I have been thinking about what causes people to fall away from the Lord. And why is it so difficult to as Jude says, "snatch them from the fire? And so, I have this new theory.
We all have dear friends and loved ones who started out filled with zeal and purpose, "chomping at the bits" to just serve the Lord. They were ready with a smile and a word of encouragement, anxious to share hope and compassion with everyone the met, eager to spend time in the Word, study with others, pray with others, and generally fill their lives with all things spiritual. Then it seems their light was a little dimmer and we were able to justify their absence with a multitude of excuses, but before long, the light was so dim, we couldn't see to find them. We became desperate to bring them back to the Lord, concerned that they were headed for spiritual shipwreck and yet unable to reconnect with them. Why? What happened that put them so far out of reach?
I think that falling away has some sort of spiralling movement. You see, it is almost as if each soul begins in the very middle of the spiral, out of reach from those outside their circle and yet as prayers go up and seeds are sown, the tight little circle begins expanding and before long, that soul is within reach, just waiting for the arm, the heart, to extend into their series of circles and pull them out. (This makes more sense when you look at the picture--:0)
So of course, the exact opposite happens when one falls away. On the outer ring of the spiral, their lives are intersecting and touching the lives of others in the body and any curves and changes begin very subtly and are very slow in coming. But as the soul gradually makes its way back to the tight and closed center, they move farther and farther from those who love them, and the changes become more frequent and more noticeable and before long, they are out of reach, quickly making decisions that suck them into the vortex of death--spiritual death. They are so far away and we struggle to reach them and encourage them, praying for the day we see them moving to the outer rings of their spiral--back out where their lives and souls are intersecting and interacting with others in the body. As long as Christ is their center, their circle becomes bigger and bigger and intersects and touches more and more lives, but once that center is replaced with self, they begin spiralling out of control. And, the only way to reach them seems to be the way we reached them in the first place, praying and seed sowing.
I have a couple of friends, friends whom I love dearly, friends who are being sucked into the vortex of spiritual shipwreck----I will never give up on them. I pray for them and strive to encourage them and yet at times . . . they seem so far away, so out of reach. I fear for their very souls, praying that God will do whatever it takes to bring them back to Him and praying that He will ready those around them to love them through whatever happens. Today, I am dedicating my prayers to all those who are spiralling farther and farther from away from God and His people. Today, I am remembering the ones I know and love and praying for those on your list. Today, I am asking Him to lengthen our arms to reach them, to strengthen our resolve to save them and to prick their hearts to want to come home. Won't you pray with me -----today?
Blessings
Neva
ps--Thanks AW for the graphic! :)
