Sheep on the Hills

I wish I had all the answers to this life's problems. How do we overcome the pits and snares we come upon on the Road to the Celestial City? It's getting more and more uncomfortable here on planet earth. Sometimes there are no easy ways around the obstacles in our path.

We who have been born-again and have new life in Jesus Christ have had to leave our old life behind. After salvation we no longer fit in with old friends who continue to live the life Jesus redeemed us from. They aren't comfortable around us either since we don't laugh at their dirty jokes nor are we tantalized by their relating their intimate secrets as we used to be.

We've had to make new friends we've met at church. Maybe that worked for a while until we dig deeper into Scripture than they're comfortable with. The church people start seeing us as fanatics for questioning the worship leader's choice of songs or the pastor's quoting of questionable sources. Soon we're no longer invited to join them at their get-togethers. They tired of hearing about Bible prophecy and what they call 'conspiracy theories.'

When that happens it's easier to feel more comfortable with the life-long friends we left behind who are carrying on doing the same things where we left off. We find some comfort there, like clinging to that old beat up blanket with holes in it we just don't want to part with. But when we go back there we find ourselves acting and thinking like we did in our B.C. days and forget who we are -- new creatures in Christ. 

So we are stumbled by our nostalgia for the good old days and disenchanted with the church socials when we don't fit into the cliques in those circles. Fiery darts seem to come from both pre-and-post-kingdoms as we strive to walk in the Truth without compromise.

The only other option seems to be isolation -- and that's not a good solution either. Just me and my Bible -- alone again.

The current climate of apostasy in the church has left so many sheep in this condition -- scattered on the hills -- outside the camp. No Spirit-led leadership to latch onto.

As I said - I do not have all the answers. It seems to be a dilemma each of us has to work out for ourselves. Every situation is unique. 

May the LORD strengthen all who find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Jesus has a place for all amputated members of His body -- at least in the by and by.

"A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water." Ps 63:1

"That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead." - 1Pet 4:2-5