ALL SHOOK UP

A few years ago, we were blessed to behold one of God’s more unusual creations on our back deck -- a varmint that carries the official scientific name of “Nutria.” That sounds like a faux sweetener to me. Said Nutria looks like a combination of a beaver and a Jurassic rat, and it belongs in Louisiana marshes, so what it’s doing in the Midwest, I dunno. We're accustomed to seeing foxes, skunks, and raccoons, but this varmint was totally unexpected. It’s good to get shook up occasionally, especially as a retired person. It keeps the blood pumping.

I'm a big fan of dainty wee ladybugs, delicate butterflies, and sweet green inchworms. But the rare sight of a jungle-sized spider weaving its trap on my deck causes shock and awe, and a desire to move to Antarctica, where there are only frozen spiders.

It’s far too easy to take for granted the daily sun-sets, and moon-rises. I’ll never forget the day when my “laissez-faire” attitude towards the created universe was immediately changed. We were driving home on our hilly road, and there was a harvest moon so huge, blazingly orange, and low on the horizon that I swore it had landed ON the street in front of us. My heart almost stopped for the extreme beauty, and yes, even fear of God’s creation!  And now that a very rare solar eclipse is upon us, I prepare to be amazed once again at His handiwork.

This causes me to realize that, in daily Bible readings, it can be easy, through repetition, to fail to appreciate the sovereignty of God, and the eternality and dominion of Christ. It’s important for me to stop occasionally, and meditate on the instances where people in the Bible actually fell on their faces when confronted with the majesty and holiness of God (Genesis 17:3), and of the preincarnate and risen Christ (Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 1:17). There will come a day when “at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10).

Lord Jesus, may I never become a spiritual sluggard, taking You and Your sovereign authority for granted.  I praise You when I read Your thundering perspective to Job, "where were you when I ..... [created] ..." (Job 38-41).  How blessed I feel when You get me “shook up,” renewing the proper perspective of humility before You, and to keep my “spiritual blood” pumping.

FALLING OFF THE WAGON

Y'all try not to be jealous, but … I am the Queen of Klutz.  Most of my acquaintances know that I accidentally knock elbows, knees, and forehead all over my house, into walls and into furniture.  I’ve fallen off chairs, off my bicycle, off my front porch into a rose bush, and I even fell into an open grave once.  Don’t ask.

I’ve also learned that it’s possible to fall in other ways.  Falling off the proverbial “wagon” means, in my case, falling off a carefully-constructed diet plan.  This year I’ve been eating almost exclusively healthy food.  Yet when confronted with a huge chocolate cake, I tripped over its 6-foot shadow and fell face first into that pile of gooey wonderfulness.  That’s certainly not MY fault.  Is it?  Surely, being klutzy, and falling off things into other things, can be blamed upon The Fall!?  Good, we agree, now I feel better.

HowEVer … it’s occurred to me that sometimes, maybe, perchance … I don’t just fall off the wagon, nor am I pushed off by enablers with ornery tendencies.  I hate to say it out loud, but there are those rare times when instead of falling, I actually dive into temptations and sins headfirst, whooping with glee all the way down, like extreme bungee-cord jumping.  I hear certain people (sometimes just my own voice) chirp to me, “ya gotta have fun sometimes!”   And shoving away any common sense at all, I yell, “okay!!” and off I leap into my sin du’jour where wallowing commences.

I don’t think there’s anything in Scripture specifically against pastry sin (well, okay, there’s gluttony).  There’s plenty about using discernment in hanging out with (alleged) friends who may enjoy leading me astray (Proverbs 22:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:33).  Isn’t it interesting how we want to blame somebody else?  How about Eve!  Because just as she saw and lusted, then dove headlong into sin, I’m also prone to leaping off my sanctification wagon.  Yeah, it’s all her fault.

My loving, patient Lord Jesus, although it’s depressing to know that sometimes I obstinately choose to sin, it’s so mega-comforting to know that You understand.  You were tempted because You shared in flesh and blood, yet without sin (Hebrews 2:18).  My Jesus, please cause me, on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis to choose NOT to dive into sin, but into your grace.  Help me not to walk according to the flesh, but by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).  And how I praise You for the blessed reminder that there is now no condemnation in You, because You have set me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).  Just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for me from within, so do You intercede for me from above (Romans 8:26, 34).  As I walk with You through the rest of my days, I anticipate less spiritual klutziness, so no more blaming allowed!