In the Thorns

It has been awhile since my last post. I've been painfully choked by thorns and was unable to write. It came to my attention today what was going on so now I can begin the process of removing the thorns and transferring myself to healthy soil.

In an earlier post, (Fixin' My Want To)I wrote about my experience with the Lord Jesus at the altar, where I surrendered my little bit of oil to Him. The high of the mountaintop lasted a few days then I found myself somewhere else. Can anyone identify with me? I mean, I had this incredible one-on-one encounter with my Creator, the Lover of my Soul, the one who calls me Friend, and a few days later, I can't find myself at all.

I have been going through the motions of a quiet time every morning: getting up, listening to a few praise songs, reading my Bible, reading O.C. (my nickname for Oswald Chambers) and praying. I have been in obedience with the Lord, so I get credit for that but I have failed to allow what I was reading to change me, until the other morning.

I was reading O.C., not sure which day but I read something about the "cares of this world." The words struck a cord with me. I was intrigued by what "cares of the world" the apostle Mark could be talking about. My commitment was to do some research. When I tried to look up those words in the original Greek I got nothing, so I left the thought, until today.

I headed to the dreaded DMV to renew my driver's license. I reached for the book that was supposed to be laying in my passenger seat only to realize I had left it at home. I saw my Bible in the seat and thought "Well, I guess I will take it in." (Can you believe my attitude towards God's Word? I can't believe He did not run my over with one of the young kids attempting to get their license.) Oh, Lord forgive my casual approach to your Word. So, I took my Bible and headed in only to discover that I would have plenty of time to read the Word as I waited for my number to be called.

I read through some of my favorite Psalms then closed the Bible. I read through some more favorite Psalms then closed the Bible. It hit me: I should read the text surrounding Mark 4:19. So I did. Jesus is telling the parable of the soil. I had read and heard the story hundreds of times but this time it was different. This time I was in the thorny soil. How could I have fallen in the thorny soil?

Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and
choke the word, making it unfruitful.

I could see it so clearly: the word unfruitful, the one thing I never want to be. Satan had succeeded in distracting me from my one-on-one encounter with the Lord with the worries of my life. I have been unfruitful. How my heart breaks at this discovery and yet rejoices at the same time. Have you been there? You grieve because of your short coming but give praise to the Light that exposed the plan of the enemy.

I praise you, Lord Jesus, that your Word is alive and active and more powerful than any double-edged sword. Today, you divided my soul, spirit, joints, and marrow. You judged the thoughts and attitude of my heart. You saw that is was seeking you earnestly and You rewarded me greatly by exposing the enemy's scheme with the light of your unchanging Word.

May I never stop being a student of the Word! Oh, how I love its power!

For His Great Renown