This morning I was reflecting back on the title of Andy Stanley’s message from Catalyst last week. His talk was on the story of Cain and Abel; yeah the story you have heard over and over again. You remember; you heard it in bee-hived, gray haired, Sis. Irene Morgan’s, preschool Sunday School class; the one you attended so many years ago. Andy reminded us again that we are not immune from possibly doing the inconceivable in order to satisfy the appetites of our human bodies and soul. God created those natural appetites; sexual fulfillment, physical hunger, a desire to progress, win, achieve, to be famous, and so on. But sin has distorted them and they are never fully satisfied. They always whisper ‘now’, and never, ‘later’. He reminded us that, as in the case of Cain, sin takes a simple appetite and blows it way out of proportion. It causes us to focus our minds on satisfying that one thing as we blur out everything else; our family, our career, the respect we have from our kids, our relationship with God, our future plans and dreams. Cain gave up his birthright, which back then, meant everything in the world to a young man, in order to quench his immediate hunger. How crazy is that?? And yet, if we are not cautious and wise, we will do it also. For that girl, for that guy, that business deal, that fleeting feeling of ecstasy, that temporary fame or fortune.
For a moment, think about what you want your life to look like 10 years from now…………..Understand that satisfying our human passion, hunger or desire, in a way that does not please God, might just possibly destroy those hopes and dreams you have; everything that you have worked and prayed for your entire life. God knows that we all have those appetites. He created them. But we can’t allow sin to cause us to satisfy them in un-Godly ways.
May I seek for and apply the wisdom of God in my life. May I run to Him in times of temptation. May I find mercy, peace, and fulfillment at His side. May I be determined to not allow the enemy to blur my vision of reality in my moments of human weakness. Thanks Andy for reminding me.
“For the Lord is your security. He will keep your feet from being caught in a trap” Proverbs 3:26
Such an on time word! Thank you for sharing this morning. I don’t want just a bowl of stew I strive for the banquet table!