Stepping Out in RED Shoes!
- Day 25 -
Years ago, I spent an entire day with friend of mine who was an avid fisherman. He brought me around to his favorite fishing holes in hopes to share his passion and demonstrate his skill. I will never forget his abrupt pulling off to the side of the road, peering into the water and quickly reaching for his rod in the back of his truck. He was a man on a mission!
His rod was already baited with a shiny silver lure, which he told me later was specifically chosen for the type of fish he was pursuing. He carefully examined the pool of fish that had gathered, and with precision, cast his line exactly where he wanted it. Slowly and masterfully, he edged the lure in front of the fish, tweaking the line ever so gently to capture his prey's interest and attention.
Quite frankly, I was blown away by this man's expertise. He was totally "in the zone!" What a sight to see. Even with all that, however, the fish weren't biting that day. One at a time, they turned around and swam in the opposite direction. Before long, we were driving off to another destination to try again.
Last night a dear friend called me to tell me that she is struggling with temptation. Like a shiny silver lure, thoughts of an old lifestyle are vying to capture her interest and attention. It's driving her crazy! Desperately, she is searching her memory for the reason she stopped partaking in certain activities in the first place. She can't remember. All she can focus on is the sugar-coated bait that's dangling in front of her.
"I know why I stopped doing those things" she stated.
"But I can't remember why I stopped doing THAT.
What was so bad about THAT? It's just a little thing.
All I can remember is that it made me feel good."
Do those fish remember seeing their friend biting a shiny, silver lure,
and being carted off to his death?
Do they remember seeing him struggle for his life --
hooked and unable to set himself free?
Or better yet...
Were they, themselves, ever snagged by the lure,
and for some unknown reason, released back
into the water after the struggle of their life?
Perhaps fish are incapable of remembering
such things... but man can.
We MUST recall
what happens when we bite
the shiny silver lure!
That said, we've all been there -- in that place of temptation. We know how challenging it can be. As obvious as it seems to the outsider, they are not the one with the bait dangling in front of their nose. The woman is right. She needs to remember why she stopped that activity in the first place - and why she's not going to return to it!
I knew I needed to get alone with God to pray for my friend. The Master would have the answer for her. It was late, however. I was tired and found myself struggling in prayer with the desire to worry.
You can't pray in fear.
It doesn't work!
The Lord assured me that my friend was in His hands, so off I went to bed and enjoyed a good night's sleep. This morning I awoke and the answer was right there waiting for me.
God snatched her out of the pit!
To do that now would be
the 1st step in the wrong direction.
The devil will always provide you with an off ramp to turn around. Don't do it! Stay the course! Hebrews 12:1-2a says...
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.
And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us,
fixing our eyes on Jesus..." Hebrews 12:1-2a
There is so much more to say about this, dear friends. Tune in tomorrow for part 2.
In RED shoes,
Gail
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