We have some crazy squirrels around here. Crazy is actually an
understatement. Possessed. We have possessed squirrels around
here.
Today I watched a squirrel do a high back flip on the fence
line just to show off in front of my dogs. This is gold medal Olympic type stuff, I tell you. Then, on the other side of the
yard, it’s teammate scuttles ferociously up the tree. On the back fence line, in more trees, the squirrels were
literally moving the branches apart.
Ok, maybe the last sentence was more the wind than the
squirrels, but you get the message.
The squirrels here are of a different kind and it drives my dogs nuts!!!
Check out the fence line watch…
Then they go across the yard. Back and forth. Side to side. Here and there.
Everywhere! My two pups
were scrambling all over the yard just to keep up with the gang of squirrels
whose sole mission seemed to be to keep the dogs running.
The squirrel gang must have been laughing it up hard. Seriously. And since my beagle is nicknamed “Houdini” for every reason
associated to that name, I had to keep careful watch. If there is a hole, she’ll find it. If there is a fence, she’ll scale it. If there is a place to dig (thanks to
my other dog, her co-hort), she’ll dig it. I recently found my beagle underneath the deck digging. Thank goodness the rope was tied to her
harness so I could drag her out!
It’s like my Houdini sees a fence line and zap! there she
goes. It’s like she lives
for the fence line. She knows
better too. But, she can’t resist
sniffing out some trouble and rolling all over in it. Her nose gets her every time. It’s in her blood.
So when the squirrels issued out this morning’s conspiracy
to distract Houdini away from her sunlit yard, they achieved their goal. I’m thankful I was with her to call her
away from the fence line and keep her protected. Otherwise…. she’d be out of her safe zone in a millisecond.
But, as I watched my little Houdini zing back and forth, I
imagined that we humans are very much like her. Distracted we go, bouncing between one thing to another.
Then, all to quickly, the sin, or the thing that drags us down, yanks the chain
out from underneath us and down we go, drowning us in our own misstep.
I think about God standing there watching this game of
chase. He watches sin toss us back
and forth and all to often He calls our name out, hoping for our return to our
sunlit yards. But will we go?
You know, beagles are infamous for their stubbornness and obstinantence. The German form of the English name
“beagle,” is “begele”,
which literally means “to scold”. Us
humans are so similar. We here the
Spirit calling: “Get away from there”… “Stop!” but we think that we’ll be ok and
proceed. Ha! Fat chance we’ll be
ok! Since when did our modal of
thinking become where we knew all and could make a wise choice? No! Our thinking is linear, step-by-step. That’s why we have the Word, to impact
our step-by-step thinking, to give us a more non-linear view. Paul says that we have been given the
mind of Christ (1
Cor. 2:16)… so if that is the case, then why don’t we listen?
Duality. Just
as we have the Spirit in us, we still are at war with our flesh, (Gal. 5:17). Just like a rubber band pulling apart,
so does the Spirit and the flesh, for the flesh is hostile to God and the
things of God. Let’s just admit
it: Sin is just in our blood. The
Spirit, on the other hand, wants to congeal with God and cover our sinful
blood. So who wins?
The choice is yours.
And not only is the entire chapter of Deuteronomy 30 a key
pivot point, but bonus, you get the answer too.
Check out these other poignant Scriptures that also help confirm
the answer.
Friends, living out of the flesh is so much easier, but so much
more costly. In addition, getting
on the fast track to destruction is oddly simple. Here’s what you do: make every decision out of what you want
to do or what feels good to you. Live
at the fence line. Run back and
forth. Follow every squirrel. Succumb to every distraction. Then, you are all set. Your bags are packed and you are headed
for wherever the wind blows you.
After all, that’s how the world does it. But…. we know how that
ends.
However, if you choose to walk a different path, one
lead by the Spirit, it is not going to be easy, but it will be essential. This doesn’t mean the winds won’t
blow. In fact, they’ll blow
harder. But instead of being tossed
around, you’ll be steady like a rock.
In choosing life, your mind will become centered from the eternal
perspective, from a non-linear view.
You’ll make your choices out of where the Spirit leads, through
confirmation in the Scriptures and with the peace of God on your side. The
squirrels of distractions will definitely conspire against you. They’ll stir the pot. They’ll make things go harder, faster;
debris will fly everywhere. The
winds will be like a tornado to blow you and your house down. But between the Holy Spirit and God’s word,
you’ll be able to resist. You will be able to stand.
You will be able to walk forward, and hopefully, with your little dog
too. This is what Christ preached
(sans the pup) and we all know how that ends as well.
So, if there is anything I can say, it’s this: life at the
fence line is short term invigorating but long term debilitating. Our God is constantly at the helm
calling you away and it is in your best interest to go back to the middle of
the yard and bask in His sunlight.
There you’ll find fruit, nourishment and rest, a.k.a. all that you need.
But, no matter what you choose, know that our God is with
you wherever you go. Just like my Houdini. She may drive me bonkers with her digging and antics, but
she’s still mine. I’m not going
inside knowing she could disappear in an instant. Our God won’t leave you ever; not for nothing. Not even in your own sin. Course, this isn’t permission to
sin. Heavens no! It’s just saying that even when you
live in sin, you aren’t abandoned.
You may be far from the yard of His choice, but you can always turn
home.
That makes me think of the best moments of all. It’s when my little Houdini decides on
her own to come home and cuddle up next to me. But even when she is obstinate and disobedient, causing me
to fetch her from back fence, it still feels good to have my precious pup in my
arms once more. Though I might be
angry, my love still abounds as I hoist her in my arms and carry her home. After all, it is out of my love that I
went to go get her in the first place.
And that’s exactly what God feels for you too.
The squirrels on the other hand…. well, the ones around here might just be of the devil. And like the prince of this world, I
guess the squirrels are just apart of our lives. It’s learning how to deal with these squirrels that will get
us the furthest and keep us in the will of God versus outside it.
The Straight Path
A
letter from God to His child Solomon
My
son, pay attention to my words;
listen closely to my sayings
Don’t lose sight of them;
keep them within your heart.
For
they are life to those who find them,
and health to one’s whole body.
Guard
your heart above all else, for it is the source of
life.
Don’t
let your mouth speak dishonestly,
and don’t let your lips talk deviously.
Let
your eyes look forward;
fix your gaze straight ahead.
Carefully
consider the pat for your feet,
and all your ways will be established.
Don’t turn to the right or to the left;
keep your
feet away from evil.
Other Scriptures References:
“Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves,
so that you don’t forget the things your eyes have seen and so that they don’t
slip from your mind as long as you live,” (HCSB).
“Be careful not to forget
the covenant of the Lord your God that He made with you, and make an idol for
yourselves in the shape of anything He has forbidden you. For
the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God,” (HCSB).
"He
will not leave you, destroy you, or forget the covenant with your fathers that
He swore to them by oath, because the Lord your God is a compassionate God."
Blog Entry Copy, Photography
and Video © 2013 Candice Irion.
All Rights Reserved.
Scripture passages are
referenced above.
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