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How
often do you take things for granted?
Maybe
it is something you enjoy, like having a cell phone keeping you on track with
just about everything in your life.
It
could be your spouse who takes care of 100 things you may never even notice.
Your
vehicle, your job, your home, your massive collection of Funko Pop! Characters
... No matter what it is we can become blind, deaf and dumb to it.
What
about tradition, or habit? Is this taken for granted?
I
think so... We get so used to a certain order of 'noise' in our lives and
without it happening we may believe there is something wrong.
A
book I read a while back deals with this kind of thing in various degrees and
one of the more engrossing ones really stuck with me. It had to do with the
mechanics of a post-apocalyptic silo. The book is called
"Wool" and the name is quite intentional as in the expression,
"Pull the wool over one's
eyes".
You
are going to need a little back story and I will do what I can to keep from
spoiling anything as this series is quite an enjoyable read.
 | |
|
Like this, but
bigger and deep in the ground
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Imagine
a post-Apocalyptic world where people are living in what is basically a
massive bunker/fallout shelter called a 'Silo'. Only a portion of the
structure breaches the surface of the ground and deep within the depths there
is machinery generating the power for all the people living in it. The
gears have been turning for an unknown amount of years, the people working in
the area have long worn ear protection because of the constant noise of the
machinery churning and turning.
One
of the maintenance workers sees an opportunity to do a
little fixing up and pulls a few strings to have everything shut down for
a short time so they can clean up and reset the gears. The fix takes a
while, keeping many people in the Silo with less or no power for a time.
They get the work done and the moment finally comes to have the system turned
back on.
Everyone
is holding their breath as the key is about to be turned to get the machines
churning again.
The
key is turned and the tell tale signs of grinding and gears turning is not
present what-so-ever.
There
is silence.
They
wait a moment ... but still nothing is heard, and just like if we had turned
the key to our vehicles and received no response they move to turn
the key again, but are stopped when someone comes running and telling everyone
the machine IS running.
Come
to find out, all the maintenance and resetting made the machine run
so much better it was running completely silent. They were amazed, they
were proud, they were victims of 'taking things for granted' in such a way as
to create a 'tradition', a noisy one to be sure, but it made them
comfortable.
After
reading this I knew it held a wonderful truth. No matter how much this 'noise'
may seem to give you comfort by being in your life, it is actually a symptom of
a root problem in the maintenance of your life.
It
is a cry, a grinding of the gears of your life - and that ... is NOT a good
thing!
We
always seem to bring up things which are actually beneficial to us as things
'taken for granted' but seldom try to root out the things we do that we
shouldn't or are just unnecessary.
While
lost in sin we are just like these people living in this silo, with worldly
wool over our eyes ... or ears in their case, unaware of the impending
destruction the choices we are making will have in our life, or afterlife more
matter of fact.
There
is a hope though, an assurance through the Holy Spirit.
--
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an
obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you
live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to
death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:12-13 (NIV)
--
A
change occurs within us - your desires begin to shift, your ears hear
differently, your eyes see differently, but the old desires die hard.
--
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:2 (NIV)
--
The
flesh will battle, it will do what it can to create dissonance.
--
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am
unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For
what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do
not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I
myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself
does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire
to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I
want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if
I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin
living in me that does it.
Romans 7:14-20 (NIV)
--
The
sides at war?
The dissonant noise
in one corner?
--
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality,
impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord,
jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy;
drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who
live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 (NIV)
--
And
the soothing sounds of proper gearing in the other?
--
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true,
whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such
things.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV)
--
TiN
RiP LA - is how it was taught to me when I was in youth group years ago and has
stuck with me ever since.
The
NOISE of sin in our lives CAN be beaten back! The tuning fork of the word
of God in conjunction with the Holy Spirit can be used to determine the sounds
which should be produced in your life: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual.
Every
step in the direction of Jesus reorders the gears to properly produce
an orchestra of wonderful music, which is God's will for your life.
Seriously
take a moment to ensure your life is properly geared! Do not let the
noise be your comfort, but take it as the warning it truly is and move towards
the CHANGE which is needed!
There
are not many people who begin to hear a change in
their vehicle's engine and do nothing about it, but yet we do it in
our own lives.
There
must have been people in the Silo as the gears started to groan but they never
stood up and made the changes to ensure the continual proper working of the
system.
Do
not let this happen to you!
You
may feel like everything is fine, but be sure to be honest with yourself and
look seriously within your spirit for these signs. Are the things in
Galatians 5 more prevalent, or are they the ones in Philippians 4?
If
it is the things mentioned in Galatians I urge you accept Christ, accept His
sacrifice for your sins and let the WOOL from the Lamb of God cover you from
the noise of "sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry
and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition,
dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the
like."
If
it is the things mentioned in Philippians I urge you to keep up your guard, to
keep your life in tune with God's word. As soon as you begin to hear the
interference of sin move to reinstate the statutes of TiN RiP LA!
Is
the WOOL blinding you from the NOISE? ... I hope so!
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