What Are You Looking At?

Photo by Colin Smith 2011

Everywhere we look in today’s world we see monuments to man’s ingenuity, creativity, and lusts: skyscrapers; cars and planes; billboards and screens flashing seductive images; logos symbolizing corporate power and wealth. In some cities these all but crowd out the evidence of God’s wondrous creation – majestic landscapes, beautiful flowers and trees, and amazing animals (John 1:3). Many deny or tend to forget that we too are God’s creation, fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).

Whatever idols we have fashioned to indulge our eyes, these are only possible through the gifts of intelligence, artistry, and resources God has entrusted to us (James 1:17). How sad that many pervert these gifts to mock Him rather than to glorify Him, and that many feast their eyes on images of the world’s darkness rather than His light. Yet what we look at affects who and what we are.

Luke 11:34 The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

God’s Word gives us clear warnings about what not to look at -- we should “set no wicked thing before [our] eyes” (Psalm 101:3). We should not look back at the attractions and preoccupations of our lives before we were saved (Luke 9:62; Genesis 19:26).

The Bible is full of examples where the “lust of the eyes” (1 John 2:16) has led to sin, including Eve beholding the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:6) and David spying on Bathsheba washing herself (2 Samuel 11:2).

Jesus warned so sternly of this danger that He said:

Mark 9:47 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire. (see also Matthew 5:29; 18:9).

As always, God exchanges His good gifts for our sinful desires, so He indicates what we should be looking at instead, and the blessings that will result.

In Exodus, the laver (washbasin) of brass, an important piece of furniture of the tabernacle, was made of looking glasses (mirrors) donated by the women coming to worship (Exodus 38:8). Although their custom had been to bring their personal mirror with them to the temple to check on their appearance, they surrendered them so that God’s house would be glorified. What a great reminder to spend less time primping in the mirror and more time worshipping God!

As we turn away from sinful and evil images, here is what God says we should look at instead: 

--The cross, where Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, died to pay our sin debt in full, that all who trust Him would have eternal life (John 3:16).

--The beauty of God’s creation, which reflects His glory (Psalm 19:1).

--The Godly example set by our spiritual mentors, teachers and pastors (Psalm 101:6).

--The fields of unsaved souls ripe for harvest (John 4:35), considering how we can “open their eyes, and… turn them from darkness to light” (Acts 26:18).

--Jesus Christ, Lamb of God (John 1:36), the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), Who gives us life and light (2 Corinthians 4: 3-6; Numbers 21:8).

--His Word, which is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105).

--The heavens, which remind us that He is waiting to receive us (Acts 7:55) and that He is coming back to meet us in the air (Luke 21:28; Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13).

As we shift our focus from the world to heavenly things, we will be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2), which will be kept in perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3). Look up and live!

Copyright 2012 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

The Distracted Ruler Loses Focus, Faithfulness, and Fear of the Lord

 

King David displayed wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, for he was a Godly man of faith, a wise father to Solomon, and a good ruler to God’s people. Yet the Bible shows us that even such a man is not immune to distraction, temptation and ultimately sin (Romans 3:23). One of the proofs that Scripture is the inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) is that it does not sugar coat the truth, portraying its heroes as picture perfect, but rather shows us man’s weaknesses and failures as well as his virtues.

King David had just scored a great victory over Syria (2 Samuel 10) and was enjoying a well-deserved respite in his home at Jerusalem. Certainly there is nothing wrong in rest (Matthew 11:2; Psalm 127:2), renewal (Isaiah 40:31), and refreshment (Exodus 23:12) after triumph in a hard battle, whether it be physical, spiritual, or political warfare. God Himself rested after His work in the six days of creation (Genesis 2:2-3).

But overindulgence in rest (Proverbs 6:9-11) can become distraction (Hebrews 12:1) from God’s purpose for our life, leading to idleness (Ecclesiastes 10:18; Ezekiel 16:49), and slothfulness (Proverbs 19:15). In David’s case, his year of rest should have been over, for it was time for the warring kings to return to battle, and for him to lead his troops. Instead, he sent his commander Joab, his servants, and all of Israel to destroy the children of Ammon and besiege Rabbah, while he lingered behind in Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:1). 

