? It is almost as if we are climbing a Hill of ice, only to see all our efforts count for zero. If you can relate to this, then you will enjoy this quote from Charles Spurgeon:

"The Christian life is very much like climbing a hill of ice. You cannot slide up. You have to cut every step with an ice axe. Only with incessant labor in cutting and chipping can you make any progress. If you want to know how to backslide, leave off going forward. Cease going upward and you will go downward of necessity. You can never stand still."

Did you notice the part about cutting into the ice and chipping away? That is what our Spiritual journey often entails. In order to consistently move forward we need to make sure that our footholds are strong and dependable. It may not seem like you are gaining much ground, but if you made sure that you are on solid ground, then your direction will always be forward.

"Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." - Galatians 5:25

Living in Grace
D3LM3

Crowding to Calvary

We would deny it vehemently, but we all turn our backs on Jesus from time to time. In a sense, we are like the crowds rushing to Calvary, adding our voices to the growing uproar. It could be that we feel that Jesus has disappointed us or even challenged us too much. Whatever the reason, we sadly betray our King.

"Age by age the Lord Christ is crucified. And we too have crowded eagerly to Calvary and nailed him to his cross, and laughed up into his face, and watched him die, and gone our way well pleased and much relieved that we have hustled him out of the way - yes, even we." - Arthur John Gossip

If this quote speaks to you today, why don't you take the opportunity to make things right with God again?

Living in Grace
D3LM3