I've come to an important conclusion. Well, important if you keep a rabbit as a pet. Rabbits are built for escape. If you doubt me, here's what I want you to do. I want you to imagine that your rabbit is getting wool block (a giant hairball in the stomach). You must put olive oil with a couple of drops of molasses for flavoring in it into a syringe and convince said rabbit that it would be really good for him or her to ingest this. If your rabbit's semi-feral like one of mine is, the results will be quick and decisive. He or she will absolutely escape the oil. It will not land in the mouth.
I have walked across my backyard with this semi-feral creature in my arms and had him explode straight up into the air. He escaped my grasp and landed, unharmed, on his feet. It seems that, once a rabbit has decided to get away, every cell is engaged in telescoping the body into the smallest and strangest of contortions imaginable to fit the escape hatch, be that someone's arms or the hole created by a warped board in a fenced backyard. A footnote: you won't catch them unless they decide that you can. We have not been given the warp-speed reflexes of a rabbit on the run. Not physically, at least.
Human beings have souls. These souls are a lot like the flexible, escape-oriented physicality of a rabbit. When we sense the danger of emotional pain, we become automatic masters of escape. We are creative. Billions are spent annually on hobbies which, while healthy and good in and of themselves, become toxic when overused to the detriment of work, family and spiritual life. Lives are ruined and even ended by drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and food. The reason so many refuse to turn to God for healing and protection from the difficulties and pain of life and relationships is that we have been fed a lie by Satan, the enemy of our souls. He tells us that coming to God will result in punishment, and in a penance for sin and an expectation for good behavior that will be many times heavier than the chains we hide beneath our social media games and apps, beneath our dozens of shopping bags, behind a myriad other addictions that we simply cannot cure ourselves of.
I have some really good news for you: Jesus is the lover of your soul. Not the hater, not the condemner, not the abuser. The. Lover. He died a very painful death on the cross so that you would not have to carry the shame of your shortcomings. As soon as a detail of your life becomes difficult or hard, hit your knees, not the liquor cabinet. I guarantee that new purse will not stop the forces of hell that want to defeat you. But Jesus can, and He will. Let him fight for you. The playground bully is no match for him. He DOES have a wonderful, fulfilling plan for your life. Here is a little wind beneath your wings: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." (Psalm 37:23, New Living Translation of the Holy Bible)
Sound of needle scratching on record. "Lady, you just typed the word 'godly.' That would exclude me," so many of you may be thinking. Well, here's the thing: the godly are those who have given their hearts and lives to Jesus and are, while far from perfect, trusting Him to be their righteousness. Those of us who are in Christ can do a few things to allow the Holy Spirit to smash our chains. We can sit alone in God's presence every day, talking to Him and listening for his response in our spirits. (I journal.) We can read his word, the Bible, while asking for the Holy Spirit to teach us from it, and to reveal the true meaning of the scriptures. We can gather regularly with other Christians to draw strength from them and to hear good teaching. We can read books by Christian authors and teachers. We can sing songs of praise to God. We can protect our minds from exposure to wrong media content. All of these things will help us grow closer to Christ, strengthening us in challenging times. When we are tempted to sin, Jesus is at our right hand, holding onto us. When we fall, his loving presence envelops us, picks us back up and sets us instantly on the right track again, completely forgiven.
The best practice for me has been to regularly take time away from constant media saturation. It also strengthens me tremendously in my spiritual life to simply call on Jesus throughout the day for every need I have. I really do want that to be my first response to Satan's call to sin at every turn, followed by his whip of condemnation and dark fog of rejection. Jesus does not condemn. Jesus saves, heals, delivers, and forgives. Don't mistake religion for a savior. Jesus is alive. He is beside you and IN you if you have given your life to him and acknowledged that He is the only way to heaven, the only path to the Father! Stop listening to the wrong voice and hear the voice of God. When you fall, you will be helped back up, washed completely clean by His blood INSTANTLY! Have a wonderful afternoon in Christ!
I have walked across my backyard with this semi-feral creature in my arms and had him explode straight up into the air. He escaped my grasp and landed, unharmed, on his feet. It seems that, once a rabbit has decided to get away, every cell is engaged in telescoping the body into the smallest and strangest of contortions imaginable to fit the escape hatch, be that someone's arms or the hole created by a warped board in a fenced backyard. A footnote: you won't catch them unless they decide that you can. We have not been given the warp-speed reflexes of a rabbit on the run. Not physically, at least.
Human beings have souls. These souls are a lot like the flexible, escape-oriented physicality of a rabbit. When we sense the danger of emotional pain, we become automatic masters of escape. We are creative. Billions are spent annually on hobbies which, while healthy and good in and of themselves, become toxic when overused to the detriment of work, family and spiritual life. Lives are ruined and even ended by drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and food. The reason so many refuse to turn to God for healing and protection from the difficulties and pain of life and relationships is that we have been fed a lie by Satan, the enemy of our souls. He tells us that coming to God will result in punishment, and in a penance for sin and an expectation for good behavior that will be many times heavier than the chains we hide beneath our social media games and apps, beneath our dozens of shopping bags, behind a myriad other addictions that we simply cannot cure ourselves of.
I have some really good news for you: Jesus is the lover of your soul. Not the hater, not the condemner, not the abuser. The. Lover. He died a very painful death on the cross so that you would not have to carry the shame of your shortcomings. As soon as a detail of your life becomes difficult or hard, hit your knees, not the liquor cabinet. I guarantee that new purse will not stop the forces of hell that want to defeat you. But Jesus can, and He will. Let him fight for you. The playground bully is no match for him. He DOES have a wonderful, fulfilling plan for your life. Here is a little wind beneath your wings: "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives." (Psalm 37:23, New Living Translation of the Holy Bible)
Sound of needle scratching on record. "Lady, you just typed the word 'godly.' That would exclude me," so many of you may be thinking. Well, here's the thing: the godly are those who have given their hearts and lives to Jesus and are, while far from perfect, trusting Him to be their righteousness. Those of us who are in Christ can do a few things to allow the Holy Spirit to smash our chains. We can sit alone in God's presence every day, talking to Him and listening for his response in our spirits. (I journal.) We can read his word, the Bible, while asking for the Holy Spirit to teach us from it, and to reveal the true meaning of the scriptures. We can gather regularly with other Christians to draw strength from them and to hear good teaching. We can read books by Christian authors and teachers. We can sing songs of praise to God. We can protect our minds from exposure to wrong media content. All of these things will help us grow closer to Christ, strengthening us in challenging times. When we are tempted to sin, Jesus is at our right hand, holding onto us. When we fall, his loving presence envelops us, picks us back up and sets us instantly on the right track again, completely forgiven.
The best practice for me has been to regularly take time away from constant media saturation. It also strengthens me tremendously in my spiritual life to simply call on Jesus throughout the day for every need I have. I really do want that to be my first response to Satan's call to sin at every turn, followed by his whip of condemnation and dark fog of rejection. Jesus does not condemn. Jesus saves, heals, delivers, and forgives. Don't mistake religion for a savior. Jesus is alive. He is beside you and IN you if you have given your life to him and acknowledged that He is the only way to heaven, the only path to the Father! Stop listening to the wrong voice and hear the voice of God. When you fall, you will be helped back up, washed completely clean by His blood INSTANTLY! Have a wonderful afternoon in Christ!