This sin of idleness soon put him in a position where he could be tempted by the lust of the eyes, which if uncontrolled soon leads to the lust of the flesh and pride of life (1 John 2:16). Pride is evident in David’s belief that fulfilling his desires was more important than not hurting others or disobeying God.

When born-again believers, meaning those who are saved by our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), are not doing God’s work, we get restless. The new man within us longs to yield to the Holy Spirit, to serve God, and to be in the center of His perfect will (1 Corinthians 2:9-16).

Yet our sin nature rebels against God (Romans 7:7-25) and tries to convince us that we deserve time off, or that we should be directing our efforts toward improving our position in the world, or just “following our heart.” All of these are euphemisms for sin and lies from the devil (John 8:44; 1 John 2:22), causing us to grieve the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30).

So David, who should have been fulfilling God’s plan for him as faithful servant, benevolent ruler, and heroic warrior, instead lost his focus, lingered in temptation, and fell into sin. One evening he was so restless that he arose from bed, walked out on his roof to enjoy the cool breeze, and spotted a beautiful woman bathing (2 Samuel 11:2).

Billy Graham once wrote that if a young man notices a beautiful woman who crosses his path, that is only temptation, but if he stares at her, that is sin. God always provides a way out of temptation if we choose it (1 Corinthians 10:13). David could simply have averted his eyes, walked back inside, and prayed to God to create a clean heart within him (Psalm 51:10).

Instead, he allowed his temptation to grow into lust (a sin in thought) which soon gave way to sinful acts toward the family of Bathsheba, described as the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. He discovered who she was, sent messengers to bring her to him, and had sexual relations with her (2 Samuel 11:3-4).

Jesus said that if we even look at another person with lustful thoughts toward them, it is as if we have committed adultery in our heart (Matthew 5:28). David went beyond that to commit fornication in the flesh, and adultery by sleeping with a woman who was already married, setting up a love triangle between himself, Bathsheba, and her husband Uriah.

This was particularly shameful as David had many wives and concubines, yet he defiled Uriah’s only wife. David’s sins began to snowball out of control, as idleness gave way to lust, coveting another man’s wife, and adultery. God’s anger over adultery is so intense that the laws He gave Moses demanded that both partners in adultery be put to death (Deuteronomy 22:22)

The apostle Paul writes that sexually immoral persons, idolaters and adulterers will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), making it clear that sexual sins are a form of idolatry, because they separate the sinner from fellowship with God and they elevate one’s own desires over the good of others. Thus, committing adultery becomes a form of apostasy, or rebellion against God Who imposes laws against fulfilling the desires of our sin nature.

We see this clearly with David, whose sin of adultery led not only to deception, but ultimately to murder, all of which are transgressions against God’s laws in the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:7-17-21). When Bathsheba got pregnant, David plotted to make Uriah think he was the father. He had his commander Joab send Uriah to David, and he asked Uriah to report on the progress of the battle (to cover his true motive for bring him home), and then ordered Uriah to go home to his wife while he was in town (2 Samuel 11:5-8).

This elaborate scheme was intended for Uriah to sleep with Bathsheba, so that when her pregnancy became obvious, everyone would assume Uriah was the father, and David would not be held responsible. But Uriah had far more honor, loyalty, and valor than David, for he could not choose the comforts of home while his fellow soldiers were camped out in the field.

When David questioned why Uriah did not go to his house, he replied “The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing (2 Samuel 11: 9-11).

So David tried again to lure Uriah into Bathsheba’s arms, plying him with liquor in hopes of making Uriah abandon his principles (Proverbs 20:1), but he could not. When Uriah had been in Jerusalem for three days, David wrote a letter to Joab, sent it with Uriah, and in it ordered Joab to position Uriah on the front lines of the hottest battle, withdraw support, and allow him to be fatally wounded  (2 Samuel 11:13-15).

