Corona Devo 474

I'm blond.  My skin is fair, and ever since I can remember, each Summer there has been at least one "bad burn".  

Yesterday I had lathered up our kids with sunblock because the forecast was supposed to be hot and sunny, and while I am grateful that each of them inherited their dad's math skills, they bear my skintone, which is prone to burning.  We always use sunblock, partly from my negative past experiences (bad burns!), and partly from wisdom and preventive maintenance.  There is a precautionary path to walk when it comes to the sun, and time/experience/and experts have proven that.  So have my "bad burns".  

And so how it happened, I am not quite sure, because I "should have known better", but yesterday in the midst of lake fishing, kids swimming, outdoor grilling, Summer sun, and distractions, I got a bad burn.  Bad.  For instance, the skin on my legs feels too tight because they are a little swollen and a lot red.  I didn't heed safe measures while outdoors yesterday, and I have a consequence today.  Ouch.

This isn't unlike our faith walks.  If we know the Lord, we also know that His Word and His laws (rules) for our lives are preventive maintenance.  God loves us so much, truly.  Like a mom taking the time to rub in sunblock on their squirming child, our Heavenly Father wants to protect us from getting "burnt" by bad choices that do not honor Him.  God wants us to take the time to rub His Word into our lives and spray ourselves with His wisdom.  Why?  Not because He is a fuddy duddy that doesn't want us to have any "fun in the sun" (so-to-speak) in our lives.  But because God knows the dangers and temptations of the world, and He does not want us to get "badly burnt".  

“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?  ~Luke 6:46

I knew that I should have put sunblock on yesterday before our day out.  I knew it.  But for one reason or another, I didn't.  

Most of us know the Lord.  We know Him.  We know that He has a rule Book (The Bible), and we are familiar with many of God's recommendations for living our fullest lives in Him: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" (Matthew 7:12), "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy 6:4), etc.

We know what we should do to follow God and to honor Him.  And we even know that His plans contain preventative measures to keep us from harm and that His plan will bring the ultimate good in our lives.    

We know it.  

But for one reason or another, we stray.  We fall to the wayside of His path.  We get distracted.  We end up spending all day (week, year...) in the broad sun of the world's scorching heat, and even though we should have known better, we get burnt.  Badly.  

Are you there today?  My skin is painful to the touch and feels broken from my sunburn, but I have had days when it's my heart/pride/memories/dreams that are painful to the touch and feel broken.  

Did you venture out too far and for too long without the protective Word of God covering you?  Are we camping out too long in the worldly places and getting scorched because we are taking no time to rub our hearts with the soothing and preventative balm of God's Word?  

And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.  ~2 John 1:6

Fair or dark skinned, we have all been burnt badly by our choices, our focus-on-self instead of God, and by falling-for-the-world instead of standing-for-God.  The results are painful.  There is discomfort and there is consequence, and we are the ones that suffer.  Ouch.  

In the midst of life, we can avoid the next "bad burn" by seeking Christ and taking refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed (Psalm 57:1).  

God's commandments are like SPF for our lives.  Protective and for-our-good.  They take a little effort to "apply", but the benefits and the pain they save us from makes the effort worth it.  We should walk in it. (2 John 1:6)

Dear Jesus, coat us with Your Word as protection today.  Put a layer of separation between us and the dangerous rays of sin that can burn us.  We understand that applying Your word to our lives is our job, and we are taking the time and effort to do it today.  Protect us from any more "bad burns", Lord.  Amen.  

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com