Near and far

While exercising on my Nordic Track machine tonight, I've been watching a documentary about Napoleon's colossal failure to defeat Russia.  He entered Russia with over half a million men only to lose virtually all of his men, even though he was not defeated by another army.  In fact, he won the only battle he fought to capture Moscow.  But when he was unable to pin down the Russian army he was forced to retreat through severe winter weather.  Most of his men died due either directly or indirectly to the severe early winter as they trudged the 500 miles from Moscow to Lithuania.  The show ended with a stark comparison of the shallow graves that most of Napoleon's men were buried in with the elaborate tomb of Napoleon.  The thought I have is that once a man goes afield of the Lord there is almost no limit to the distance he can put between himself and wisdom.  And the failure of one can lead to the downfall of many others.  And it wasn't just Napoleon who failed that winter.  As the French troops retreated from Moscow many tried to take valuables of brass and gold with them instead of food.  They became exhausted from lugging their loot and died of hunger.  It struck me that it is far more common for men to put their life energy into pursuits that take them away from the Lord than it is for men to passionateloy pursue nearness...to see how close they can come to Him.  Certainly that would lead to a far warmer experience than Napoleon and his army faced in Russia that year.

 

Psalm 119: 150 They draw near who follow after wickedness;  They are far from Your law.

 

Psalm 73:28 But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord GOD, That I may declare all Your works.

 

blessings,

Rob Smith