Safety In The Center

Commitment

Reality forms around a commitment.

Source Unknown

Jer 32:37-39
"Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. "They shall be My people, and I will be their God; and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. NASU

Yesterday we spoke of the security that is found in the herd, and the danger of wandering away from the safety found in that group setting. What is it that causes those at the edge to drift away? Well, there are many reasons, but one is that those at the edge of the herd lose their focus.

In the center of the herd there is protection and as the body of the herd moves so do you. You see, the distractions found at the edge of the herd can cause you to move away from the safety of the group. As you move away from the group you also lose the wisdom and combined effort of the herd. Soon you can find yourself surrounded by enemies, and death is all but certain. Christ warned us that Satan was a roaring lion seeking someone to devour and alone we are easy to overcome.

There is another way that you can lose the safety of the herd. It may not be intentional, you may find a patch of grass you don’t want to leave, or may be distracted by something on the horizon. You can be so focused on what you want that you lose connection with the others. Soon the herd has left you and moved away to other pastures. Many find this out too late and while having their heads buried up in earthly pursuits, the sudden growl of the enemy signals that danger is close and they are alone.

Doesn’t this happen many times to individuals within the church? That is why God has given us the church. We are to look out for, and protect one another. When someone starts drifting away, we can call them back to the safety that is found in Christ. When their focus comes off of the things of God, we can lead them back to better and greener pastures within the safety of the Body of Christ.
God gathers us together, and we are to have, One God, One Shepherd, and One heart, and, there is only one way. We get in trouble when we let the world distract us from the protection and wisdom that is found in the center of the church. God wants the Church to grow and move, we must not get distracted and move away from the protection that is found “In Christ,” nor can we let the world so distract us that we allow the church to move away from us…God Bless

Pastor William