Have you seen the commercial on television where the smoke detector goes off and there is a yellow Lab present? Every time that commercial comes on our yellow Lab cowers to my feet. Unfortunately, with good reason.
A few years back, when my mother was more mobile, she came to our house to sit with the dog while Connie and I spent a long day away from the house. During the course of the day Mom was cooking something on the stove and allowed it to become, let's say… well done. As you would expect, the smoke detectors began to do what smoke detectors do… announce with a high-pitched squeal that there is smoke present. Tragically, for her and the dog, she didn’t know how to make them stop (we have 6 all interconnected throughout the house so if one goes off, they all go off).
To make a long story shorter, all 6 detectors continued to blare until she was able to find a broom and smacked the tar out of one. When she did, she thankfully (and accidently) hit the right button on the face of the detector, and they stopped. Sadly, by that time, the dog was marred with irreversible trauma, I fear, for the rest of her life. To this day, as I change the batteries the detector will chirp to signify a good connection, the dog, hearing that brief chirp, will run to the door in absolute panic.
It’s amazing how events in the past shape both our present and our future. As Christians, we’re not immune and Satan will use those events to convince us that we aren’t worthy of the love of Christ… that we aren’t strong enough to stay the course… that we aren’t able to face the future. But remember, Satan is the father of lies… a murderer of persons and personalities… a deceiver at the highest level.
There is no need to panic. Because when we accept Christ, our worthiness is no longer measured through us but through our Lord. In Him, His righteousness makes us worthy to be called ‘fellow workers’ and ‘brothers’ with Him.
1 Corinthians 3:9 (NASB)
9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
Mark 3:34 (NASB)
34 Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He *said, "Behold My mother and My brothers!
Thank you for your faithfulness. Pastor Larry
