Who Moved?

One of my favorite ‘old-married-folks-stories’ is about the elderly couple who were driving along and the wife looked over from her side of the car and said, with a twinkle in her eye, “I remember when we were newlyweds we used to sit close together with your arm around
me while we were driving.”

Her husband looked over at her and, with his hands on the steering wheel, said, “I haven’t moved.”

One of my least favorite stories is about people who tell me they feel there is a distance between them and their Father. And sometimes we can’t figure out why. I can see God looking at us and saying, “I haven’t moved.”

Do you remember the feeling of closeness when you first became a Christian? Remember the security?

What causes the gap that comes in relationships? Here are a few:

Apathy - We begin to see one day just like every other. We become satisfied with ‘the way things are.’ We look at each other and fail to see the ‘newness’ each day. We begin to take each other for granted. Marriages and friendships suffer because of this and so does our relationship with God.

Lukewarmness - Married couples tend to forget the early love they had for one another. And Christians can do the same. We get into the habit of just doing what is necessary.

Anger - Something happens that makes us upset with each other. We let anger color our relationship. We hold grudges. And this not only happens between two people but between us and our Father. Life doesn't go the way we want it to or a crisis happens in our life and we blame God.

Temptations - A husband or wife becomes involved with another person or activity that destroys a relationship. So also can a Christian become unfaithful to God because of the world pulling us in all directions.

Just think about these things. And think on the words of David as he describes God in Psalm 62:2, “He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken (or, moved).”

Who moved? God didn’t. He is still there and always will be.

See you when the saints meet, Lord willing.

Love, Tony