As an English teacher and a writer, I have a strong appreciation for words. More than just loving certain words for their sounds, the nuances of language and meaning can keep my mind occupied far beyond what my family considers normal. So, the other day, when I heard the words momentary and momentum, I began to think about their vastly different meanings despite their common root.
In conquering the Promised Land, the Israelites had witnessed God perform one miracle after another. Seeing their enemies defeated, walls falling down and disasters averted, the people knew God had been in their midst. As he neared the end of his life, Joshua called all Israel to “fear the Lord and serve Him wholeheartedly” (Joshua 24:14-15). Not only did he challenge them to be faithful, he boldly warned them of humanity’s wavering nature and the uncompromising holiness of God (Joshua 24:19-20). They had been intimate with the Most High and their position had to be steadfast.
Many of us have experienced powerful moments in which we felt that God was nearer than ever before. We heard His voice speaking clearly or realized something from His Word that provided just the truth we needed. God never intends for our encounters with Him to be only momentary. Rather, they’re to transfer from moments of encounter to an unstoppable momentum of passion for God. And as with anything that has momentum, all in its path should be forever impacted.
Judges 2:7-12 continues the story by revealing that after those in Joshua’s generation died, the people “did not acknowledge the Lord” (Judges 2:10). Their passion for Him and His truth had cooled. How about us? Will our time with God today reflect true momentum or wasted moments?
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 1:26-56
More:
Read Acts 8:14-23. According to Peter, what kept Simon bound to a momentary view of his encounter with God?
Next:
Why does God desire that we remain steadfast in our commitment to Him? How should we respond when we realize we’re being inconsistent in our relationship?
daisymarygoldr on June 7, 2012 at 12:54 pm
Very true! All start out on our Christian walk with great moments of powerful encounters with God. We show love to God through our obedience (John 14:15) and delight in His laws. However, with the passage of time, due to compromise and sin the passionate love of the new believer starts to cool. Sin is lawlessness and impedes the momentum. It hinders our race and hardens our hearts against God. As sin increases, love diminishes.
Jesus said the love of many will grow cold due to hardships. This is why we must warn each other every day, so that none of us will be deceived by sin and hardened against God. (Hebrews 3:13). When we realize our love for God is no longer alive and vibrant, we need to turn away from our sins and come back to our first love. Thanks Regina for the reminder to examine our commitment to God!
regina franklin on June 11, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Dear daisymarygoldr,
You are certainly correct in identifying that our sin can lead us away from our first love. Sometimes, though, the distractions can even come in the form of God-given gifts such as family, other relationships and even ministry responsibilities.
In any relationship, intimacy comes through commitment and consistency. We simply must choose to make Christ our priority.