Don't dwell on the cheese
This week is on Luke 21:34-36:
I struggle with clutter. Those of you who have seen my home know that I am not lying when I say that. I grew up surrounded by clutter. I pass through neighborhoods buried in clutter every day. Clutter never arrives suddenly. It's mankind's way of participating in entropy. It's one thing here, a couple things there, and then suddenly you wake up and there is chaos everywhere! It's terrible, and because it is so natural, we surrender to it without even realizing we're doing it. Jesus talks about spiritual clutter when he's warning the disciples not to lose track of what they're here for.
We've probably all had periods of our lives where we were living purely in connection with God. Everything was in order. We were passionate about serving God and being active in the church. We shared our faith with people without any reason other than our passion. Then one thing creeps in, then another, then before you know it, years have passed and your heart is buried in spiritual clutter. Your heart has been given over to dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. Your garden is choked with weeds. You have no place to sit and rest because there's piles of chaos on all of the chairs. It doesn't happen suddenly. We get lured into it very slowly.
Jesus says to get out before it springs like a trap. No animal walks willingly into a trap. They don't even know it is a trap when they enter. They only see the bait and chase after that. The things that distract us all have good reasons attached to them. Maybe your career needs some help. Maybe your relationships need some attention. Maybe you just want that big new TV or the spinny hubcaps for your car. You take one step, and then a couple more, and suddenly it's too late and you're trapped. It's so easy to get caught. If it wasn't, nobody would build traps, would they?
We need to be connected to the experience of knowing God. We need to be aware, even keeping it in prayer, that we could get off track. Where is your original passion and calling? Are you on track? Do you need to tidy up your life and free your heart? Today is a great day to do that because tomorrow may be too late.
"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
I struggle with clutter. Those of you who have seen my home know that I am not lying when I say that. I grew up surrounded by clutter. I pass through neighborhoods buried in clutter every day. Clutter never arrives suddenly. It's mankind's way of participating in entropy. It's one thing here, a couple things there, and then suddenly you wake up and there is chaos everywhere! It's terrible, and because it is so natural, we surrender to it without even realizing we're doing it. Jesus talks about spiritual clutter when he's warning the disciples not to lose track of what they're here for.
We've probably all had periods of our lives where we were living purely in connection with God. Everything was in order. We were passionate about serving God and being active in the church. We shared our faith with people without any reason other than our passion. Then one thing creeps in, then another, then before you know it, years have passed and your heart is buried in spiritual clutter. Your heart has been given over to dissipation, drunkenness, and the anxieties of life. Your garden is choked with weeds. You have no place to sit and rest because there's piles of chaos on all of the chairs. It doesn't happen suddenly. We get lured into it very slowly.
Jesus says to get out before it springs like a trap. No animal walks willingly into a trap. They don't even know it is a trap when they enter. They only see the bait and chase after that. The things that distract us all have good reasons attached to them. Maybe your career needs some help. Maybe your relationships need some attention. Maybe you just want that big new TV or the spinny hubcaps for your car. You take one step, and then a couple more, and suddenly it's too late and you're trapped. It's so easy to get caught. If it wasn't, nobody would build traps, would they?
We need to be connected to the experience of knowing God. We need to be aware, even keeping it in prayer, that we could get off track. Where is your original passion and calling? Are you on track? Do you need to tidy up your life and free your heart? Today is a great day to do that because tomorrow may be too late.
Comments
Post a Comment