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“Therefore, my
beloved brethren, be
steadfast,
immoveable, always
abounding in the
work of the Lord,
knowing that your
labor is not in vain
in the Lord” (1
Corinthians 5:58 KJV).
Circumstances
change from day to
day, and sometimes
moment by moment.
These changes can
affect us deeply
depending on the
abruptness and
gravity of the
situation
responsible for the
changes. Some
changes are good and
some are bad, but
all changes will
have an affect on
us. How can we be
steady, when our
world is reeling?
There is only one
way—be anchored to
something outside
ourselves that is
unmovable and
steady.
My car is equipped
with windshield
wipers that can wipe
intermittently at
different speeds or
steady at slow or
fast speed. If
there is just mist
in the air, a slow
intermittent swipe
is sufficient. A
heavier sprinkle may
require a little
higher speed of
intermittent
wiping. A light
rain needs the
steady swish, swish
in order to keep the
windshield clear;
but if there is
really a downpour, a
steady swiping at
high speed is
necessary to keep my
view clear.
The wipers’ control
is on the steering
wheel and the off
position is between
the intermittent and
steady positions. I
recall one instance
of driving in a
light sprinkle of
rain with the wipers
going at
intermittent speed
and doing a good
job. Then, suddenly
a truck passed me
and left my
windshield inundated
with road splash,
wiping out my view
of the highway. I
quickly tried to
change from
intermittent to
steady wiping to
clear my view. I
miscalculated and
ended up in the
“off” position
instead.
Consequently, I had
to practically stop
where I was until I
could make the
necessary change to
steady wiping before
I could proceed.
I saw a life lesson
in that experience.
There may be periods
of time in our lives
that our temptations
or enemy attacks are
light and can be
dealt with by using
intermittent
reaction as needed.
But we should be
aware that
intermittent
reaction can be
totally inadequate
when something
suddenly and
unexpectedly
splashes on life’s
windshield. We need
to be totally aware
of where the steady
resistance position
is located and
quickly switch to it
without hesitation
or ending up in the
off position.
Driving an
automobile with an
unclear forward view
can be disastrous!
If we aren’t
prepared to change
wiping capability
instantly and have
to stop to make the
change, it can also
cause an accident
from the rear.
Knowing ahead of
time how to react
and where the
positions are is a
safety procedure to
be determined ahead
of time, before it
is needed.
“Therefore,
my beloved brethren,
be steadfast..."
The verse above
instructs us to be
steadfast…always
abounding in the
work of the Lord.
Always means
always! There is no
safe place to park
on this highway.
The only safety is
in moving forward,
following the way
marked clearly by
the Word, never
deviating from the
routes. Many will
be the splashes on
our windshields
caused by those
going in the
opposite direction,
so we have to keep
our wipers in good
working order, know
where to locate the
positions of each
wiper speed so that
our reaction will
just be automatic
when the need
arises.
“Be sober [have a
clear view], be
vigilant: because
your adversary the
devil walks about
like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may
devour. Resist him,
steadfast in the
faith…” (1 Peter
5:8-9 NKJV).
Satan’s tactics are
to keep our
windshields clouded
and our wipers worn
or malfunctioning so
we can’t see his
attempt to lure us
away from the King’s
Highway onto a
detour where he
hopes to wreck us.
Since we have been
warned and we know
that, God expects us
to be prepared with
wiper strength and
with the knowledge
of keeping the
wipers replaced as
needed and at the
right speed to keep
the view clear--the
Word cleanses and
equips up; the Holy
Spirit empowers us
with knowledge,
bringing to our
remembrance all the
things that we have
stored in our hearts
from the Word.
Another facet of the
wipers is human
reaction to life
situations.
Consider personal
relationships. When
confronted with
disagreeable
confrontations, we
need to keep the
wiper reaction time
at a slow
intermittent speed,
giving time for the
engrafted Word to be
activated by the
Holy Spirit before
we put our thoughts
and mouths in gear.
The “natural”
reaction in
unpleasant
encounters is to
flip the control
over to the steady,
fast speed
immediately in
self-defense. The
potential danger is
serious and can be
irreversible. Words
are powerful tools
and once used can
never be recalled
and may be an
echo~~”echo”~~for
our lifetime.
“Beloved, do not
avenge yourselves,
but rather give
place to wrath; for
it is written,
‘Vengeance is Mine,
I will repay,’ says
the Lord” (Romans
12:19 NKJV). We
negate God’s
obligation to avenge
us if we try to
avenge ourselves. I
recall a very wise
pastor telling us
that the best way to
eliminate an enemy
is to make him your
friend. Very wise
words.
The relationship
control is in our
hands. We can
defensively react
with high speed and
momentarily wipe off
the pain splashed in
our view, but the
resultant backsplash
could have
long-lasting results
that will require a
visit to the Master
Mechanic for a major
repair to avoid
permanent damage to
the relationship.
So when dealing each
other, we need to
keep the wiper
reaction speed in
the slow,
intermittent
position or maybe
“off”; but when
facing the splashes
of Satanic attacks,
immediately turn the
control to fast,
steady speed and
never hesitate at
the off position
lest he have an
advantage.
Paul said, “Now whom
you forgive
anything, I also
forgive. For if
indeed I have
forgiven anything, I
have forgiven that
one for your sakes
in the presence of
Christ, lest Satan
should take
advantage of us; for
we are not ignorant
of his devices” (2
Corinthians 2:10-11
NKJV).
It’s time to check
our wipers, and
synchronize them
with the Word. Know
where the speed
positions are so
that there is no
hesitation when we
get splashed. Know
when to use
intermittent
reaction or steady
speed. When dealing
with relationships,
let the off position
be Love. Stop and
let Love have His
perfect way.
Another important
reaction is to our
relationship with
our Heavenly
Father. There are
so many voices
tugging on our ears
and trying to lodge
in our minds that we
will have to fine
tune our receptors
to recognize His.
The best way to know
His voice is
to become familiar
with it. The
familiarity comes
from frequently
hearing Him.
Our memories will
grow dim of the
voice of God if we
don’t keep in touch
with Him regularly.
When God called the
young boy, Samuel,
he had not heard God
speak; so he thought
Eli was calling him
from his sleep.
This had to happen
the third time
before Eli got the
message that God was
trying to contact
Samuel. (1 Samuel
3). Actually, Eli
wasn’t familiar with
God’s voice either.
“The word was
precious [scarce] in
those days; there
was no open vision”
(1 Samuel 3:2). The
sinfulness of Eli’s
priest-sons and his
own nonchalant
attitude toward the
sanctity of the
temple and worship
had dulled his
senses and his
hearing so much he
wasn’t hearing from
God any more. God
had to speak through
the child, Samuel,
to give Eli a
message.
When God speaks, our
reaction is to be
immediately
receptive. Turn the
“wipers” on full
force to remove
every particle of
static that would
interfere with the
message. Listen
intently with every
sense we have so we
won’t miss anything
He wants to say to
us. Once we have
the message then it
is time to react at
maximum speed in
obedience. The more
often we hear God’s
voice, the quicker
we will be able to
recognize it and
react when He
speaks.
Points to Ponder
-
God wants to hear
from us, and even
more He wants us
to hear from Him.
When we have swept
our vision clear
with Holy Ghost
wipers, cleared
our ears of every
other worldly
voice, we will
hear His.
“If my people,
which are called
by my name, shall
humble themselves,
and pray, and seek
my face, and turn
from their wicked
ways; then will I
hear from heaven,
and will forgive
their sin, and
will heal their
land” (2
Chronicles 7:14).
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