essays 37-45

1. #37 "What's blocking your view?"
2. #38 "Don't touch that dial!"
3. #39 "The 'Possum wasn't wearing Nikes"
4. #40 "Bragging Faucets"
5. #41 "Spilled Milk and other Irreversibilities"
6. #42 "Now, there's a prime campsite!"
7. #43 "So, you want to see fireworks?"
8. #44 "Inconspicuous? Your horn is honking!"
9. #45 "My, what nice leaves you have!"

#37 "What's blocking your view?"

Obscured vision is annoying. Unless you are really tall (which I am certainly not!) you have had the experience of having a taller person sit or stand in front of you, blocking your view. Or maybe you are trying to glimpse something and a whole crowd is in front of you. Maybe a physical object is in the way...a post, an ugly billboard, a baseball cap. (A baseball cap? I was wearing such a cap while mowing a few weeks ago and didn't see the tree branch...my head is still attached, but the hat came off!)

Zacchaeus had his view blocked but that didn't stop him. I think he found the key! If your view of Jesus is blocked, you are living down too low. Stand up! Go to "higher ground"! If we wallow down too close to the world, we'll never get a decent view. Jesus commands us to be "looking up". Especially now, as time seems to be winding to its grand finale...keep looking up--our redemption is nigh!

stop acting as though you are still a caterpillar! You are a "butterfly" now!

#38 "Don't touch that dial!"

Is God's voice a "station" that you enjoy listening to? Is it ever quiet enough in your life that you can even hear His "channel"? When you recognize His voice, do you quickly turn to something more "easy listening"? When station "WGOD" come on, do we tune in or tune out?

Sometimes we actively seek His guidance (while secretly hoping that He will go along with whatever we've already decided!). Other times, we'd rather not consult God first...instead we foolishly "rush in where angels fear to tread". Listening to God's "still small voice" takes effort and concentration....but our brains are tired! We'd rather enjoy some mindless entertainment that won't tax our mental abilities. We justify ourselves: "I've worked hard, I deserve a break. I don't have time to listen (pray or meditate on the Word) right now--why do I need to anyway? I've been saved, I believe the Bible, I go to church every Sunday."

Fine, if that is the kind of relationship you want to have with your Creator, Redeemer and Lord. But you'll never make it past that first shallow level! All good relationships require much time and effort (marriage, friendships)...why do you think it is any different with God?

put your "ears" on!

#39 "The 'Possum wasn't wearing Nikes"

I was taking a walk along our road yesterday and couldn't help noticing the unfortunate possum who wasn't quite fast enough to get to the other side. Now, I have no particular regard for 'possums.(I wonder if they degenerated after the Fall?) But seeing that possum made me ponder....

That possum thought he was fast enough all on his own (without his "Nike's", if you will). He underestimated the strength of the enemy (the murderous car). The road is a dangerous place...especially for an awkward possum.

I've probably sunk too low this time in comparing us with 'possums but can you see that we can't "go it alone" either? We need to go in God's power; we need His armor and protection....the world is a dangerous place and we are no match on our own against the enemy!

A secondary application would be a caution not to put God to the test. There is a fine line between trust and just plain foolhardiness. Yes, God is always with you but there is no reason to be reckless. Remember, that was one of the temptations that Jesus had in the wilderness--He didn't fall for it; we shouldn't, either. Young people in particular can tend to think that they are invincible. I especially fear for the unconverted, for they are in danger of losing their souls as well as their lives. Pray for them!

look both ways and put on those "Nikes"!

#40 "Bragging Faucets"

Sometimes, when God is using us to do His work, we can forget that we are merely conduits. He is the only Source! When all the water to our homes is shut off because of some problem, those water pipes and faucets don't do us a bit of good! The same thing happens when we have a power failure--all those wonderful electrical wires and appliances are absolutely worthless in themselves! Are we bragging faucets? It can be so difficult to separate what God is doing through us from our own egos. The more we think about self and what we are doing, the less we can be used.

We need to be filled: we are containers! Now, what does your container hold? Make sure that God is the one filling you. His water is pure; His power is infinite! Let God use you, but don't dwell too much on your own part--He can use anyone. As I was just reminded, He can even use a donkey! Concentrate on the Source. Does anyone really care how beautiful and ornate the faucet is if it produces no water (or only foul tasting and smelling water?) Keep your focus on Him and be prepared to be amazed!

let's not be bragging faucets but willing vessels,

#41 "Spilled Milk and other Irreversibilities"

While I was taking groceries out of our van this week, a whole gallon of milk slipped out of my hand, tumbled to the ground and split open. (..cheap plastic jugs!) That milk soaked into our gravel lane so quickly that our cats didn't even have a chance to lap it up. In a minute, it was all gone. "OK, Lord, what are you trying to tell me here?" (besides the fact that I am clumsy!) My first thought was of the brevity of life:

Unless we are really old or mortally ill, most of us don't think much about death. Yes, I know the ministers are always reminding us that "this could be your last Sunday in church...some of you may not be here next week". But that sort of goes in one ear and out the other! Death? I have lots of years left! ....and I live like it, too. We are not to be morbid, obsessed by the thought of our own mortality. But we should be realistic--are we "redeeming the time"? How much of our time is given to business and entertainment? How much to God and relationships?

