Shade Tree Wisdom 1/22/13

          A small boy swallowed some coins and his frantic parents rushed him to the hospital. Later, when the worried grandmother called about it, the nurse replied, “No change yet”.

         That is the problem people need to face. In the beginning the Lord God “saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every  inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.” (Genesis 6,5).

         The Psalm adds, “Everyone has turned away, they have altogether become corrupt, there is no one who does good, not even one,.” (Psalm 53,3).

          So the warning that God spoke to Cain is meant for every person. “Sin is crouching at the door, and desires to have you, but you must master it.” (Genesis 4,6.)

          I mentioned that temptations often come in strange ways and from unforeseen directions, and usually at the worst time for us.  Just when we thought we had everything under control, something happens we had not foreseen and that messes our plans in disarray.

          I think of a church family that spent several weeks in a cottage on a lake away from the hurried life of the city. They had a wonderful time. Nobody got sick, nobody even got a bad sun burn. They had taken their dog along and just had a fine, relaxed time, swimming, boating, some fishing, badminton. Now they had packed and were ready to drive back home. The car was packed, so they called their dog to come jump in.

Well, he had just run into a skunk that lived under the neighbor’s shed and gotten the works. So they spent half a day washing that away, got a late start for home, and all were put out. ”that dumb dog”.

That’s how temptation comes.

We are always on the alert because we know something about ourselves.” All have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3,23).

But we know more. We have a Savior. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” For Paul teaches, “At just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5,6.)

St. John gives us this comfort, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” (John 3,17).

So there may be “no change yet”, still we take heart, Because we have a Savior. The world will offer challenges and trials, but Jesus says to us, “in this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16,33b.)

GPD 1/22/13