Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The wobbly fence.

I love this time of the year. It's the beginning of spring. The birds are churping, the flowers are beginning to bloom, the smell of fresh cut grass is in the air, and it's baseball season. There is nothing like a good ole' baseball game to get you ready for the spring time. I love all the kids running around, the sound of a ball popping into a glove, the cheers from the crowd, and the smell of hot dogs, nachos and smelly kleets. Good times, good times. Our season started a few weeks ago with a few weekly practices. One of the days, about a week ago, my son and I had arrived at one of his practices and the sun was shining brightly. There was also a nice crisp breeze blowing in the air. I got him settled on the field with his team, and decided to sit under one of the trees, lean back and read a book I had brought. Aaahhhhh! Peace and relaxation. I had only been reading for a few minutes when I noticed a small boy out of the corner of my eye. He was standing on one side of a hurricane fence that surrounded the ball field. He couldn't have been, maybe, half of the height of the fence. He was attempting to climb over the fence to go meet his brother, who was practicing ball on the other side. He would grab the top of it and place both feet in the holes in the fence. He would then climb all the way to the top, and while holding on, he would attempt to take one foot off of the fence to bring it over the top. Each time he did this, the fence would start to wobble and he would lose his balance and fall down to the ground. He must have tried a dozen times. Each time, the same result. He would try and bring his foot over the top, lose his balance and fall once again. I must admit, his determination was quite inspiring. Behind him, sat his father, who was trying to keep one eye on his son on the field and one eye on his son attempting to conquer the fence. Before each time the little boy tried to climb over the fence, his father would warn him, "You are going to fall." And sure enough, he would. And then it happened. After trying and trying, he was finally able to wrap his foot over the fence and place it in the hole on the other side. He stood up straight to try and bring the other foot over from the other side, when the fence began to wobble, he lost his balance and fell to the ground...again. He got up screaming because he had hurt himself and his father came running from the other side, fussing the entire time. I watched in amazement and couldn't help but giggle a little on the inside. Why didn't the little boy just give up? Why didn't he listen to his father when he warned him? Why did he try to climb both sides of the fence? Why do WE try to climb both sides of the fence? God on one side and our sin on the other. Why do we dangle on one side while we dabble with danger on the other? As long as the little boy's feet were firm on one side, he was o.k. But, as soon as he tried to crossover to that other side, he would fall. That is just what we do. We are strong and firm in our walk with God, then we try to walk the other side with sin, even only for a little while, then we fall. Each time we know that we will get hurt in some way or another. Most of the time, we even complain of getting hurt when we knew better to try it in the first place. All the while, God is warning us the whole way, "You are going to fall." But, we don't listen. But, when we do fall, HE is there waiting to dust us off and help us go back to the other side. God's love for us is that BIG! It is impossible to walk both sides! When both our feet are planted firm in God, we just need to stay put! Sin will cause us to go places we don't want to go and end up in places we don't want to be. It will cause us to fall every time! But, God will bring us to places where HE knows we can stand and conquer. Each time HE will be our peace and security. HE is the firm and steady side of the fence! Revelation 3:15, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other." Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to give you hope and not to harm you."

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