Growing or Declining?

September 20, 2023

I have a question for you.

Is the plane taking off or landing?

Hard to tell, isn’t it?

I’m not sure you can make that decision with just the image. If you want to think it is taking off, then it looks like that’s what it is doing. As you look at the plane you can see it racing to the left, gathering speed, wanting to lift its nose up and away.

If you want to think it is landing, you can see the plane flying in from the right as the pilot gently sets the floats on the water, slowing the plane until he cuts the engine, coasting to the dock.

You can see it both ways, can’t you?

Growing or Declining? #hope #joy #writingcommunity Share on X

Let me ask you another question. How do you know whether your relationship with the Lord is growing or declining? You probably couldn’t tell if you stepped back and took inventory of where you are right now without comparing that to where you were sometime in the past. And I would even say you really need to also be able to compare where you are right now with where you’ll be in the future.

There are so many Bible verses that talk specifically about growing in our relationship or allude to it in some way. I’m going to pick just one to highlight, then I’ll mention a few others toward the end in case you’d like to look them up and see what God says to you about your walk with Him.

Here’s what David says as he wanders through the desert.

“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you;
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1, NIV)

Most commentators believe King David is running from his son Absalom as he wrote this psalm. Absalom wanted to be king. He wanted it so bad that he pursued his father to get what he wanted. Absalom did not become king because he was killed trying to gain something God did not ordain.

However, David feared for his life as his son chased him.

Imagine day in and day out racing across the desert as someone pursued you, likely hoping to kill you so that could take your place. The desert would have been a hostile place. No water. Dry and parched.

Maybe you feel something like that as the world chases you. You can’t seem to get where you want to get. There’s always something or someone on your heels trying to overtake the peaceful life you want to live. It might make you feel like David felt.

David’s response was to not focus on his enemies, his situation in life, or what he would eat or drink that day. He focused on his relationship with God. He “thirsted” for God. His whole being “longed” for God. The Bible tells us he earnestly sought God.

I believe he did these things because he wanted to grow in his relationship. Do we want to grow? Are we focused on what is going on around us or on God?

Do we long for Him? Earnestly seek Him? Thirst for Him?

You’ll know if you are growing or declining if you seek more, long for more, thirst more tomorrow than today. You’ll know if you do more today than yesterday.

I encourage you to start doing these things first thing in the morning and keep them on your mind throughout the day. See if you grow in your walk.

Here are a few other Scriptures to consider…

• Matthew 6:33
• John 15:4-5
• Deuteronomy 6:5
• Hebrews 10:22

Just for kicks, I found this really neat video of riding in a seaplane HERE. Scroll down to 360 degree Alaskan Seaplane.