The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
Psalm 78:32-39
In spite of all this, they kept on sinning; in spite of his wonders, they did not believe. So he ended their days in futility and their years in terror. Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant. Yet he was merciful; he forgave their iniquities and did not destroy them. Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return.
Yesterday as I was returning home from shopping with my husband, I had to slow down the car because all cars in front of me came to a halt. I saw two cars in front of me go around an obstacle. When it was my turn I saw a creature, possibly a possum; he had been hit by a car and was struggling to scurry to the side, perhaps hide in the bush, die or try and survive. I began to cry because I could see the little thing was in pain; he was hit and did not even see the danger coming. My husband tried to comfort me and said, don't be upset you did not hit it.
But that wasn't enough to bring me comfort. I began to tell my husband, "that little creature is where it's suppose to be, we are the ones that have intruded and put this crooked road in the middle of his territory". I was hoping that the little creature had stayed in the green, safe, tree populated area of his little world; but he had ventured out. We drove home as I quietly whimpered.
Later on that evening I thought about the incident again and again this morning, but this time the thoughts were about us; yes, you and me. It was as if the Lord was ministering to me about our own "hit" that came in the garden. We stepped out of a place of safety and we were hit; hit with temptation; and we entertained it and rolled out the welcome mat. Temptation that lead to sin with no possibility of escaping the repercussions.
Our sin would immediately lead to death, no room for recovery or healing somewhere in the bushes. God himself would call us out and remind us of what we did. He himself would have to mend and fix this mess we made when we moved out of his protection and took the crooked road.
This morning I thinking of the many, perhaps you, that are either entertaining sin, thinking of compromising or anything else you think "you can handle"
DON'T DO IT! RUN--RUN FOR YOUR LIFE...Literally! Sin ALWAYS leads to death. It may not be a physical death...but it is death. It separates us from God. God HATES sin and God LOVES us. The worst death is when we find ourselves without God....we are walking but not living. It's not too late to confess our sins and welcome the life giving mercy and grace of the Lord. We don't have to stay injured and separated from God....run..and confess...he is merciful! Hallelujah!
I'd love to pray with you if you need someone to join you or feel tempted to turn from what you know is right.
God bless you!~Liz www.lizrod.com
Mercy Seat Lyrics | By Vicki Yohe
In the darkness, where everything is unknown
I faced the power of sin on my own
I did not know of a place I could go
Where I could find a way to heal my wounded soul
He said that I could come into His presence without fear
Into the holy place where His mercy hovers near
I'm running, I'm running, I'm running to the mercy seat
Where Jesus is calling, He said His grace would cover me
His blood will flow freely, It will provide the healing
I'm running to the mercy seat, I'm running to the mercy seat
Are you living where hope has not been
Lost in a curse of a lifetime of sin
Look, the illusions, they never come true
I know where there's a place of mercy for you
He said that you could come into His presence without fear
Into the holy place where His mercy hovers near
Come running, come running, come running to the mercy seat
Where Jesus is calling, His grace will be a covering
His blood will flow freely, It will provide the healing
Come running to the mercy seat