Consequences, judgment and heartache always follow sin, but no sin is too great for God to forgive. Lest we follow David’s path, may we gird up the loins of [our] mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto [us] at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13).

© 2017 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Rebellion and Redemption: Expulsion from Eden

 

 

Like labor pains, the signs of Christ's return are increasing in severity and intensity, including wars, rumors of wars, famine, disease, earthquakes in unusual places, Christian persecution, false doctrine and false teachers, and hatred of others, even the unnatural lack of love for one's own flesh and blood (Matthew 24). All these evils can be traced back to the curse of sin on humanity and on the earth because of Adam and Eve's disobedience to God. Yet praise God, He opened the plan of redemption to whosoever would trust in Jesus Christ His Son (John 3:16), giving us a living hope even in these dark, perilous times. I therefore thought it would be appropriate to repost this from the archives.

The overarching theme of the Bible is that of a perfectly loving, holy and just God creating, sustaining and redeeming His rebellious children. Because He is completely holy, He cannot allow sin into His presence (Leviticus 11:45). Because He is righteous and just, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished (1 Kings 8:32; Psalm 7:11). And because He is love (1 John 4:8), He gave His only Son to pay the punishment for our sins, so that he could shower His children with His infinite mercy and grace (2 John 1:3) and give them eternal life in His presence.

Despite the idyllic, blissful life God provided for Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, where they enjoyed the beauty of His creation, one another, and fellowship with Him (Genesis 1-4), they rebelled against Him.

Satan, in the form of a wise, beautiful and subtle serpent, resorted to his favorite ploy – starting with God’s truth and twisting it into a lie (Genesis 3: 1–3), for he is the father of lies (John 8:44). Eve was deceived and succumbed to the three temptations that are Satan’s signature strategies: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (Genesis 3:5-6; 1 John 2:16).

Before the fall, Adam and his wife were innocent and trusted God, as proven by their obedience. When they disobeyed and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they committed the first sin – rebellion against God’s commandment (Genesis 3:7). They lost fellowship with God and were afraid of Him because they knew they had done wrong (v.:8-10).

Before they had been unashamed of their nudity, as husband and wife should lovingly delight in one another in the sanctity of marriage (Hebrews 13:4). But after their eyes were opened, they knew they were naked and made a pitiful attempt to hide themselves with fig leaves (Genesis 3: 7)

God in His mercy gives Adam ample opportunity to confess (v. 9-11), for when we confess our sins, He is swift to forgive us (1 John 1:9). But instead, Adam and Eve both play the blame game. Adam has the audacity to blame God for giving him Eve, and he then tries to avoid guilt by blaming his wife (Genesis 3: 12). Not that Eve is any better – rather than taking responsibility for her disobedience, she blames the serpent (v. 13). 

Sadly, variations of this scenario are too often repeated, even to the present day. This results not only in failed marriages and relationships, but also in worldwide conflict and even war when rulers refuse to accept responsibility for their actions. Rather than acknowledge their own fault, criminals often blame a failed system or their dysfunctional family for their wrongdoing, which is a major obstacle to rehabilitation.

After Adam and Eve's sin, God first cursed the serpent (v. 14). Before he beguiled Eve, the serpent had feet and walked, but after he was condemned to slither along the ground (v.14). But the true object of God’s wrath is not the serpent that Satan used to tempt Eve, but Satan himself. Since Lucifer’s sin of pride led to his fall from Heaven, he has been the enemy of mankind – looking to kill and destroy (1 Peter 5:8). And the devil is the enemy of the seed of the woman – Jesus Christ, Who ultimately defeats Satan. But first Satan bruises His heel at the cross (Genesis 3 15).

The curse for Eve’s sin is the pain of childbirth and her subjection to her husband (v. 16; Ephesians 5: 20-25), and Adam’s curse is that he must work hard to eat (Genesis 3 17-18) until the day he dies. Sin brought with it the curse not only of hard physical labor, but of physical death (v. 19; Romans 6:23), including eternal spiritual death for those alienated from God.

