“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…” Hebrews 12:1-2
“WHAAAAA?” was the surprise shock I registered to the number on the scale. I had been weighing myself regularly for sometime and the daily number averaged 166.3 pounds. I don’t know why I stopped, except that seeing the same number over a length of time made me believe that ‘THAT ‘ was my number. But one morning last week, the number on the scale was 172.2! “WHAAAAA?”
The very first question that came to mind is the normal one for anybody experiencing this kind of shock… “WHAT HAPPENED… WHAT DID I DO?” I didn’t remember pigging out on anything different. Surely I wasn’t eating ‘mass quantities’ of any food that could possibly do that to me. Disappointed, I went to get cream for my coffee and, at the bottom of the fridge lay the culprit!
The bright red color of the cut watermelon contrasted nicely with the green bowl in which it lay. I didn’t even think about it as I bent down, grabbed a pre-cut slice, then reached for the salt shaker! I was standing over the sink with juice running down my face and saying “MMMMMM,” when it hit me! I remembered it was the second watermelon I had eaten in a week. Belly Busted!
It just so happened that another indicator showed up when I received the results of my annual blood test. In the row marked sugar, the results read “HIGH.” BIG CAPITAL LETTERS! Thank you!!!! I got the picture. My childhood love for watermelon had come back to haunt me! Facts being facts, the choices were to ‘accept and change’ OR ‘ignore and continue’ as usual. I phoned a friend.
Recognizing that a confrontation with an ill-advised, wrong, bad, evil or self-indulgent thing is a daily experience on this earth. The issue lies not with the issue, but with the critically important point is the decision. “What will I DO about this?” is a daily reminder of man’s position when aligned with God’s. Born as sinful firewood, God points out the way out and calls. ‘I’ must decide to change.
Today’s Bible verse shows there are LOTS of ‘things and sins’ that hinder me. And while “ya gotta die a somethin’,” might allow some time to continue the indulgence, there WILL come a payday. I realize God isn’t NEAR as critical about how much ‘I’ weigh as He is about that ‘lil’ sinny thing I do, but He IS interested and invested in my ‘total package.’ The third watermelon in the garage? I gave it away!
What is hindering your walk, slowing you down, holding you back or getting in the way between you and God or other people? What is God trying to tell you to do? Are you at least thinking about it and asking for His help to make the Godly decisions?
