Now...if I've made you think that following Christ is one battle after another...I've mislead you. It is not...for one thing, would want to deal with that...The other, that would make the strategy of the enemy way too obvious and expected...
When I was little, my mother and I would often be in a store shopping. She loved the "five and dime" stores like Grant's, Kresge's, or Woolworth. I'd be walking along next to her, enjoying her company, enjoying being near her...when something else would get my attention...
(oooooh, shiny!). And after giving that "something" my full attention, I'd look up and my mom was gone!
Panicked, I would go up and down the aisles of the HUGE store (always huge when your a first grader) trying to catch a glimpse of her...THERE SHE IS...in the fabric. And that peace would come back and I wanted to be even closer...hold her hand.
We can be going along the way in our green pastures and still waters...thinking all is right with the world...
and then look up only to not be able to see our Shepherd. We were distracted and failed to follow. And alone...we become vulnerable.
But thank God for the boundaries He has provided to keep us from things that might devour us...like big, ugly Bruno dogs...
When I was little, my mother and I would often be in a store shopping. She loved the "five and dime" stores like Grant's, Kresge's, or Woolworth. I'd be walking along next to her, enjoying her company, enjoying being near her...when something else would get my attention...
(oooooh, shiny!). And after giving that "something" my full attention, I'd look up and my mom was gone!
Panicked, I would go up and down the aisles of the HUGE store (always huge when your a first grader) trying to catch a glimpse of her...THERE SHE IS...in the fabric. And that peace would come back and I wanted to be even closer...hold her hand.
We can be going along the way in our green pastures and still waters...thinking all is right with the world...
and then look up only to not be able to see our Shepherd. We were distracted and failed to follow. And alone...we become vulnerable.
But thank God for the boundaries He has provided to keep us from things that might devour us...like big, ugly Bruno dogs...
And for Christian friends who help us along the way...especially girlfriends. But we DO have a good Shepherd that loves and cares for us, and watches over us, along the way!
Casting the whole of your care...all your anxieties...
your worries...your concerns..., once and for all on Him,
for He cares for your affectionately
and cares about you watchfully.
I Peter 5:7 (AMP)
Oh, do I remember the five and dimes...and getting lost in them.
ReplyDeletegreat perspective
ReplyDeleteWonderful analogy...beautifully written.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and series of shots. I remember going to Woolworth's with my Mom and on very special days she would buy me a plate of fries.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I love your blog, Denise.
ReplyDeletexoxo