But the promise of redemption was there in Eve’s seed (Genesis 3: 20). Many generations later, God’s own Son would take on human flesh (John 1:14), be born to Mary – one of Eve’s descendants -- and bring eternal life to all Who trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). 

Through His grace and sacrifice, believers are made righteous and freely receive eternal life (Romans 5: 17-19).

The first death occurred in the garden when God killed animals to clothe Adam and Eve with their skins (Genesis 3:21), which symbolized covering, but not removing, their sin, through shed blood. Thus began the “scarlet thread” (Joshua 2:18) of redemption by the blood woven throughout Bible history. The shedding of animal blood for sacrifices commanded by God covered the sins of His people, but only temporarily (Leviticus 4; 3-7).

Not until the perfect Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Himself would believers be washed clean in His blood (Revelation 1:5), their sins removed as far from them as is the East is from the West (Psalm 103:12). through His completed work on the cross.

Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge, they were marred by the sin of disobedience. If they would eat the tree of life, they would live forever in their sinful, corrupt bodies and would be doomed to hell for all eternity (Genesis 3:22). God had to prevent that so that they and their descendants could ultimately have eternal life in Heaven, so He expelled Adam and Eve from the garden and placed angels with flaming swords at its entrance to guard the tree of life (v.23-24).

Milllennia later, God will finally give His children access to the tree of life. Thanks to His plan of salvation through His Son, those who are born again will ultimately escape their sin-stained bodies and receive glorified bodies that will never age or become sick. In Heaven, in the New Jerusalem, we will eat fruit from the tree of life and its leaves will keep us from getting sick (Revelation 2:7; 22:2,14).

May we lead our lives not in rebellion, but in submission to His perfect will, so that we will ultimately taste the fruit of the tree of life and live forever in His presence!

© 2013 Laurie Collett

Edited, expanded and reposted from the archives

Beware of Scenic Overlooks

 

Photo Gary Halvorson Oregon State Archives 2006

Many young people and their families are now celebrating their graduation, a praiseworthy milestone in itself, and even more so in recent times because of challenges in schooling related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  A victory, for sure, yet one that can become a trap if we rest on laurels so long that we fail to commit to the next leg of the journey.

A dream reminding me of this dilemma inspired me to write the blog post below, which I now dedicate to recent graduates and their families. Congratulations to all, best wishes for the journey ahead, and praise God for allowing this achievement and all its accompanying blessings!

In this dream I had to reach holy ground where I would collect priceless treasure. The path to the prize was a maze with the holy place in the center, and each leg of the maze was a narrow corridor hewn into an underground cave.

The design of the maze was deceptively simple – it was just three sides of a square. At each corner was a brightly lit torch, but the sides of the square were long enough so that the light became progressively dim as I left the corner and traveled toward the middle of each side. Then my path became increasingly illuminated as I approached the next corner.

Also at each corner was a smaller, winding, rocky path leading along the diagonal of the square toward the center. After a long, arduous hike to the first corner, I approached the first of these byways. I cautiously ventured out along it and was thrilled by the view – I could see straight down to gleaming piles of gold and jewels heaped up in the center of the cave. At last I had the prize clearly in my sights, which gave me second wind for the rest of the journey.

I was so excited that I nearly lost my balance, which would have been disastrous as I would have tumbled down the rocks into the precipice and plunged to my death. Once I regained my footing and came to my senses, I stumbled back along the crooked path to the corner of the maze, only to find myself confused and dazed.

Which way should I go? The design of the maze could not be easier – just follow the three sides of the square, and then I assumed there would be a path leading directly to the treasure. But the torch light now blinded me; I was unsure of how much time had passed during my detour down the rocky path; and even worse, I did not know which direction to proceed along the maze.

