THIS CAUTION appeared on a notice board by the side of a road in the West of England. On the other side of the hedge there was a flying-field, and the warning words were meant for the users of the road. They reminded the writer of another road notice put up by the men of the R.A.F. on a flying-field near Ramsgate:
‘Keep moving. If you stop you are in danger, and a danger to those flying’.
We live at a time when movement on land, on sea and in the air is amazingly swift, thanks to our wonderful modern machines. But such movement is not the highest type of movement; there is movement of the soul as well as movement of the body. We have bodies but we are souls, and the highest kind of movement is the movement of the soul towards God. When we were saved we heard the voice of Jesus say ‘Come unto me’, and it was then that we made our first movement towards God – we moved out to meet Him in personal surrender and trust. If a healthy body craves action so will a healthy soul, and such activity is movement of the highest kind. It will express itself in true worship, fervent prayer, devoted service and godly walking; indeed, without movement of this kind there can be little progress in the Christian fife. Did the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews have this in mind when he said, ‘Let us go on’? Heb. 6. 1.
Unless we keep moving forward in the Christian life we are in danger – in danger of becoming slack, of going to sleep, of being side-tracked by the world and false teaching, and of losing our joy and even our assurance of salvation. Not only so, we are a danger to other Christians; our example is discouraging, and we become a source of weakness rather than of strength in the Lord’s army. What progress have we made? Have we made any progress at all? Are you growing up or are you satisfied to remain in spiritual childhood? Remember, that ‘he who ceases to become better will soon cease to be good’.
Hurry is not necessarily progress. David Livingstone’s manner of walking was typical of his character. It was neither slow nor fast, neither hurry nor dawdle, but a steady, determined pressing on that meant getting to his destination or becoming what he meant to be. A quiet, steady, consistent walking is of more value here than a great deal of running, and it is much less exhausting.
We are to be both steadfast and progressive, and this will involve intelligent movement. We are to keep on the lines of Scripture truths and principles, and we are to keep moving along those lines. The giant oak is the same tree as the tiny sapling; it is rooted in the same spot and has the same life, but what a difference in stature and usefulness between the tiny sapling and the full-grown tree! Peter’s closing word is an exhortation to be both steadfast and progressive: ‘Beware lest ye … fall from your own steadfastness; but grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ’, 2 Peter 3. 17, 18.
