If the astronauts on Apollo 11 were as little as 1 degree off on their calculations, they would have missed the moon by a great distance. If a boat sets its course on a particular destination and was only 1 degree off they would find themselves in an unknown destination. Likewise, this is the situation with us personally and our nation. One little compromise, one seemingly minor rationalization away from God's Word and His counsel, and over time God is eliminated from our lives. It all seems so harmless. It even seems to be relevant, open-minded and popular, but this is how backsliding starts. Our nation didn't accept abortion overnight. Approximately 50 years preceding Roe v. Wade, Margaret Sanger, the mother of the modern abortion movement began to slowly and steadily change the hearts and minds of the people, one compromise at a time. In Nazi Germany, they didn't open up concentration camps overnight for the Jewish people. No, over time, through propaganda, misinformation, etc. they slowly demonized the Jewish people in the eyes of the German people, so that over time they were capable of acting out unthinkable things. Again, one compromise and rationalization at a time. Now with Drag Queen reading time at Libraries and at schools, with the LGBTQ infiltration into the school curriculum, we are beginning to see the widespread assault on the minds of our children with already profound implications. One compromise at a time and this new and abominable concept of gender fluidity has become the rule of the land. Our country was founded upon the principles of God's Word. Our government was founded upon Judeo-Christian principles. Only 250 years later, our nation is barely recognizable. Likewise for the individual, if we do not keep ourselves consistently and daily in God's Word, compromise will seep in, and over time what started out so pure will become barely recognizable.
We meet Sanballat and Tobiah very early in the book of Nehemiah. In chapter 2, these were the men who did all they could do to thwart the building of the wall and set themselves up as enemies of Nehemiah. Chapter 12 ends on a high note with the signing of a covenant and an amazing worship service. Nehemiah their leader, then leaves Jerusalem to return to the King of Persia to fulfill his promise to him and his previous obligation. In only 2 short years, one compromise at a time, sin entered the camp and Jerusalem became unrecognizable. We read in Nehemiah 13:4-5, "Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of God, was allied with Tobiah. And he had prepared for him a large room, where previously they had stored the grain offerings...which were commanded to be given to the Levites and singers and gatekeepers, and offerings for the priests." Not only did the priest compromise God's Law, he compromised the temple, and he invited Nehemiah's foreign enemy to actually live in the temple. We read in 13:28, "And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; therefore I drove him from me." This same priest, knowing God's clear counsel to refrain from marrying women who did not honor God, not only allowed his son to do so, but allowed him to marry the daughter of another of Nehemiah's and more importantly an enemy to the Jewish people, Sanballat's daughter. What were the results? In just two short years, tithing had stopped and the Levites had to stop their service and had to work other jobs for a living. In just two years, the Sabbath was changed from a day dedicated to rest and dedication of God, into an ordinary day of work.
None of us should be shocked over the transformation of our nation. We were not and are not pretty good. We were founded under God but our nation has chosen a new book to follow. There can be no compromise with the counsel of God, if so, God will slowly and surely be pushed off the scene. The same holds true for us personally. At some point those of us who made a decision to accept the gospel message and enter into a relationship with God entered humble and broken. We accepted His Book and His counsel as our instruction manual. If we wonder why our walk seems aimless, to lack vitality, to be floundering, we should reflect back as to where we decided to make that 1 degree compromise away from God's Word. Perhaps the business of life has taken precedence over our time in His Word. We need to reset our course, and this can only occur by renewing our love for Him, and submitting once again to His direction as outlined in His Word. Remember when our relationship with Him seems stale or wayward, He is the constant. He has not changed and never will change. We are the ones that changed, and He is ready and willing to renew and refresh us. We read in John 8:31-32, "...If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”