I chose one path, only to discover a long time later that I had gone the wrong way, and was now back to where I had entered the maze. Tired and discouraged, I turned around and plodded again to the first corner, where at least now I was wise enough not to journey down to the scenic overlook.

After that I used the torch lights at each corner as my guideposts, helping me to measure how many sides of the square I had traveled. I resisted the temptation to check out the view below by taking the winding paths to the center. But each time as I left the reassuring glow of the torch to start the next leg of the journey, my spirits fell as the light grew dim, and I wished I could once more have a glimpse of the prize.

Finally the torch from the last corner came into view, and I found that once again I faced a difficult choice. There was an easy, wide path leading down, which presumably would take me to the gold and jewels that had motivated me along the journey. And there was a steep, circular, stone staircase leading up, with no visible reward in sight.

Suddenly I realized that the gold and jewels were merely a distraction keeping me from the true reward, which was the high, holy ground where I would meet my Saviour face to face! The worldly prize was visible and tantalizing, misdirecting me from my true destination. I could not see Him, but by keeping the eyes of my heart fixed on Him, I had the faith to follow Him as He led me in the right direction and to my promised reward.

As I awoke, I remembered that once we are born again by placing our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We walk.in Him (Colossians 2:6), and in His Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25) Who enters our heart at the moment of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13).

The path to Him is narrow but straight (Matthew 7:13) and simple, not convoluted, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:5-6). There are three steps along the path to entering His holy ground: realize we are sinners (Romans 3:23), turn away from our sins (Matthew 9:13; 2 Corinthians 7:10), and trust Him as our Lord and Saviour (2 Corinthians 3:4; Acts 15:11; 16:31; Ephesians 1:12-13; Philippians 3:20).

Yet even the disciples who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry sometimes faltered in their faith (Luke 22:31,34; John 20:25), and our journey is in many ways more difficult because we have not directly seen, heard or touched Him.

But we are more blessed because we believe and follow without seeing (John 20:29). When we feel lost in the darkness, we should not despair, give up, or turn back, because we have the light of His Word illuminating our path (Job 29:3; Psalm 18:28; 119:105). He is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and as His light shines through us, we are also the light of the world (Matthew 5:14).

Of course, Satan takes advantage of our inability to see Jesus Christ directly by tempting us with highly visible, spiritually empty rewards that appeal to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). But these are just scenic overlooks that can waste our time, create spiritual roadblocks, and even endanger us physically.

Sometimes Satan even uses these scenic overlooks to take away physical life before someone can be saved or complete God’s plan for their life. He has plucked away the lives of teenagers who fell to their death as they tried to take a “selfie” by a dangerous waterfall or precipice. The pleasures of sin only last a short while (Hebrews 11:25) before they bring forth disastrous physical as well as spiritual consequences (Romans 6:23).  

It is natural when we have experienced a great victory, spiritual or otherwise, to want to bask in the glow of the mountaintop experience. When Peter saw Christ’s glory in His transfiguration, he wanted to prolong the moment by building tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-6). It is good to enjoy God’s blessings (Psalm 34:8), to thank and praise Him for what He has done through us (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 30:4; 92:1), and to seek His direction for the future (Proverbs 3:6; 16:9).

Doing that prevents intense rebound distress after great victory, like that experienced by Elijah, whom God used to defeat the prophets of Baal in a powerful display of His glory (1 Kings 18). But then Elijah succumbed to fear and depression, thinking that Jezebel would destroy him and that no one would be left to worship God (1 Kings 19:4-16).

Rest in God after spiritual victory is good, but if we spend too much time with our head in the clouds, we may fail to complete the earthly mission God has planned for us.  Even faithful, productive believers such as King David can be diverted from their true purpose by scenic overlooks.

After his triumph in battle, David should have continued the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7) by leading his troops and setting a good example. Instead, he took time off, went home, got bored, wandered out on the roof on a hot summer night, and fell in lust with the beautiful view of Bathsheba bathing (2 Samuel 11:1-3).

