Incapable of Innocence

The word "innocence" strikes a cord in me that is refreshing, lovely, and hopeful.  The dictionary gives this definition: lack of guile or corruption; purity: the healthy bloom in her cheeks gave her an aura of innocence.  Even that sentence gives me a brief retreat from the reality that is in the world.  I guess that's why I love stories and movies from, what many say, "times of innocence".   Or there's the excitement I feel when I see and hold a newborn baby in all it's dependence and complete innocence.

Well, I could go on with my thoughts on all those things.  But the reason for the post today is from reading Hosea.  As I read over chapter eight, God is describing the senseless deeds of Israel.  They are important to Israel but God knows these deeds mean nothing and are going no where!  Israel has transgressed against God, His covenant and His law.  God tells them they are like a wild donkey and though He has given them ten thousand precepts, those precepts are regarded as strange!!  (That sounds familiar!!)  He also tells them, "they sow the wind and reap the whirlwind"!  There's the "nothing and no where" I was talking about.

And the subject of this post:  "How long will they be incapable of innocence?"  That phrase "incapable of innocence" struck me in the very opposite way I started this post.  It is not refreshing but oppressing; not lovely but ugly; not hopeful but unsettling.  And the part that really bothers me is He is talking about His people.

My works are important to me but what does God think about the things I do?  Am I pleasing Him from the heart?  Are my motives for His glory?  Am I moved by my great love for Christ??  Do my cheeks have a healthy bloom that gives me an aura of innocence?  That needs to be our prayer!  For that "aura" should be the light of our Savior shining through everything we do.

"How long" indeed?!!  May I be growing in the grace of my Lord each day and with each day have a greater capacity for innocence.  Amen and Amen!!!

Closed Doors

We have many “closed doors” in life.  I mean those places in life when something is over and you find yourself in new space.  Death, of course, is the biggie.  And it’s so final.  But for my post today, death is not on the list.  I’m talking about those last times you do something; an event, known or unknown that changes your way of life.

One example for a woman is the last time you nurse your baby.  Nursing your child is a big deal.  It’s what keeps the child alive and growing. Can you imagine that we would not remember the last time it happened.  And it’s an event that’s definitely going to take place; be it breast feeding or bottles, there will be a final time.  I’m glad I didn’t know.  It would have been too sad.  I only have two children and for someone who remembers a lot, I do not remember that last time.  But it did happen. 

So you get the point, and for my post today, I will not elaborate further on “lasts” but I want to discuss a “closed door” that occurred for me yesterday.

While I do not want to belabor the details, I do want to say that as soon as I heard  some “words expressed”, I knew the door was closed.  And the door will remain closed until that person opens it.  I won’t open that door again.  And for my post, the words are important because it hit me how often (mostly without words) we live out those words to God.

The words were, “I don’t trust you with my…”!  I don’t trust you!  For me, the words really hurt.  I didn’t lash out irrationally about it, although I wanted to.  I did say a few things but all in all, it was like having the air knocked out.  Why in the world would this person not trust me of all people??!!

Oh, my!!  How that came back on me today.  God is so teaching me this lesson lately on a weekly basis.  “You don’t trust Me? Why in the world would you not trust Me?”  It dawned on me, that dryness or darkness or the tunnel walk in the spiritual life may sometimes be of our own making.  We may have let God know that we don’t trust Him, so, for a time, He closes the door.  And He may not open the door again until we come “knocking, asking, and seeking”!

Demonic Vacuum Cleaner

I love my vacuum cleaner.  It’s been a faithful cleaning tool now for over twenty years.  While I should be thankful for such service in a world full of cheaply made machines, there are times I think it is possessed.

It has little wheels that allow it to glide easily over my hardwood floors.  Then for no apparent reason, as I am cleaning vigorously, it gets stuck on a half-inch round cord.  Now the cord is an easy jump for the little wheels, a little shake should solve the problem; but no, it usually takes stopping and lifting it off the cord.

Sometimes it will lie down on its side.  It will be going great, and I have no idea how or why, but it will roll off it’s wheels!   Of course, there’s no way to get it up with just a pull this time.  I definitely have to stop, pick it up and put it back on its wheels.   I’ve gotten so irritated at it that I’ll just pick it up and carry it because that’s the only way I can get it to do what I want without interrupting my plan.

Today was such a day.  As I carried it around, I thought of many things in the spiritual realm in regard to my feelings about my vacuum.  First, there is no original sin in this machine, so of course there is no demonic influence.  The only sinfulness going on here is me getting irritated at a machine.

Second, I thought that this little vacuum is a very good picture of God and me.  How often have I become tripped up on something minor and He pulls and I don’t budge?!   How often will I be going along and out of the blue lie down on the job? He lovingly picks me up and carries me through the rough place, reminding me of His faithfulness and truthfulness.  My feelings cannot come into play.  I must trust Him.  Of course, I did not talk to my vacuum this way, but I do thank God for instructing me even in the base things of life!!

Do What You Want?

Recently I took matters into my own hands.  How often (and for me, sadly, most often) we tend to look at problems, plan a strategy and run ahead to solve them ourselves.  We, and I’m talking here to Christians, can quote verses from scripture, great sayings of Godly men and take copious notes from great sermons.  But the living it out, well, that’s for everyone else.  We piously gripe about situation ethics and yet we lean toward that philosophy ourselves when the going gets rough.  It’s hard to live out holiness, Godly love, and Biblical principles.  It’s HARD!! 

I confess my recent squeeze from the world revealed more about my character than I can bear.  The pressure from the problem is gone…yes, I took the matter into my own hands and did not submit to authority.  When guiltily I confessed, the answer back was, “Well, you did what you wanted.”  OUCH!!  And believe me, that’s not a flippant ouch but an agonizing, gut-wrenching ouch.  And immediately, this verse came to mind: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25  We have a KING.  He has given us the plan and it’s the best plan.  When will I ever learn?