Ezekiel 10:22
And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves: they went every one straight forward.
When Ezekiel saw what the living creatures did, he commented that they went every one straight forward. Forward was the position they were going, and straight was their focus. As these living creatures did the work of God, they never went backward, and they always stayed focused on what God wanted them to do.
I want you to notice that this verse does not say that they went straight. This verse says that they went straight forward. You can go straight in life, but not in the direction you are supposed to be going. Just because you have not veered off to the right or left does not mean you are pleasing the LORD. You could be going straight backward, which would not be pleasing to the LORD. Just going in a straight line is not enough.
Moreover, you will notice that this verse does not say that they went forward. This verse says that they went straight forward. You can be going forward without going in a straight line, and you will not accomplish for God what He has planned for your life. Going forward is always the direction God wants us to go, but going straight forward is the quickest line to getting where God wants you to be. Many miss all the opportunities God has for them because they are not going straight forward.
The fact that this verse says they went straight forward shows the importance of being directionally right, and also keeping your focus on doing what God wants you to do without being sidetracked. The phrase straight forward reveals the two biggest battles that you will fight as you serve the LORD.
The first great battle is to stay directionally right. A person always changes their direction before they ever change their positions. One of the things that trouble me is watching people condone directional changes. Changing directionally does not happen quickly, but slowly. A person turns directionally a little at a time. You will notice that as a person changes their direction slowly that they are not yet changing their positions, but they are turning and will one day change their positions. Being directionally right is one of the most critical battles that you will fight. If you stay directionally right, you will always be positionally right. However, when you start the move to turn your direction, that move will continue until you are positionally wrong. The best time to separate from someone is when they begin to turn in their direction. If you wait until they have compromised, you will turn with them.
The second great battle you must fight is to stay focused so that you don't get sidetracked in your ministry. Many have gone forward but got sidetracked, which kept them from going straight. Always remember that anytime you don’t keep going straight, you keep yourself from reaching the potential that God has for you. There are many good things you can do while serving the LORD, but you must not be sidetracked by unimportant things that keep you from going straight. You cannot go forward and accomplish all that God wants you to do and be sidetracked at the same time. You must be directionally right, stay focused, and go straight so that you don't miss all that God has for you to do.
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