The other day, I was doing a few things in the basement. I turned to get some water from the utility tub and was startled to see a baby mouse huddled in the corner of the tub. It looked scared because it couldn't find a way out of the tub. I found a box and scooped it up and took it outside. I took it to the far end of the yard and let it out in the ditch that is filled with weeds, brush, and trees. I figured that was a better spot than in the basement, and certainly better than the utility tub! A few days later, I was once again in the basement, and I looked in the utility tub and sure enough, there were now two mice in the tub. One was dead and the other was curled in a tiny ball in the corner. Once again, I grabbed a box, scooped both of them into it, and then left them both in the brush at the far end of the yard. Now, I doubt that either one was the same mouse that I had freed days earlier, but it struck me that I could rescue a mouse from the tub one day only to find a mouse in the same predicament again days later.
Let's suppose (or pretend) that one of them was the same mouse. The utility tub acted as an entrapment that meant certain, albeit eventual, death for the mouse. I don't know if it fell in or if there was something in the tub that was attracting it there, but it appears that the mouse went into the tub for some reason, not knowing that there was no way back out. How many times would I have to rescue the mouse from this entrapment before it was too late and the mouse succumbed to death? Remember, one of the mice was dead, and it probably wasn't long before the other would have been as well.
Proverbs 26:11
As a dog returns to his vomit, so a fool returns to his folly.
I know that this is a gross analogy, but I'm sure we've all seen a dog do it. After they throw up, they turn back to it like it's a special treat. We would never do this and are disgusted at the very thought. But the scriptures say that just as the dog returns to this disgusting thing, the fool returns to his folly. A fool can be warned about and turned away from his folly, but sooner or later, he will return and once again be ensnared by his former trappings. How many times must this fool be rescued from his folly before it becomes his demise? It would be wise for him to take heed to the warnings and leave his place of sin, never to return. But that is not what happens. Against all common sense, the fool returns to his folly. As silly as it seems for the dog to return to his vomit, how often do you and I hear warnings in the Word of God against something that is in our life, we receive that Word and we proclaim our intended change with our mouths, and perhaps we even allow the change into our heart and life for awhile, but then we return, just like that dog, to our former sins. This is foolish! The mouse may be rescued from the utility tub time and time again, but remember, the one mouse died! It's not OK to return to sin again and again. God is merciful, but let's not mock him by returning to folly again and again, each time hoping in the back of our minds that God will pull us out one more time before it's too late and all hope is lost.
Do you know about a sin in your heart? Have you turned away from it for a time, only to let it back in? Do you have an ongoing struggle with something that isn't pure and holy because you won't surrender completely to God? Do you have that frustrated feeling of failure when an issue or temptation that you thought you had dealt with suddenly pops up again in your life? The fool returns to his folly. But don't give up hope. If you come to Him and give Him your (whole) life, He will save you! He is able to KEEP you from falling...from going back to the vomit...if you trust Him!
Jude 24-25
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Psalm 80:17-19
17 Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thyself. 18 So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, and we will call upon thy name. 19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved.
1 comment:
I just looked up Return to your vomit, because I have that problem.
You said people do not surrender their life fully to Jesus. I have heard this before many times. But how does one do so. I am actually asking where in the Bible you may direct me to find the instructions on how to do this.
I have a dangerous reacurring sin problem. I think that all sin is dangerous in that it eventually leads us into immanent danger--but mine is already there--it leads to death more obviously than the "little sins" (I quoted that phrase because there is no such thing as "little sins"--that's a lie from the devil, God sees all sins as equal--except the sin against the Holy Ghost--which I am scared that I have done also).
The point is--I just want to know how to find the instructions in the Bible of how to step by step--or as close to it--turn my entire life over to Jesus.
I know that I want to have a perfect relationship with Him because I want to be able to go to Him and hear everything He says perfectly and clearly so that I may avoid making more detrimental mistakes by ignorant choices (not obvious bad--but bad for my particular life--like choosing this good place over that good place).
Also, I want to live a life in which Jesus can say "well done, good and faithful servant," when I'm done on Earth.
Lastly I want to always be perfectly in communion with Him so that I know where I stand, I am comfortable in my salvation in Christ, and I am not confused about which direction or which choice should make, and that I am not discouraged by the wicked ways of people who attack.
Thank you, Sir, I am glad that you posted this.
-Christmas Eve, December 24 2008
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