Saturday, September 4, 2010

Longing for the Old



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We have a puppy named Diamond. Like most active puppies she has two sides to her. The “ohh I’m so cute and cuddly and half asleep” and the active, playing with and getting into everything under the sun side. And like most puppy mommies, I love her during all of them even though she can be a bit exasperating at times.

Diamond (getting into trouble)

Diamond like most puppies LOVES her chewy toys. Her favorite lately are those giant bouncy balls–ya know those ones that look like tennis balls only larger and claiming to be “tuff”. She bats them around for awhile then settles down for a good gnaw on them. They were holding up well until yesterday when she “finally broke through”. Unbeknownst to us she not only broke through but proceeded to eat 1/2 of one. There were pieces all over the house. (Plus it caused her to get sick.) Poor puppy she lost her favorite toy. I was prepared though, I had purchased a new one. As I cleaned up the old one I gave her the new one. Funny thing is though she wanted nothing to do with the new toy. She sniffed it a bit but was more interested in what happened to her old toy. She wanted her gnawed to pieces that made her sick from eating old toy. She followed her old toy to the garbage can even whining and whimpering and pawing at the can trying to get it.

It made me think how we can be like that some time. God offers us new life with him, and life abundant at that. We show a bit of interest, but it’s not what we crave or desire. We want our old falling apart, worn out, making us sick life. Sometimes we want it so much, our thinking begins to get skewed. Oh when I wasn’t a Christian I could do whatever I wanted, when I wasn’t a Christian it didn’t matter if I________________ (you fill in the blank.) Our flesh and our sinful nature crave our old way of thinking and our old life. Yet we need to persevere. We are being called to put off our old self, our old life, one that might “seem” like it’s good. But really it doesn’t have much to offer us beyond spiritual sickness and death.

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; Ephesians 4:22

So if temptation to go back to the “old ways” is plaguing you today. Don’t be tempted. Sit down and remember what it really has to offer you. Sickness, selfishness, death. Then look at what the Lord is offering you. Life and life abundant.

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” John 10:10

1 comment:

  1. So true. It is so amazing the little things like your dog's reaction to loosing it's toy can give us insight to the things we do. God sure uses our things in our life to open our eyes, if we will just be open to listening and learning.

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