Shade Tree Wisdom 8/31/10

“Lost – Brown Cocker Spaniel”. Signs like that appear in the Woodlands from time to time. Sad, but often useless, the lost dog is never found. What happened was they were taking their dog for a walk, and since there was no one else near, they removed the leash. Suddenly the dog spots a rabbit, or squirrel. Something to chase, so it does. Its having fun. Follows unheeding of the owners calls, and becomes lost. It is not used to the place, it wanders around, lost.

Yondering! A word meant to speak of far places, and wandering there I search of something. Fulfilling a longing, looking for something else in life. Wanting freedom, and ending up entangled in a total disaster.

It’s all part of that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" syndrome we all seem to have. In the beginning, the Lord gave Adam the garden with this word, “to dress it and to keep it”. In short, take care of it. That ended with the fall into sin. Then he order changes, “Cursed is the ground for thy sake, in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns and thistle shall it bring forth to thee and thou shalt eat the herb of the field, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread till thou return unto the ground”.” Gen. 3, 17-19.

But people have always tried to turn that around. For example, ever since New Hampshire (I believe) first introduced a lottery because their leaders were afraid to raise the needed taxes, this country has been suffering under the curse of a lottery that promises to relieve want, give many benefits, “without any cost.”

Right now many look to government to ‘give people what they need’. That frees us, does it not? Until we remember that government can ‘give’ only what it takes from us.

So “Yondering” really leads to sadness, for it never promises what it seems to.

There is but one way, and that is the way of God, following His Word, accepting His promises, so that we can say with St. Paul, “I have learned, in whatever state I am, therewith to be content”. Philippians. This is written after he suffered shipwreck, was jailed, beaten, scourged, stoned, drive out of town. Then, He could say, “I am Content”. Because he truly believed that God supplied every step of his way.

Take that path with me. We do have peace with God because our sins have been paid for when our Lord Jesus died on the Cross, for me. Thank God for this assurance.

GPD 8/31/10