Powerful Reminder
Last night, Frank and I went to see James in his play, the Miracle Worker. It was great to seem Jim, Vicki, Megan & James! They have an almost brand new home and it is beautiful! Like us in our new home, they have more room than they have to fill it! It was wonderful to be able to fellowship with them.
The play was called, as I mentioned, the Miracle Worker. It is the story of Helen Keller and her teacher, Ann Sullivan. One of the things that struck me about this play was how the family gave in to all of Helen's quirks, bad manners and tantrums because she wasn't "normal": she was deaf, blind and mute. As the play clearly illustrated, she was a very intelligent child and in the family's intent to be kind to the girl, they let her run amuck and, in the process, spoiled her.
Aren't we all like that as parents, friends, best friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, brothers, sisters, etc.? The first sign of rebuff from our friend/child/brother/sister, etc., who is living in sin and we back off, slow down...and become permissive. Don't we realize we are "spoiling" our friend and sickening our relationship with them? Yes, we are to love them...but sometimes, that means confronting them in their sin and risk losing that relationship (for a while...days, months, maybe years....).
Someone living in sin, is like this. Imagine you are spending the night at your friend's house. They are asleep upstairs and you are asleep downstairs. All of a sudden you smell smoke! As you awaken from your groggy sleep, you then notice a LOT of smoke billowing down the stairs! You realize the house is on fire! Wouldn't it be terrible if you thought, "hey my friend really needs their sleep...so, I'll let them wake up gradually, like I did when I smelled the smoke."??!!! In panic mode...we'd run around screaming, "the house is on fire!" We'd get our friend's attention and get them out of there! I'm pretty sure, you'd do whatever it takes to rescue your friend. And, how incredible would it be if, after being rescued, your friend said to you, "hey, I wasn't in any danger, you should've let me sleep!" No way, they would not have said anything like that!
Think about it. And, if you are the person in sin...read on and listen to what God had to say to King David about his sin. It is amazing and something I had never focused on before when reading through this play by play of David's sin of adultery (AND murder, etc.) with Bathsheba.
I love you all & pray for you daily,
Mary
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The play was called, as I mentioned, the Miracle Worker. It is the story of Helen Keller and her teacher, Ann Sullivan. One of the things that struck me about this play was how the family gave in to all of Helen's quirks, bad manners and tantrums because she wasn't "normal": she was deaf, blind and mute. As the play clearly illustrated, she was a very intelligent child and in the family's intent to be kind to the girl, they let her run amuck and, in the process, spoiled her.
Aren't we all like that as parents, friends, best friends, boyfriends/girlfriends, brothers, sisters, etc.? The first sign of rebuff from our friend/child/brother/sister, etc., who is living in sin and we back off, slow down...and become permissive. Don't we realize we are "spoiling" our friend and sickening our relationship with them? Yes, we are to love them...but sometimes, that means confronting them in their sin and risk losing that relationship (for a while...days, months, maybe years....).
Someone living in sin, is like this. Imagine you are spending the night at your friend's house. They are asleep upstairs and you are asleep downstairs. All of a sudden you smell smoke! As you awaken from your groggy sleep, you then notice a LOT of smoke billowing down the stairs! You realize the house is on fire! Wouldn't it be terrible if you thought, "hey my friend really needs their sleep...so, I'll let them wake up gradually, like I did when I smelled the smoke."??!!! In panic mode...we'd run around screaming, "the house is on fire!" We'd get our friend's attention and get them out of there! I'm pretty sure, you'd do whatever it takes to rescue your friend. And, how incredible would it be if, after being rescued, your friend said to you, "hey, I wasn't in any danger, you should've let me sleep!" No way, they would not have said anything like that!
Think about it. And, if you are the person in sin...read on and listen to what God had to say to King David about his sin. It is amazing and something I had never focused on before when reading through this play by play of David's sin of adultery (AND murder, etc.) with Bathsheba.
I love you all & pray for you daily,
Mary
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PlanetWisdom.com Devotionals |
Posted: 16 Oct 2008 08:14 AM CDT "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master's house to you, and your master's wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes?" (2 Samuel 12:7-9) God's rebuke of David is as surprising as it is blistering. Do you notice what His first complaint is? He doesn't start with describing David's sinful acts, the rape and lies and murder we find so villainous. He starts with David's ungrateful heart. God saw Himself as being in relationship with David. He was and wanted to be the source of everything good in David's life. He showered the king with success, possessions, and power. David refused to be satisfied with God's goodness. His willingness to sin to get more showed He didn't believe God could or would provide all he needed. Our ungrateful hearts lead us in the same direction. Our choices to sin to get what we want show that we don't trust God's goodness, power, and love for us. We decide that if He won't give us our desires NOW, we'll set Him aside to take them our own way. Think: Do you ever judge God's goodness, love, or power by what He gives to you or keeps from you? Do you think of Him as the source of every good thing in your life? Pray: Ask God to help you to have a grateful heart and to help you to trust Him alone to provide those good things He wants you to have. Do: If God started listing the good things He has given you as He did in today's verse with David, what would be the first 20 or so items on the list? Write those down. Visit PlanetWisdom.com for more great resources! |
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