Force

Psalm 40:² “He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (NIV)

Traction is the frictional force between two surfaces that creates movement without slipping. Getting a grip requires the use of our limbs. Looking at the physical anatomy of man, to get a grip, he needs his hands. To walk, to move forward, to get a grip, his legs need to have traction with the floor for him to make any kind of progress. Remember that when you look into the mirror, it does not show you who you want to be or who you wish to be. The mirror shows you who you are. What does this have to do with traction? James 1:²⁵ “But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.” God will bless your endeavours. You will make progress. Your life will be blessed, and you will have traction in Jesus Mighty Name. Say Amen!

Leprosy was a big issue in the time of Jesus and lepers had colonies. Leprosy is a disease that attacks the nervous system of a person, so the person begins to lose sensation in the limbs. As such, the limbs can be on fire and the person will not feel it. The leprous person eventually loses their limbs – legs, toes, feet because they have lost sensation in those areas of their body. So, in leper colonies, they typically would have cats to drive away rats because rats could eat up their fingers and they will not feel anything.

Similarly, people lose sensation spiritually when they look at the Word of God which is like a mirror, they see themselves and it does not cause a change, there is no sting, no sensation. If we listen to the Word and read the Word. If we do not take what the Word of God says and translate it to actions, what happens is we begin to lose sensation, to lose the sting, to lose the feel. And people begin to lose traction, they cannot get a grip spiritually anymore. It is so important that we not only hear the Word of God but that we do the Word of God. Remember the example of the car stuck in a rut? The tyres of the car just keep spinning but no movement.

No matter how much energy the engine can supply to the tyres, the car often cannot get itself out of that rut. When a car is stuck in a rut, it usually requires an external force to pull it out of the rut. A car in a rut, no matter the size of the engine, usually has no power of itself to create traction that will pull it out. What I am saying is, if you are in a rut, more often than not, what will get you out of that rut is outside of yourself. It usually takes an external force to get you out.

Prayer: Father, please lift me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire, set my feet on a rock, and give me a firm place to stand, in Jesus Mighty Name. Amen!