Caged

 

I recently made a trip to the Potawatomi Park Zoo in South Bend IN. It was one of those "alone time" with God days and I thought it would be a little different to go somewhere other than out in the woods or to the beach by the lake. I walked around and saw all of the animals on display, the smaller ones like the prairie dogs, river otters, and some of the monkeys seemed to be content in their little environments, but the big cats were very bored. The little animals were running around playing and having fun while these guys just sat there a stared off into space. I made little noises to get their attention but they ignored my like I wasn't even there. I just happened to snap this photo just before he laid his head down as if he was bored to death. Lions are fairly lazy animals in the wild anyway, they only get up and around to hunt or eat, but in captivity they just seemed hollow.

I think that's how we feel sometimes, captive, caged, stuck with no way out. We go through life day after day just putting in our time until something exciting comes along but most of the time we are just plain bored. Or we get caught up in sin looking for excitement and we get caged by that sin and spend a lot of time covering up our mistakes. But Jesus changes all that, He sets us free. When we surrender to Him and turn our will and our lives over to Him we are redeemed, forgiven and set free.

What would happen today if we turned ourselves over to the care of God each and every day? What would happen if we were set free from our sin by the One who Loves us? What would happen today if we stopped staring off into space bored to death and started living with joy in our hearts? What would happen today if we stopped looking to sin for excitement and ask God into our hearts to do His work and love others as He loves us?

What would happen today...?

Romans 6:21-23 (NIV)

What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Journey

 May 20, 2008

 May 6, 2011

Our whole lives are a journey, and on that journey there are many paths. When we come to a fork in the road we are faced with a decision, do we go this way or that? If we go the wrong way the consequences can be devastating. But if we follow God's path the rewards are incredible. When we stand at those forks we have to ask ourselves: "What is the fruit of my decision?" "If I do this is it going to honor God?" "Will I be a better person and will it have a positive effect on the people around me?" If we can answer yes to these questions then that's the way to go, if not then we need to step back and reevaluate our motives.

Three years ago I made a decision to go to college at the age of 47. God put it on my heart to go to school and get a degree in Human Services so I can go out into the world and help people become the person he made them to be. My past life is littered with the fruits of bad decisions: drug and alcohol abuse, failed marriages, financial difficulties, shame, guilt, fear, resentment, and self-centeredness. But now that I'm following God's path the fruits are much different: joy, peace, confidence, open-heartedness, love, and compassion. Even though the past three years have been tough, walking across the stage to receive my diploma was worth every minute.

What would happen today if when we came to a fork in the road and stopped to ask ourselves these questions? What would happen today if we followed His path for us? What would happen today if we prayed for His direction? What would happen today if our influence on others helped them follow his path?

What would happen today...?

Psalm 119:105 (KJV)

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

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