I Know It Smells on the Ark...

I know it smells, but the Ark is the only thing floating! ~ Noah on day 299. Do you ever wonder about the conversations that took place on the Ark? It would seem that Noah and Mrs. Noah were on the Ark with their three sons and three daughters in law for about a year. Combine the close quarters of eight people with all of the animals and even a vessel as large as the Ark was will become very small. You have to wonder what took place and what was said. I wonder if they reacted like I sometimes tend to do? I find that sometimes when I am in the midst of being “saved” from adversity I complain about the method of that “salvation.” Rather than being thankful all I can see is the “stink” that is around me. Now you know the boat had to stink! Have you ever been to a zoo? Have you ever driven by a dairy? How about pulling up to a signal light and finding yourself setting next to a livestock truck? Anytime you get several animals together the natural result is going to be a smell. In fact it is going to be a really big, bad smell! A smell that would get more intense and eventually drive a person to a distraction! What do you do? The Ark is the only thing floating. There is no where else to go. Actually the Ark is your salvation. If you hadn’t gotten on board the Ark you would have drowned with everyone else. But now, the Ark is stinking and you are wishing you were anywhere but on the Ark. Been there and done that! I have often prayed prayers that go like this: “God I have got to make heaven no matter the cost and I need your help.” So God looks at me and sees some things in my life that will keep me from heaven and goes to work. Then in the midst of God’s mercy and grace I begin to complain that what God is doing in my life is too painful, it stinks! Another prayer that I have prayed is, “God I want to know you and to be like you. Show me what I need to do.” Again, God takes me at my word and begins to show me what I must do to know him and be like him. However, the cross is heavy, the road is lonely and, well, it just stinks! Yet when I look around me. When I look at all that is happening and going on in my world. I see a lot of destruction! There is so much that is failing! So many are drowning in the cares of life. They have put their hopes and trust in the things of life and all of its assurances only to have it wiped out. I know, the Ark is the only thing floating! So, despite the smell. Irregardless of how uncomfortable it might become I am going to stay in the Ark. I have found safety from the storms of life, in the Ark. I have truly found that I can rise above all adversity in life by remaining in the Ark. I will admit it isn’t always as pleasant as I would like it to be. However, it sure beats trying to tread water. Remember, it is just a thought!

You Might Lose Your Head But Don't Lose Your Heart

“You might lose your head, but don’t lose your heart” ~ Peter. Ok, I just made that up. Peter didn’t really say those words, that we know of. However, Peter did live a life that spoke those words. He dealt with persecution, imprisonment and eventually death. Yet through it all, he never lost his heart. It is so easy, when things are going good, to make statements and promises that are hard to keep during adverse times. Just as Peter did to Jesus. His promise was that even if everyone else left Jesus, he would stay and fight to his death. His intentions were good, he even drew his sword and took a swing at the enemy. However, when the adrenaline stopped flowing and things quieted down, Peter had second thoughts and lost his heart. The wise man tells us in Proverbs to guard our heart because the issues of life come from it. (Pro 4:23) Of course he isn’t speaking of our blood pumper, but the seat of our emotions and thoughts. This is the place many of our decisions are made. The influences of our lives come from our heart. It is from our heart that the voice whispers to us telling us to do something or not to do it. We would do well to be careful what we allow to come into our heart. There is an urgent need to protect our hearts. Not too many years after the night in the garden and the tragic mistake in the courtyard, Peter’s heart is once again put to the test. He is lead before a court and found guilty of preaching about Jesus Christ. The judge condemns him to death and he is led away to his execution. Of course we have no way of knowing but my imagination tells me that Peter’s heart was reminding him of the night so long ago when it had failed him. Oh the shame and frustration that had resulted from the wrong decision. No! It won’t fail him now. He might die for what he believed but he would die willingly. And he did! Yes, we might lose our head. Things might not go the way we planned or hoped that they would. However, we must protect our hearts at all costs. Our heart affects everything I do so I must keep it safe. Remember, it’s just a thought!