Lust led to adultery, deceit, murder (2 Samuel 11:4-17), and then the consequences of his sin – the death of his firstborn by Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12: 18), and family strife for many years to come. If David had the luxury of a do-over, he may well have decided to forego the scenic overlook and to get back to God’s business.

May we keep or eyes fixed on the Prize – our true reward of eternity with Jesus Christ! May our journey shape us into His image, reflecting His perfect light, without wandering into worldly detours that can become deep ditches or even an early grave!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Edited and reposted from the archives

Beware of Scenic Overlooks

Photo by Gary Halvorson Oregon State Archives 2006

In this dream I had to reach holy ground where I would collect priceless treasure. The path to the prize was a maze with the holy place in the center, and each leg of the maze was a narrow corridor hewn into an underground cave.

The design of the maze was deceptively simple – it was just three sides of a square. At each corner was a brightly lit torch, but the sides of the square were long enough so that the light became progressively dim as I left the corner and traveled toward the middle of each side. Then my path became increasingly illuminated as I approached the next corner. 

Also at each corner was a smaller, winding, rocky path leading along the diagonal of the square toward the center. After a long, arduous hike to the first corner, I approached the first of these byways. I cautiously ventured out along it and was thrilled by the view – I could see straight down to gleaming piles of gold and jewels heaped up in the center of the cave. At last I had the prize clearly in my sights, which gave me second wind for the rest of the journey.

I was so excited that I nearly lost my balance, which would have been disastrous as I would have tumbled down the rocks into the precipice and plunged to my death. Once I regained my footing and came to my senses, I stumbled back along the crooked path to the corner of the maze, only to find myself confused and dazed. 

Which way should I go? The design of the maze could not be easier – just follow the three sides of the square, and then I assumed there would be a path leading directly to the treasure. But the torch light now blinded me; I was unsure of how much time had passed during my detour down the rocky path; and even worse, I did not know which direction to proceed along the maze. 

I chose one path, only to discover a long time later that I had gone the wrong way, and was now back to where I had entered the maze. Tired and discouraged, I turned around and plodded again to the first corner, where at least now I was wise enough not to journey down to the scenic overlook. 

After that I used the torch lights at each corner as my guideposts, helping me to measure how many sides of the square I had traveled. I resisted the temptation to check out the view below by taking the winding paths to the center. But each time as I left the reassuring glow of the torch to start the next leg of the journey, my spirits fell as the light grew dim, and I wished I could once more have a glimpse of the prize.

Finally the torch from the last corner came into view, and I found that once again I faced a difficult choice. There was an easy, wide path leading down, which presumably would take me to the gold and jewels that had motivated me along the journey. And there was a steep, circular, stone staircase leading up, with no visible reward in sight. 

Suddenly I realized that the gold and jewels were merely a distraction keeping me from the true reward, which was the high, holy ground where I would meet my Saviour face to face! The worldly prize was visible and tantalizing, misdirecting me from my true destination. I could not see Him, but by keeping the eyes of my heart fixed on Him, I had the faith to follow Him as He led me in the right direction and to my promised reward. 

As I awoke, I remembered that once we are born again by placing our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), we walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). We walk.in Him (Colossians 2:6), and in His Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25) Who enters our heart at the moment of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13). 

The path to Him is narrow but straight (Matthew 7:13) and simple, not convoluted, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:5-6). There are three steps along the path to entering His holy ground: realize we are sinners (Romans 3:23), turn away from our sins (Matthew 9:13; 2 Corinthians 7:10), and trust Him as our Lord and Saviour (2 Corinthians 3:4; Acts 15:11; 16:31; Ephesians 1:12-13; Philippians 3:20). 

Yet even the disciples who walked with Jesus during His earthly ministry sometimes faltered in their faith (Luke 22:31,34; John 20:25), and our journey is in many ways more difficult because we have not directly seen, heard or touched Him. 

