Have I Left the Door Open?
On the news recently, there was a story about a couple who fell 800 feet off Taft Point Overlook in Yosemite National Park. The park reported that they might have 8 to 10 deaths a year but this one was unusual. The rangers came the next day and found a tripod still standing. It seems the couple got to the edge so they could take a selfie. Rangers said visitors are warned that unexpected winds can suddenly happen and they figure they were too close to the edge, nothing but each other to grab and over they went. Helicopters located them the next day.
The woman was wearing a “Wonder Woman” suit and the newspaper reported that this couple were “adventure Junkies”. They enjoyed the adrenaline rush that came with the danger; they were skydivers, mountain climbers, etc. In this case, it wasn’t lack of preparation but the wind that caused them to go over. They were too close to the edge!
The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said lots of people live that way; they dance around with sin and live on the edge of the pit. Scriptures tells us to “flee the very appearance of evil” and yet we don’t. It’s like a child who will test his parent to see how far he/she can go with something. We do the same with God (the Israelites had a history of it-read Judges) and I think sometimes we don’t know what He condones or will not condone.
How much does God care about what I read or what television or movies I view? Does He question our style of dress, bathing suits, tattoos, etc. You could say People told me I would go to Hell for smoking and drinking but I’m still here. What about Elvis? God doesn’t really care if I miss church to play golf, fish or hunt. The school system tells me my child can play soccer on Sunday and Lord, I work five days and only have these two days to take care of business and do my pleasure. We might not be “daredevils” who enjoy danger but maybe we need to look in the mirror of life. Maybe we should purchase a new 8 inch LED sensor mirror with the ability to magnify (I saw it on QVC and it was a doosy!)
Ask yourself these questions:
Do you think it’s okay to swim in the cesspool of life and not think you can become polluted?
Have you left the door open for sin to enter like a rat? Rats are known for filth and disease. A Christian woman wrote, “We used to leave the back door open so the dog could come and go. But one day I discovered out dog wasn’t the only one making an entrance. There was evidence of a great big rat. I hate rats but I didn’t set a rap until I found droppings in my kitchen.” Yuck. How about you? Will you honestly and bravely look around your inner world and see if a “rat” of sinful, selfish, or worldly attitudes are roaming around in your thoughts or emotions? Have you compromised and left the door open?
When you hear DANGER, DANGER then you run like crazy and flee! It took only a gust of wind to knock those people off the edge of the cliff! Don’t live close to the edge!
Reading material on what is sin: Revelation 21:8 and 2 Timothy 3:1-7