Monday, October 15, 2007

The Pilgrim's Regress

Was studying my Bible today, the book of Deuteronomy (it's so much more digestible than the innumerable numbers in the book of Numbers haha), when this verse just caught my eye:

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them slip from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." (Deut 4:9)

That verse made me reflect on my walk with God, and take a look back, assessing my footprints in the sand. I saw how my new life has been marked by constant struggles to overcome and grow. And I saw how, when I decided to make the decision to obey God and seek Him through prayer and His Word, He helped me grow so much. I think I grow in spurts.

But something I also realised, after reflecting on the above verse, is that after I breakthrough in a particular area, I sometimes let the very Bible verse that helped me grow so much in the first place start slipping from my heart. And I start slipping back into disobedience and ignorance.

In Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Christiana and her companions, as they reach the very edge of the Celestial City, stumble upon two other pilgrims, Heedless and Too-bold, pitifully sleeping in an Enchanted Ground. And they refuse to wake up. Refuse to wake up? After all the many tears, turmoils and triumphs that these pilgrims went through so far, now they are sleeping?

Then said Christiana, "What is the meaning of this?" The guide said, "They talk in their sleep. If you strike them, beat them, or whatever else you do to them, they will answer you after this fashion ... 'When I awake I will seek it again.' ...
For this Enchanted Ground is one of the last refuges that the enemy to pilgrims has; wherefore it is, as you see, placed almost at the end of the way, and so it standeth against us with the more advantage. 'For when,' thinks the enemy, 'will these fools be so desirous to sit down, as when they are weary; and when so like to be weary, as when almost at their journey's end?' Therefore it is, I say, that the Enchanted Ground is placed so nigh to the Land Beulah and so near the end of their race. Wherefore let pilgrims look to themselves, lest it happen to them as it has done to these that, as you see, are fallen asleep, and none can wake them."


It's so hard to fight, and so easy to fall. But we must keep on fighting the good fight of the faith! "March on, my soul; be strong!" (Judges 5:21b) And for how long? "...until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." (2 Pet 1:19b)

Gee! My heart feels so much cleaner and more comforted emotionally after studying the Word today. How I really need the Word of God; how I really love the Word of God! :D It's really like a powerful lamp in a total blackout, it's like healing honey to my soul... it really is the best thing since (sliced) bread! :D Oh dear... I mustn't be ashamed to love the Word of God! Because... well, it's God's very words! :D Hee. Maybe I feel so loved whenever God speaks to me, because my Daddy in heaven knows that my love language is words. I feel His love deepest when He speaks to me.

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