Abandoning God

One of the hardest things that we have to consistently do as Christians is maintain intimacy within our relationship with Christ.  This seems easiest when things are good and seemingly going our way.  However, when things are good we can forget to be thankful, which quenches   the spirit praise. In the midst of having an ungrateful heart we then tend to forget what long suffering looks like; we forget how to continue to seek God for our daily provisions and instead we forsake God's way in pursuit of our own. We become self-righteous, greedy, and prideful; neglecting prayer and abandoning God.  Then  stepping away from Him towards our own will, we become blind to our need for Him, failing to see Him as a necessity in our lives.  


We inherited this problem from the Israelites. They struggled with the same exact issue.  Throughout the book of judges we see the Israelites receive deliverance, and then after a period of time, a time of good, plenty, and peace they abandon God; treating Him like some genie, using him for their own gain. Then once help was given they turned back to doing there own thing, which was not God's way.  The people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals and the Ashtaroth, the gods of Syria, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of th Ammonites, and the God's of the Philistines. And they forsook the Lord and did not serve him. Judges 10:6


The Israelites had forgotten that Adonai Elyon (The Lord Most High), is indeed the most high; and just like the Israelites we are a forgetful people.  Forgetting that He is awesome, worthy of our devotion, and praise at all times.  For the Lord, the Most High is awesome a great king over all the earth. Psalm 47:2  We have treated God like Israel treated Jephthah.  We continue to deny Him daily what is rightfully his; rule over our lives, our bodies, our lands, and other possessions, chasing Him out of the city (our hearts) like the son of a prostitute, in pursuit of our own way. 1Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Chronicles 29:10-13  Then when times are hard we are quick to flock to this same God that we previously abandoned seeking help.  " But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, did you not hate me and drive me out of my Father's  house? why have you come to me now when you are in distress? Judges 11:7  One of the awesome things about God is that he's not vindictive or malicious like us. He always stays true to who he is, even in our moments, hours, months, and years of betrayal and unfaithfulness he still remains faithful to his people. Judges 11:11; 2 Timothy 2:10-13


It's really hard to keep Christ at the center of our lives living in a world that's been polluted by our own agendas, but it's something that we have to do.  We have to continually seek intimacy with Christ at all times; not just in times of want or deliverance, but in times of joy and plenty also.  He desires our love, praise and devotion at all times, as well as a relationship with his people.  To be in a relationship with God is a call to abandon the belief systems of this world while seeking God at all times.  He is not a genie, but a loving God!