Thursday, June 27, 2013

Are You Straining at the Fence?


One of my mother’s favorite authors is Erma Bombeck. She was hilarious! She was a great laugher, a lot like Barbara Johnson.  One of Erma’s books was “The Grass is Always Greener ---Over the Septic Tank!”

I can see in my mind the horses and cattle who strain against the barbed wire fences to get that blade of grass that looks so enticing when what they’re standing knee deep in is the same grass! Same health benefits, same minerals and vitamins. In fact the grass closest to the road may have stuff you can’t see with the naked eye – road film, grim, dirt, herbicides.

I am often reminded that I have to be careful. If I spend too much time “pinning” ideas and plans I might find myself wishing for greener pastures so to speak.  It’s real easy to go from looking at ideas to obsessing because you can’t do everything you see with your eyes.  We taste a little idea and before you know it we find ourselves hungering for that which we don’t need and that which might even harm us.

Have you been looking at the other side of the fence? Are you thinking the grass “over there” is greener?  Are you longing for something different, better, more? You may be thinking you want what someone else has and you’re straining to get where they are, but it might not be where God wants you. Maybe you’ve already gone over the fence and you realize now it’s just a septic tank – full of junk you never really wanted. You think it’s too late to go back, return or regain what you realize you have lost. You feasted your eyes on things the world tells you is important and now you feel hopeless, helpless and disappointed.

Oh beloved, it’s not too late! Run to the Lord this morning and begin feasting on His perfect will, His perfect ways and His perfect Word! Every lavish, lush Scripture is for you to take in completely, overfilling and overflowing! You can never feed too long or too much on His Word! As you give yourself back to His ways, God’s will is always your best pasture – the very best place to dwell in safety. He will begin to show you new and fresh insights. He will give you all that you can handle and oh so much more!  The greener pastures are in fact the very one you stand in with the Lord!  

Rejoice that God has provided the lushest everlasting feast for you because He loves you and He’s for you and that will keep you fed spiritually and blessed in every way all the days of your life!

Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord. (NAS)

Nehemiah 9:20 You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst. (NAS)

Isaiah 49:9 I will say to the prisoners, ‘Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Come into the light.’ They will be My sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare.

Psalm 119:10-11 With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

Psalm 23:2 He lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams.

Job 23:12 I have esteemed and treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. (Amplified)

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