But we are more blessed because we believe and follow without seeing (John 20:29). When we feel lost in the darkness, we should not despair, give up, or turn back, because we have the light of His Word illuminating our path (Job 29:3; Psalm 18:28; 119:105). He is the Light of the world (John 8:12), and as His light shines through us, we are also the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). 

Of course, Satan takes advantage of our inability to see Jesus Christ directly by tempting us with highly visible, spiritually empty rewards that appeal to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). But these are just scenic overlooks that can waste our time, create spiritual roadblocks, and even endanger us physically. 

Sometimes Satan even uses these scenic overlooks to take away physical life before someone can be saved or complete God’s plan for their life. He has plucked away the lives of teenagers who fell to their death as they tried to take a “selfie” by a dangerous waterfall or precipice. The pleasures of sin only last a short while (Hebrews 11:25) before they bring forth disastrous physical as well as spiritual consequences (Romans 6:23).   

It is natural when we have experienced a great victory, spiritual or otherwise, to want to bask in the glow of the mountaintop experience. When Peter saw Christ’s glory in His transfiguration, he wanted to prolong the moment by building tabernacles for Jesus, Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:1-6). It is good to enjoy God’s blessings (Psalm 34:8), to thank and praise Him for what He has done through us (1 Chronicles 16:34; Psalm 30:4; 92:1), and to seek His direction for the future (Proverbs 3:6; 16:9). 

Doing that prevents intense rebound distress after great victory, like that experienced by Elijah, whom God used to defeat the prophets of Baal in a powerful display of His glory (1 Kings 18). But then Elijah succumbed to fear and depression, thinking that Jezebel would destroy him and that no one would be left to worship God (1 Kings 19:4-16). 

Rest in God after spiritual victory is good, but if we spend too much time with our head in the clouds, we may fail to complete the earthly mission God has planned for us.  Even faithful, productive believers such as David can be diverted from their true purpose by scenic overlooks. 

After his triumph in battle, David should have continued the good fight (2 Timothy 4:7) by leading his troops and setting a good example. Instead, he took time off, went home, got bored, wandered out on the roof on a hot summer night, and fell in lust with the beautiful view of Bathsheba bathing (2 Samuel 11:1-3). 

Lust led to adultery, deceit, murder (2 Samuel 11:4-17), and then the consequences of his sin – the death of his firstborn by Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12: 18), and family strife for many years to come. If David had the luxury of a do-over, he may well have decided to forego the scenic overlook and to get back to God’s business. 

May we keep or eyes fixed on the Prize – our true reward of eternity with Jesus Christ! May our journey shape us into His image, reflecting His perfect light, without wandering into worldly detours that can become deep ditches or even an early grave!

© 2015 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

The Infant, or the Kitten?

Photo by Mehregan Javanmard

In 1882, Frank R. Stockton wrote a famous short story, “The Lady, or the Tiger?” about a convicted man who had to choose between two doors. One door led to freedom and marriage to a beautiful maiden, and the other to cruel death by a ravenous tiger. I had a dream recently in which I was faced with an equally life-changing decision.

In the dream, I was living in a strange country far from home. I had no provisions for my stay, but I heard that the ruler was giving away special gifts uniquely suited to each recipient. I lined up with many others to receive my gift, and one by one we were seated in small cabins ascending into the sky, like a ski lift.

When my seat reached the platform where an official was distributing gifts, I was shocked when he placed an infant in my arms. I had hoped for money, or a job, or a house, or some other way to sustain myself in this foreign land, and here I was with another mouth to feed!

But as soon as I held him I felt an unaccustomed sense of peace, hope, and awe at his perfect composure and regal bearing, so unexpected from such a young child. When he smiled, his eyes sparkled with sunbeams that lit the darkest recesses of my heart. Although I didn’t know how, I vowed that I would devote my life to caring for him.

As I held him on my knee he laughed with delight at various sights, drawing my attention to delicate flowers hidden along the path below, butterflies wafting on the breeze, a breathtaking waterfall that I would have missed otherwise. I had never before felt such joy or anticipation for the journey.

