Daily Devotional, Year 3 – August 24 (Flower of the Field, Part 20: “Slip-Sliding Away”)

By admin On February 16th, 2021

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Daily Devotional, Year 3 – August 24

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Flower of the Field,

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Part 20:

“Slip-Sliding Away”

To read Part 1, click here…“Flower of the Field, Part 1”

“But as for me, my feet were almost gone;

my steps had well-nigh slipped.

For I was envious at the foolish,

when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

Then I went into the sanctuary of God;

then understood I their end.

Surely thou didst set them in slippery places:

thou castedst them down into destruction.

How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment!

they are utterly consumed with terrors”

Psalm 73:1-3, 18, 19

Matterhorn Mountain ascent Dore – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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Every now and then, in this world-of-lies, a certain, secular storybook, or television show, movie, or maybe even some popular song slips through the cracks, presenting some profound truth which aligns itself with God’s infallible Word-of-Truth.

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Such is the case with a certain song/poem with the following lyrics in the last verse…

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Matterhorn Mountain disaster – Dore – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

1984 – By George Orwell – Wikipedia – Public Domain

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(4th verse) “…God only knows, God makes his plan

The information’s unavailable to the mortal man

We work our jobs, collect our pay

Believe we’re gliding down the highway

When in fact we’re slip sliding away

Slip sliding away, slip sliding away

You know the nearer your destination

The more you’re slip sliding away”

Lyrics of Paul Simon provided by Musixmatch

Matterhorn Mountain disaster – Dore – Wikipedia – US Public Domain

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**Yes, the citizens of this tragic world, while trying to be happy and prosperous, are merely “slip sliding away”, day-by-day, year-by-year, falling in and out of troubles, both little and big.**

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Now in this very well-done song, the composer cites three examples of how this world is caught in various human tragedies, so common today:

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1. A person totally and hopelessly enveloped in romantic idolatry,

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2. A woman unhappy and remorseful with her bad marriage and poor life-choices,

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3. A father separated from his son, longing to explain to his little one why he made the life-choices which separated the two.

kissing hand – Wikimedia – Share-alike-License

Divorce – Wikimedia – the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

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Well, the point of today’s devotional is to expand on this theme, so as to make a greater emphasis on the main lyrics: “Slip-Sliding Away”

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So true are these human sentiments…“You know the nearer our destination, the more we’re slip-sliding away!”

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And just what destination are we getting nearer to? Old age? Death? Yes, it seems like all our youthful victories and successes seem to eventually fall away, like the proverbial flower of the field.

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From little children, oblivious to much of the hopeless wickedness of this fallen world, to teens who begin suffering various pains of peer-pressure, personal problems and inadequacies.

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And then becoming senior citizens, suffering increasing health issues, financial issues, loneliness, loss-of-loved-ones, fear-of-death, it can be truly said…“You know the nearer your destination, The more you’re slip sliding away”. Yes, the older we get, the more that life can get difficult, to put it mildly!

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Yes, the author of this popular song made the observation that the entire human race would like to “Believe we’re gliding down the highway When in fact we’re slip sliding away”

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After all, we humans quite often believe that our lives are going pretty well, maybe even a great success, when in fact, we are just one step away from misfortune, failure, and even disaster!

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Perhaps we’re having great victories in our careers. Or maybe our looks and personalities are attractive to others.

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Or we enjoy endless partying, socializing, laughing, and joking our way through life, seemingly unscathed!

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Or maybe we’re just “livin’ the dream” (as the saying goes), and “the envy of all!”

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But what we so often forget is, that sooner or later, we are certain to meet with failure…or sickness…or rejection…or bankruptcy…or divorce…or addiction…or war…or loss of loved ones, and finally, for each and every one of us…our cruel appointment with “The Grim Reaper”…death.

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Yes, that hard-working entrepreneur who joyfully puts in an 80-hour work-week, quite often does so at the expense of his marriage, and/or children! And his daily sacrifice of his family upon the altar to “the god of prosperity and pride” will eventually catch up to him (or her). And sorrow, tragedy, and bitterness will then replace all the joy of success and prosperity we once thought would never end.

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But this same tragic tale comes in countless forms. A certain movie called “The Days of Wine & Roses” is about a successful business executive who began drinking “just one celebratory glass of wine” with his young, beautiful wife. but before long they became hopeless drunkards, losing all their many worldly attainments which financial/social success usually brings!

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Says the Preacher…

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“Remember now thy Creator

in the days of thy youth,

while the evil days come not,

nor the years draw nigh,

when thou shalt say,

I have no pleasure in them”

Ecclesiastes 12:1

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“…God only knows, God makes his plan. The information’s unavailable to the mortal man”

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As these lyrics so poetically say, God, “the Author of Life”, is infinite in knowledge and wisdom. “His understanding is infinite” (Psalm 147:5)

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And the people of this lost and hopeless world have no knowledge of why things happen, both in the world, but also in their own personal lives, as the song says…“…God only knows, God makes his plan. The information’s unavailable to the mortal man”.

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But those who have returned back to follow Jesus…they know…they understand.

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Listen to the Prophet, Jeremiah…“But though He (God) cause grief, yet will He have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. To crush under His feet all the prisoners of the earth…Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD”

Lamentations of Jeremiah 3:32-34, 40

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This passage reveals that God allows us to eat the bitter fruit of our ways, in hopes that through mankind’s sufferings, we will turn to the Lord for help, guidance, and deliverance from death!

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God further says…“I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die…?” Ezekiel 33:11

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And Heaven’s alternative to our slippery ways gets even more wonderful, as Jesus stretches out His hands and proclaims…“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

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“Rest unto your souls!” What could be better than that!?

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**And “Rest unto your souls” is such a simple solution to mankind’s tragic mismanagement of this world!**

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“Perfect peace” can be ours! (See Isaiah 26:3)

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Not only can we have peace and joy in this present little time on earth, but also throughout eternity in the earth-made-new! A new Heavens and a new Earth, in which all nature will be freed from decay and death. “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”. Revelation 21:4

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TO READ MORE…

***October 13 (It’s A Throw-away World, Part 2: “Mojo-Magic or Devilish Design…or Both?”), or you may also read…October 26th (It’s a throw-away world!)***

Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license

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THE END

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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN

Info & pics of constellations on this site from Wikipedia & International Astronomical Union (click here)

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