I know of a couple. The husband used to teach Sunday School. His teaching came across with humor but was very down-to-earth and doctrinally sound. He started attending University and as he became immersed in learning he did not have time to teach Sunday School. He had so much studying that soon it became hard for him to come to church at all. He told his wife that when he got his degree he would start coming to church again. Now that he has his degree and is working full-time he attends about once every three months. His wife has attended continually throughout that time and still does. He is not doing anything bad; it is just that he no longer puts God first in his life. First it was school and studies that took first place then they gave way to ball games and other things. I had a conversation regarding this with my Pastor not too long ago and he mentioned that he has seen this "happen with people who go off to college and get full of all that knowledge". Another man (one of our Elders) did the same thing. While he was haphazardly attending church Pastor removed him from the ministry roster. God got his attention, though, and he returned and is now going strong with the Lord.
Remember what Jesus said to the Church at Ephesus? "...you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first (you have deserted Me, your First Love.)" (Rev 2:4b AMP) It is so easy to loose sight of the Lord and let the things of this world take hold. When we finally notice we are so far away from God we think it happened all-of-a-sudden, but it really happens little by little. Small compromises lead to large failures. Little things can lead to great destruction.
“(My heart was touched and I fervently sang to him my desire) Take for us the foxes; the little foxes that spoil the vineyards (of our love), for our vineyards are in blossom.” Song of Solomon 2:15 (AMP)
I once heard a sermon preached from this passage and the minister explained that foxes like the taste of the bark of grape vines and, being nocturnal, will come into the vineyards at night and nibble around the base of the vines. Just these little nibbles will kill the whole plant. Huge portions of vineyards can be destroyed by just a few little foxes. Just as the woman cries out to her beloved to catch the foxes that would eat away at the vines we should cry out to our Beloved Lord to catch the small things that destroy our walk with Him. I am asking God to show me all the little things that eat away at my relationship with Him. I choose to be obedient and yield to Him every little thing that would draw me away from placing Him first in my life.
I once heard a sermon preached from this passage and the minister explained that foxes like the taste of the bark of grape vines and, being nocturnal, will come into the vineyards at night and nibble around the base of the vines. Just these little nibbles will kill the whole plant. Huge portions of vineyards can be destroyed by just a few little foxes. Just as the woman cries out to her beloved to catch the foxes that would eat away at the vines we should cry out to our Beloved Lord to catch the small things that destroy our walk with Him. I am asking God to show me all the little things that eat away at my relationship with Him. I choose to be obedient and yield to Him every little thing that would draw me away from placing Him first in my life.
My challenge to you this week is: ask God to show you all the little things that eat away at your relationship with Him. Yield them to Him to catch away. Do not be drawn away from your First Love.
