FROM THE PASTOR'S PORCH: The edge crumbles easily!!

[Lynn D. Walker]

Please visit us at COWBOY COUNTRY CHURCH

FROM THE PASTOR'S PORCH: The edge crumbles easily!!

  When I was a young boy, I loved to roam up and down the canyons of Bill's Creek on the East side of Highway 277 across from where I lived.  It was such great adventure to go squirrel hunting with my trusty old Western Field single shot .22 rifle and a pocket full of .22 shorts. My daddy wouldn't let me have the .22 long rifle shells that I longed for.  He was afraid that I might bring something down other than a squirrel so I had to be satisfied with what I had in my pockets. Most of the time I stayed down in the Canyon and walked along the creek.  There was something about walking along the water and looking up those canyon walls and into the big oak trees that was so majestic and thrilling.  No great white hunter in darkest Africa had more fun and adventure than I had back in those days.

    I remember one time when I was not down in the canyon, but walking along the rim up above.  I got a little careless as sometimes a young boy will do, and I got to close to the edge.  The sandy edge crumbled under my my feet and down I went, trusty rifle and all to the bottom of the steep canyon.  I still remember the fear and the pain of trying to climb back out of that canyon with a sprained ankle.  I learned a good lesson that day about not getting too close to the edge. 

    We must all be on guard about getting to close to steep canyon walls and the deep pits that life sometimes puts in our path.  One of the most dangerous traps that Satan uses is the pit of self-pity.  Especially when we are weary or suffering illness.  Don't even go near the edge of this pit because it crumbles very easily, and before you know it you are on the way down.  The pit of self-pity is very, very hard to climb out of, so it is much better to keep a safe distance than to fall in to it. 

    There are several ways to protect yourself from self-pity.  For one thing, if you spend your time being Thankful and Praising the Lord, it is impossible to feel sorry for yourself.  And if you really want to put some distance between you and the pity pit, just stay focused on Jesus by “fixing your eyes upon Him” and being obedient.  This is how you stay in the Light of His Presence.  Then you will be able “to run with endurance the race that is set before you, without stumbling or falling” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

    The pit of self-pity is one of those things where an ounce of prevention is worth much more than a pound of cure.  It's very hard to climb out of that old pit once you ever fall into it.  So my prayer for you today is that you will “enter into His gate with Thanksgiving and in to His court with Praise!!”  You will feel a whole lot better and others will not have to endure listening to you whine and complain.  Praise God and pass the .22 shorts; Don't biscuits, gravy, and fried squirrel sound good!!!  Have a blessed day,  ~Pastor Lynn