You have heard about not crying over spilled milk...are you still flagellating yourself over mistakes of the past (which have been repented of and forgiven)? Do you mourn excessively over losses: lost opportunities, lost youth, loss of health, loss of a job? It is spilled milk! Face up to it, accept it, and move on. "Remember Lot's wife!" "If only's" are a waste of time...and time is short!

One last "irreversibility"; something else that can't be taken back: harsh words. You can apologize, but words spoken hastily cannot be retrieved. They sink into the ground and are soaked up. Be careful; weigh your words. Don't just "let loose".

And remember, some day, perhaps soon, God will regather the spilled milk; He will reverse the irreversible:"in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (!!!!!)

Don't cry, God can regather spilled milk!

#42 "Now, there's a prime campsite!"

How many of us are "pitching our tents toward Sodom"? We had the story of Lot in Bible School and I was thinking about where Lot went wrong. Yes, Lot was a righteous man (although you don't find that out until you read II Peter 2:7 in the NEW Testament) but he wasn't much of a witness! All those years in Sodom and he was only able to save his two daughters. Why? Did Lot underestimate the lure of sin? Did he compromise--was it too hard for him to "come out from among them and be..separate"? What was it about city life that appealed to him? Convenience? Entertainment? Political power? Maybe he wanted to feel settled, unlike his uncle Abraham, who only sojourned here. Abraham "looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Do we sometimes live like Lot? Do we have the same reaction toward sin: we "grieve [our] righteous soul[s]"; we say "I can't believe this filth!" and yet....we just keep on grieving our souls instead of putting down that magazine or book, or turning the radio station, or turning off the TV. Do we toy with temptation instead of fleeing from it? We need to be more like Joseph with Potiphar's wife; he didn't keep on protesting, he fled! We know there is much evil and sin out in the world today--I'm not saying that we ignore it, but that we do not dwell on it.

Did Lot stay in Sodom for "research purposes" only?

#43 "So, you want to see fireworks?"

We lit off a few fireworks recently and I was jolted into thinking about how brief our life on earth really is. And not only our life, but this earth (in its present state) as well. As I've read,

"the 'Big Bang' hasn't happened yet but it's coming--are you ready?" (thanks to Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis for that one)

Yes, someday this earth is going to be dissolved someday; all the works in it will be burned up. (You don't believe me? Look up II Peter chapter 3) What a fireworks display that will be! And we won't be left with ashes, but with a new (renewed) earth and heaven (atmospheric heaven & possible starry heaven as well, not the "3rd heaven" where God dwells). This new earth will be a place suitable for the New Jerusalem that we read about in the last chapter of Revelation.

We talked about Creation and the Garden of Eden in the Kindergarten Sunday School class that I helped to teach awhile back. I asked the children, "Do you think that there were any weeds and thorns in the Garden? Do you think you'd have to be afraid of those lions?" No, God made everything perfect--He declared it good. No sin, no death, no fear; only perfect fellowship with Him. That perfect beginning was spoiled by man--all because we were given free will. But As C.S. Lewis wrote,

"If God thinks this state of war in the universe a price worth paying for free will...then we may take it it is worth paying."

But we have another chance at a perfect earth! And it is all because of Jesus Christ! We were reminded yesterday of not only how brief life is, but how soon our "catching up" (the Rapture) could be. Are we ready? watching? working in the meantime?

I'll end with another quote by Lewis, about our hope of Heaven:

"..a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not..escapism...but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is..Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in; aim at earth and you will get neither."

I hope you will all be watching the ultimate "fireworks" from the safe distance of Heaven!

#44 "Inconspicuous? Your horn is honking!"

My sister has one of those neat gadgets to help you find your car in the parking lot. (I could sure use one of those!) She just pushes a button on the gadget and when the car is within range, the lights turn on and the horn honks. Startling, but effective.

I had to think of the many Bible verses stating that nothing is hidden from God; our lives are as an open book before Him. We may think we are not seen; no one else may see us or even suspect that we are hiding anything. But in God's eyes, it is as if we are honking our horns and flashing our headlights--only too obvious!

It doesn't do any good to try to hid anything from God! Adams and Eve couldn't hide, neither could Cain. Ditto Achan and his unlawful plunder. David couldn't cover up his sin with Bathsheba. And looked what happened to Jonah!

Since you can't hide from God, you might as well allow Him to search the dark nooks and crannies of your heart and shine His light of truth in them. Better now than later! Remember Matthew 10:26--

don't run, don't hide...let God work from the inside!