When they moved, they went toward any one of four directions; they did not turn aside when they went. Ezekiel 1:17
When traveling a long distance down a road it is easy to get turned aside to something. All along the path, there are often things that are interesting that one may want to see or do. Signs advertising exciting things can often cause a distraction and get the person to pull aside. This slows down or keeps a person on getting to the ultimate destination. Life is full of side attractions.
Ezekiel describes a vision in which four living creatures are always moving about following the Spirit. They would only travel in a straight direction, never turning aside.
People have all types of grand goals in life. They begin the path towards those goals but are quickly turned aside from achieving those goals. Instant pleasure pulls them off of that path. Or running into a difficulty causes them to turn aside, rather than continuing to move forward towards their goal. Thus, many will never achieve those goals.
Believers will often struggle with this same problem. The moment a person chooses to repent and believe in Jesus for salvation, that person is put on a straight path towards holiness and heaven.
This is a journey of an unknown amount of time to the finish line. It may be just a few days or it may be several decades. Regardless of the time left, the destination remains the same–to be holy and righteous like Jesus and enter into heaven.
Many tend to get distracted on the path and turn aside to sinful activities. Instead of pursuing holiness and righteousness, they pursue immediate pleasures of the world.
One must be focused and only move forward on the straight and narrow path as the Spirit leads, never turning aside for any reason.
Going through life there are probably times in which you get distracted from your goal. Sometimes these distractions stop your goal completely or delay it for a time. As a believer, your greatest goal should be to be more like Jesus–holy and righteous as He is holy and righteous.
The Holy Spirit will guide you on this path as you are willing to follow Him. Follow out of love for what God has done for you, not to earn your salvation. In the end you will gain the crown of life.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will see the path God has you on; that you will follow the leading of the Holy Spirit; that God will strengthen you to stay focused on the straight and narrow path; and that you will not turn aside from the path God has you on.
Photo by Lucie Hošová on Unsplash
