Deceived by Distractions

Deceived by Distractions

Something to consider:

if and when we are deceived, we don’t know it – because we have been deceived. Duh!

Therefore, don’t dismiss out of hand, the following Running Thought.

It is natural for mankind to desire to live a happy, healthy, productive, meaningful life.  And there are a zillion ways that we attempt to do this aided, or hindered by circumstance, physical condition, politics, education, lineage, relationships, natural abilities, intellect, looks, opportunities, habits etc. etc. It sure seems easier for some than for others. Life becomes comparative and competitive.  It’s hard.

Ultimately our lives are short-lived and then we have either hit the end of the road and there is no more, or we are moving onto eternity.

As I’ve written before, and even as I write, tic-tocks never stop until they do, for us.

Paradoxically, trying to ‘succeed’ in life can be the very thing that causes us to miss out on living life as it has been designed.  There is not denying the fact that we are living.  We were sort of plopped in here and need to be shown, counselled, taught, helped to understand and live life.  Why not from He who created life?  Why look anywhere else but to God Himself, the creator, the maker of heaven and earth and of all else?

The Bible tells us that mankind, who was made in God’s image, were to live in wonderful communion with Him.  But mankind became victims of deception and fell away from God, doomed to an eternity away from Him unless we could be rescued.  And rescue He has accomplished by interceding, becoming man, so that Jesus could die an undeserving death that can be applied to our rescue and forgiveness.

No matter how many years have transpired, no matter how advanced, deficient or derelict  we have become, just like the very 1^st man and woman, we were created to know God and be with and like Him for eternity.  How are ‘we’ doing? Are we distracted from life’s purpose by a blind attempt to live it as we see or know best?

I am suggesting that IF God exists then He must matter.   And, I also would say that IF He exists, as God, that He ought be able to be found, just by asking or seeking.  “God are You there? Are You real?  Show me?” ought be all it takes to prove Him to be.  Do it, ask and see.

One Way, only One Way

John 14:6 ” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  (TG: “No one” includes everyone)

Acts 4:12  “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (TG: “No other” excludes all other names/ways and “must be” is a requirement)

When there is just one way, just one name, for all people – this is pretty understandable and not too complicated.  Any yet, many, most, you and/or I can be deceived from this simplicity.   How?

Well, if there is just One Way to an eternal life which is happy, healthy, productive, meaningful etc.  Then there are countless, innumerable ways that prove deceptive.

One Way to ‘win’ and a zillion ways to lose. If my enemy can get me distracted by any, just one of the losing ways, we lose!  While we get attracted or distracted and miss the one way, we are deceived and by definition don’t know it.  One key to get you in to the Kingdom, just one, while we are presented with a zillion keys to choose from to get us into something, someplace less.

  It doesn’t matter what the distraction might be, something we call good or something we call bad, if it keeps us from the One Way, we lose.   Riches, utter poverty, success, failure, popularity, disenfranchised, healthy, red, blue, left, right, sickness, addictions, attractions, drugs, strict healthy eating, loneliness, love and the list would be endless.  It takes just one distraction to lose and veer away from the One Way.

To me, there is some common sense that can be applied to this dilemma.  There is a best, doable approach to this potential of being distracted. It is NOT to test and see if all other ways prove false – try one thing, then another.  We will never exhaust trying all potential other ways.  If we are challenged with whether there is but One Way….then try that Way!  Like a mansion with a million doors and only one that say “Come in, You are welcome” we would be foolish to not try that door first before proving all other doors don’t work.

We, even those of us who have understood and surrendered to the One Way, are a distracted people.  For even though it is true that there is One Way to forgiveness and Heaven secured, there is also only One Way to know God, to serve Him, to enjoy His companionship, His security, His purposes, His joy   and that is by intentionally taking time to treat Him as He Is, to seek Him on purpose, to listen to Him when He speaks to us saying

“Trust in Him with all your heart and lean Not on your own understanding and in ALL your ways to acknowledge Him and He will direct your path” into His “immeasurably more than all we can ask for or even imagine”.

Time is short, we must ‘go, to know’.  Please, let’s go.  I remain ‘here’ to help.