The Right Deed Gone Wrong
Have you ever felt like you did the right thing and somehow got punished for it? I certainly have, and recently, these situations seem to be multiplying like rabbits in springtime. There's an old saying that "No good deed goes unpunished," and sometimes life appears determined to prove that axiom true.
In the past couple of weeks, I faced two particularly challenging situations where I followed the right path with the purest intentions, only to be met with heartbreak and disappointment. I won't bore you with the details, but imagine doing everything by the book—crossing every 't', dotting every 'i'—and still ending up with results that make you question whether you should have bothered at all.
In times like these, it's tempting to throw up our hands and say, "Why bother? What's the point in living right if things are going to turn out badly anyway?"
Beyond the “Church Experience”
I was flipping through channels the other night when I landed on one of those singing competition shows. You know the type—aspiring artists performing their hearts out before a panel of celebrity judges. After one particularly moving performance, one of the judges exclaimed, "Wow, you really took us to church!"
I couldn't help but chuckle at the phrase. It's become quite common nowadays, hasn't it? Whether it's a soulful ballad, an impressive guitar solo, or even a particularly passionate speech, people love to say they've been "taken to church." The phrase has come to represent any experience that stirs the emotions or creates a sense of excitement.
But as I pondered this cultural phenomenon, I couldn't help but wonder: Is this what church is really meant to be? An emotional high? A performance that leaves us feeling uplifted for a moment?
Sweetness From the Stone
In Deuteronomy 32:13, we find a fascinating image where God speaks of making His people "suck honey out of the rock." This same imagery appears again in Psalm 81:16: "He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee." At first glance, it seems like an odd combination. After all, honey comes from bees, not rocks. Yet, there's profound meaning in this divine metaphor.
The imagery makes perfect sense when we consider how wild bees often build their hives in rocky places like crevices, caves, and cliff faces. These natural fortresses protect the colonies and their precious honey. When someone discovers such a treasure hidden within the rocks, accessing it requires effort and persistence. Breaking through the rocky barrier to reach the sweet reward within isn't easy, but the result is worth the work.
When Progress Looks Like Snow
Living in Wales has taught me a thing or two about unpredictable weather. This past week has been a perfect example of nature's indecisiveness. One moment, pristine white snow blankets our driveway, transforming our little corner of Wales into a winter wonderland. The next, the sun peeks through the clouds, and I think, "Finally! Back to normal!" But before I can even grab my walking shoes for an afternoon stroll with Tess, another flurry descends, and we're right back where we started.
This morning, as I watched yet another wave of snowflakes dance their way to earth, I couldn't help but see a parallel to my spiritual journey. You see, I often expect my walk with the Lord to be a straight path of constant improvement. One prayer, one sermon, one revelation, and boom, I should be transformed into the perfect Christian, right?
Wrong. Oh, so wrong!