Suddenly I was distracted by a crawling sensation at my feet that made me shudder, and I feared that it might be a spider or even a tarantula. But to my surprise, on the floor of the cabin was a tiny white kitten, rubbing against my calves, wanting to be petted. I was concerned about the infant, but the kitten seemed so helpless and innocent that I reached down to stroke it.

Photo by Alicia Harvey 2007

With a plaintive “Meow” the creature leaped into my lap, still out of reach of the infant. But the baby fixed his eyes on me with a reproachful glance that cut through to my very soul, and my eyes filled with tears as I realized that I had betrayed him. The velvety skin on the pads of the kitten’s feet retracted suddenly to reveal cruel talons, and it pounced upward, clutching my throat.

I awoke in a panic, relieved that it was just a dream. Yet it got me thinking about the message our preacher gave last Sunday about the danger of letting sin creep into our life.

We are indeed strangers in a distant land, for our life on earth will be over in a flash (2 Corinthians 4:17). Then we will spend eternity in heaven or in hell, depending on whether or not we have been born again and trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

Life on earth is full of trouble (Job 14:1), with no promises even for tomorrow (James 4:13-15). The best gift anyone could ever receive while on earth is the gift of salvation, of placing your faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the only way to heaven (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; John 14:6). Not only does that guarantee your eternal life in heaven, but it gives you abundant life here and now (John 10:10).

Not only will God provide for your physical needs (Psalm 37:25), but He will bless you spiritually with joy in Him (Nehemiah 8:10; Isaiah 61:10; Philemon 1:20), peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7), and faith that He is working all things together for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28).

The infant in my dream symbolized Jesus Christ, Who took on human flesh to come to earth as an Infant while retaining His divinity (John 1:14). He is all we need (2 Corinthians 12:9; Philippians 4:13). At the moment of salvation we are filled with joy, hope, and zeal to serve Him and to dedicate our lives to Him. If we remain faithful to that vow, we will be richly blessed by being in His perfect will (Romans 12:2).

But sadly, it is all too easy to let temptation creep into our lives, distracting our focus from Jesus. Why would we waste any of our time and energy on anything so clearly inferior to His perfection, especially when He promises us an escape from temptation? (1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Peter 2:9)  If we yield to temptation it becomes sin – often a vicious cycle of sin compounded upon sin -- and the wages of sin is death (Luke 11:4; Romans 6:23).

If we have truly been born again (John 3:3-8), our salvation and eternal life in heaven are secure no matter what sins we commit (John 10:28-29), for His death on the cross paid for it all (1 John 2:2; 4:10). Yet sin inevitably results in other forms of death (Romans 5:12-21). Sin kills our testimony and effectiveness as ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20); it demolishes our fellowship with Him (Luke 15:18-21); and it ultimately destroys our physical body through injury, substance abuse, and/or illness.

The devil doesn’t cloak temptation in black robes and warn us with thunder and lightning bolts to stay away. Instead, he lures us in, disguising temptation in beauty appealing to our eyes, our flesh, or our pride (1 John 2:16). He may tempt us into evil plans and deeds through the sympathetic whisper of a “friend.” (2 Samuel 13).

Temptation may appear as innocent and harmless as a kitten, but if you accept its advances, it will ultimately turn on you and endanger your very life (Proverbs 7).  Samson (Judges 16:4-20), David (2 Samuel 11:1-15), and Solomon (1 Kings 11:4) all succumbed to lovely temptations, with disastrous results.

In the dream I was concerned about the infant, although not enough to resist the kitten. Yet it is not Christ Who is endangered by our sins, for He has forever conquered sin and death (Romans 5:12-21). We ourselves suffer the consequences of sin, not the least of which is the sadness of knowing we have quenched and grieved His Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30). 

Which will you choose, the Infant or the kitten? Eternal life and abundant life blessed by His fellowship and being in His perfect will, or the downward spiral of sin and death? The choice is yours. But thankfully, He provides all you need to make the right choice. 

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives