Skip to main content

S-S-scaredy-cat

 

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (I Peter 1:13-16)

Returning to the theme I used on Sunday, you know how so many of the horror/slasher movies work. A bunch of people explore some old house or other forbidden or forbidding place. Some stereotypical dumb blond (whether blond or not) goes up the stairs, or down the stairs, separating herself  (or himself) from the rest of the gang, and you just want to shout “Don’t do that you stupid (insert unkind label of your preference.)”

That’s the sort of thing the prophets and angels probably shout as they watch us bumble around like blithering idiots, though I hope they leave off the unkind labels.

“Don’t drink/eat/inject that!”

“Oh, please, don’t go there.”

“Not a.g.a.i.n!”

But we tell ourselves, “I’ll be fine,” and then end up crying for help.  How much easier our lives would be if we were wiser than the folk in those stupid horror movies. But there’s a part of us that is so sure that the answer to the mystery, the prize, or the escape is up or down those stairs and not back the way in which we came, and, after all, we’re not as stupid as the people in those movies, and (anyway) it’s not one those movies. They never happen in real life. Except for all the time.

At least some of us are so careful, we wear masks and wash our hands to avoid catching COVID-19, but wallow in moral filth in what we watch, read, and listen to. God says, repeatedly, “Don’t go up those stairs,” and we wave back at Him, proclaiming that it’s our life, we’ll do what we want. We’re strong. We know what we’re doing. Why is He such a s-s-scaredy-cat? But He, and the prophets and angels – they’ve all seen this in too many movies and books. The good news is that God rides in and rescues us, always at His own cost, but also often at great cost to us, as we go through the rest of our lives with the scars from spiritual rape or soulical assault.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Think About These Things

                 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. (Philippians 4:8) This passage is a major challenge for me. Like everyone else, I struggle to keep my thoughts from wandering off into the weeds, then wondering what possible benefits those weeds might have… Sigh. But as a writer, I have to delve at least a little into the ignoble, wrong, impure, unlovely, and debased. After all, there’s no story if everything’s just as it should be and everyone’s happy. As Christians, there are times when we need to deal with all the negatives, but that makes it even more important that we practice turning our minds by force of attention to what is noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. It’s just too easy to get stuck in a swamp. With my...
1 comment
Read more

Higher Thoughts

  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the  Lord . “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)           The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,   for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord      so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (I Corinthians 2:15-16) If you read about the ancient gods of the various peoples, you’ll find that they think just like people. In fact, they think just like the sort of people we really wouldn’t want to be around. They think like the most corrupt Hollywood producer or, like hormone overloaded teens with no upbringing.   It’s embarrassing to read. I have a friend who argues that because God is not just like us, He is so vastly dif...
2 comments
Read more

Pure...

            The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (I Timothy 1:5)   I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. (Revelation 3:15-16) I’m probably cheating - or mishandling the Bible, but earlier I was thinking about love being pure and purifying. And hatred being pure and purifying. And anger…joy…patience… fear… jealousy… courage…lust… and other strongly felt feelings, attitudes, and beliefs. Today’s verse brings purity and love together, so it’s the verse of the day, but it’s not really the focus. That means my motive for sharing it with you probably isn’t pure. As you read through my list, you   probably thought, “Yeah” about some, and “What’s she on?” about others. But consider how much hatred, a...
Post a Comment
Read more