17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father.
Luke 11:17-29
Fear the LORD your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; 15 for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.
Deut.6:13b-15
1 “To the angel[a] of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.
7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Rev. 2:1-7
In the Bible there are numerous accounts of Israel and the Chosen People, as well as individuals, being on fire and sold out for The Lord...and then backsliding. Many are those we count amongst the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 11 and 12. I am reminded of this because it is a reflection of my life as a Christian, as I am desiring in my heart and spirit to love Him and follow Him with every fiber of my being, and then dealing with a flesh that is weak, the two waging war against the other. The only solution for me is to cast my cares on Him, alone, feed myself on a steady diet of the Word, bathing myself and being washied by the water and the Word, and rinsing off the filth I am surrounded by. It's better to be in His house for one day, than a thousand elsewhere, and I am grateful that the Lover of my Soul/Heavenly Father deals with me with such amazing grace. His wonderful lovingkindness soothes me and draws me into repentance - and renewal.
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