Sheep

The more time I spend seeking God and understanding His Word, and singing songs of praise (not necessarily Christian songs either) the less problems I have. Weird, but true. Not that the issues aren't there, I just don't think about them and they don't bother me. And if an apparent disaster strikes or obvious intervention is needed, the first thing on my mind is prayer... and it works.  So knowing this, why don't I rely on God more often, instead of wallowing in despair?  I guess it's like with anything else, we are prone to want to do what isn't good for us and have to train ourselves to want good things for ourselves. Like smoking, drinking, eating tons of food we know isn't beneficial, sleeping too much, listening and watching stuff we shouldn't, saying things we shouldn't - all for the sake of immediate gratification. Then we pay the price later, but we keep on banging our heads against the wall anyway and do it all over again, knowing the consequences aren't pretty. Dumb sheep...


I love how the devotional depicted "telegram" and "echogram" prayers.  In the first instance it is us sending God a list of demands and telling Him what we're up to and what we're doing and what we would like for Him to do to make our life better.  Now, talking to God is all good and He does wait for us to speak to Him - but what happens when we "graduate" from self-centeredness and wait in His presence to hear His voice and see what HE wants us to say or do? Good stuff, indeed.  And my issue again is that when I know that all good things come when I spend time in His presence and wait to hear His voice - why wont I do it more? Why not all the time - knowing it benefits me the most in the long run anyway! Dumb sheep...

I love how the LORD is patient with us and waits for us to grow and mature, no matter how long it takes. I think the first step is realizing we are doing something wrong. Like in AA meetings (although I do not agree with pronouncing "I am an alcoholic" because it just drives home all the more the very thing they are trying to free people from) - You must first acknowledge who you are. Repenting is to free ourselves from being tempted to feel condemned. We are purchased by His blood, forgiven, acquitted of all charges, adopted into the family of God, chosen, and favored. God is for us. We are His. Forever and ever.

So when we realize a dumb sheep behavior that is  not doing us a bit of good - we must acknowledge it first, decide and choose for ourselves that we want something better for us, that the damaging behavior is hurtful to our bodies, future, etc. and we want to change.  We must be willing to see and face the truth and see things for what they are.  This way, when we do it again, we will recognize it sooner, and the next time even sooner, and each time the false pleasure weakens its appeal. We are on a path to living free of anything that binds us and directs us where to go. I can talk about all of this, but I am still on that path : morphing from a sheep to a free daughter of the Most High! It's been a long road but each day I get closer and more free to be me. We must receive grace and understanding we are already blameless before Him, so that when we do fall short, we know it's okay. The LORD will lead us and guide us, show us things like generational iniquities to renounce, negative patterns to dismiss, but we must be willing and wanting to change for the good. Otherwise, we remain sheep. He is waiting for us to ask Him, and He will do all it takes to free us from every stronghold and bondage so that we may be true representatives of His glory on earth like we will one day shine in heaven.