THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

January 31, 2024

LIFE IN THE FOLD

I get my nephew's two youngest children, and their cousin, on the school bus in the mornings. I'm with them at their home for about 45 minutes each week day. I love listening to them play. Each day it's something different. Some mornings they are quiet and just want to sit and watch tv or their tablet (or my phone or tablet). Many mornings they are playing some type of pretend. They will play house, where they each have their own role to play. Some mornings they are dinosaurs. Occasionally they are playing with plastic light sabers and fighting the "bad" guys. They like building blanket forts. The girls enjoy coloring and drawing.

A few days ago the two girls came downstairs with a toy vacuum cleaner and a little plastic tub with pretend cleaning supplies. They were pretending to clean the living room. My little niece was "cleaning" the windows and was singing over and over again, "I clean the windows..."

The thing is, they have very active imaginations and have fun making up games or playing pretend. Even if they are playing something similar from one day to another, it's new and fresh, because they change up how their playing or their roles.

Sometimes they do argue and don't always get along. Some mornings they are more tired than others; and occasionally the cousin will lay down on the couch and take a nap before the bus comes. They get cranky from time to time. Some days they each do their own thing, and don't play together, which is fine, too. But most days they get along well and enjoy playing together.

What if I made a strict rule that they were only allowed to do the exact same thing every single day and weren't allowed to ever change it up and do something differently? It would make them very unhappy kids and they'd get very bored and it would likely affect their behavior. It would stymie their imaginations and prevent them from learning how to play new things and how to interact with one another in various pretend situations.

You can't put a person in a box and expect them to always be the same day after day, to never change or never adapt to different circumstances, and their behavior and actions to consistently be the exact same every single day of their life. I believe that allowing kids to use their imaginations and play pretend helps them develop much needed skills for adulthood.

There are times when we get stuck in the mindset that we always have to be the same... never change... never adapt... never change roles... We put ourself in a box and then become frustrated when situations doesn't allow for our box. This not only can affect our own peace of mind, but have an impact on our spiritual growth.

Psalms 102:25-27 says, "Long ago You (God) laid the foundation of the earth and made the heavens with your hands. They will perish, but You remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and discard them. But You are always the same; You will live forever."

These scriptures speak to the fact that God is always the same and will never change. It refers to the fact that God is unchanging in who He is; in His perfection, purposes, and promises. Yet He doesn't always answer our prayers in the exact same way each time, nor does He react the same in each situation.

We need to be steadfast in our faith and relentless in our pursuit of following Jesus. We can't change with ever religious fad or doctrine that we hear, no matter how good it may sound. We need to use the Word of God as our guide and pray about making decisions or before acting; regardless of what people may urge us to do.

We, also, need to be open to change and willing to "think outside the box," at times. God has given us our minds and imaginations and ability to problem solve, so that we can adapt to various circumstances that life brings our way. We depend upon Him, but He often will show us what we need to do and then help us as we act.

Ephesians chapter six speaks about putting on the whole armor of God. It doesn't say that God will dress us and put the armor on for us. He tells us what the armor consists of, makes it available to us, but we are required to put it on.

Verse 13 says, "Put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm." When we've done everything we can do, we stand firm. We don't give up or fear what's going to happen. But we do what we can, then trust in and depend on the Lord to do the rest. We have to put on the armor and will have to do warfare against the strategies of the devil. We will have to stand firm against the evil in this world. We pray. But ultimately, we hold fast to the assurance that God is fighting on our behalf and will never leave or forsake us.

Sometimes the unexpected happens and will often catch us off-guard. But if we are fully clothed in the armor of God and have our faith in Him, instead of this world and what our flesh feels or sees, we will be able to adjust and change and do what's necessary in order to get through. We may experience heartbreak, grief, hurt, pain, sickness, tears, etc... but through it all we trust in the One who loves us most.

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

Having the full armor of God isn't just for someday in the future. It isn't for one day when America is at war, and we have to join a physical battle. It is for all the attacks we have against us now. When we hear someone claim Christians aren't tolerant, so should be hated, we need our armor. When we hear the stereotype that all Christians are hypocrites, we need our armor. When someone accuses us of being judgmental or hateful, we need our armor.

Someday, and maybe soon, we will need physical armor as well. The book of the Revelation tells us how terrible the world will be in the end times. Many generations have thought it was surely coming soon. But now, it feels like it must be incredibly soon. We need to be prepared with the full armor of God.

Even when physical battles come, our spiritual battles will be more important. Ephesians 6:10~18 says it very well. Our enemy is the dark forces, not flesh and blood. We need truth, righteousness (true righteousness, not self-righteousness), knowing the gospel (or the "good news" that Jesus paid for our sins already), faith, and salvation (accepting Jesus's sacrifice for ourselves). We don't need those things in a closet or drawer. We need to keep them on us at all times.

ON THE MENEWE:

Hot Cocoa Mix

Stir all ingredients together and store in a jar with a tight lid. When ready to us, mix 1/4 cup or 2-3 Tablespoons in a cup of hot milk or hot water; stir well.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Jon's Aunt Jan babysat him when he was a little boy, before he started school. During one visit with her, she was sharing some stories she remembers about Jon from back in those days. One time, Jon was playing with something and another little boy wanted it. He told Jon that he was supposed to share, but Jon didn't hand it over and give it to him. The little boy then told Jon, "The Bible says you have to share!" Jon replied, "Well, we're not playing Bible!!"

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

Make God your first priority -- not your last resort. - unknown

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org