Corona Devo 3219
I remember (years ago!) when I (and 1500 other twenty-something-year-olds) were a part of a thriving church ministry. We had social-outreach events that encompassed everything from soccer and softball teams, to park potlucks, and (Christian) movies and concerts too. I delighted to attend these (church!) outreaches, and to make new friends along the way.
When I welcomed church-goers as a greeter at the door each week, I was me (smiley and kind) to the young men and women that walked in, and I delighted to serve the Lord in this way.
But somewhere in the smiles and get-togethers, I caught the wrong thing a couple times.
One guy at church mistook my kindness for interest, and he began to call and text me often, and he showed up wherever I was.
One girl was so grateful for our new ministry, and she went to everything...but so did I! (I'm not sure if she had been blessed with many friendships prior to our group at church). But over time, she became possessive of our friendship and of me.
Nothing serious came of either of these situations, and through open communication, (and some church-leadership intervention), we established healthy boundaries and understandings.
I was just being myself, but I caught the wrong thing.
~~~
The other day while we were at a lake, my kids and I watched from a distance as my husband's fishing poll bent, and then he began to reel and pull in a fish, and it was a big one from the looks of the line-tension. We hurried around the lake to meet him and his catch. He has previously hooked big catfish in this lake, and we were excited to see what was on the other end of his line.
But, he had caught the wrong thing.
A big (moss-covered-shell) snapping turtle had arrived at the side of the lake, with my husband's fishing line hanging out of his (poor) mouth.
We safely released him and set him free, but there was no denying that we had caught the wrong thing.
~~~
In our faith walks too--we must be careful, on-our-guard and always staying grounded in God's Word, lest we catch the wrong thing in this life.
This world has temptations and distractions and even distortions of God's ways (and His Word). But we (as His sons and daughters) must be mature in God's Word: knowing it so that we are not tricked by not knowing it.
We do not want to "catch the wrong" (job/spouse/decision/anything) in life, as a result of not knowing God's Word well-enough to discern what is "right".
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.(15) Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (16) From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. ~Ephesians 4:14-16
~~~
Not "catching the wrong thing" in faith has a lot to do with our daily obedience and devotion to our Lord. and the Bible (His Word).
That is not to say that sometimes we are not doing just-what-we-should-be-doing in our faith, and yet we can still "catch the wrong thing" (as evidenced in my earlier examples), but as a reminder and a refresher, the Bible provides us with Scriptural guardrails to keep us in God's Lane.
At the very least, they help us to "not catch the wrong thing" in our lives, and at the best, they can enable and direct us into God's good plans for us today. And so, let's continue to live-within God's guardrails:
(17) So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. (18) They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. (19) Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
(20) That, however, is not the way of life you learned (21) when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. (22) You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; (23) to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (24) and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
(25) Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
(26) “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, (27) and do not give the devil a foothold.
(28) Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
(29) Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
(30) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
(31) Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. (32) Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. ~Ephesians 4:17-32
~~~
IF we are not careful, we can get woo-ed into this world's beliefs and acceptances. But instead, we must test and approve all things through a lens of the Bible and of what God says.
Just because our:
-city
-society
-culture
-government
-church
accepts or affirms it....does NOT mean that God accepts or affirms it.
Test everything against God's Word!
Test all things; hold fast what is good. (22) Abstain from every form of evil. ~I Thessalonians 5:21-22
...If the Bible does not accept or affirm it--then neither should we.
We don't want to "catch the wrong thing" in our heart and beliefs. We want to believe and trust (only) what God says.
- Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~Romans 12:2
God is very clear on His stance about just about everything from gender, to marriage, to enemies, to raising children, to the importance of His Word in our lives daily.
And if we will continue reading the Bible and doing what He says...we will not catch the wrong thing.
- For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~Jeremiah 29:11
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (6) in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. ~Proverbs 3:5-6
Blessings,
sarah
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