Evening in the Familiar

Do you know that scripture about a dog returning to its own vomit? Well, I wonder if that's an observation about humanity's behavior, and it is most visible via sin? I mean, the thing you hate the most and absolutely abhore, where does it dwell? Certainly not miles away hoping you might someday come back its direction. No, it dwells right behind you. It's out of your sight and you think you're away from it, but all you have to do is turn around and it's right there to welcome you into its grasping comfortable arms. Do you know what I mean? It's been my experience, albeit very limited, that most recovered alcoholics didn't recover overnight, and when times were rough, I bet the thought of drinking their problems away weren't far from their minds. Or the suicidal person, "healed", has he been thinking about rolling green hills with bright blue skies, and feeling overly loved by all and genuinely "worth it"? Probably not. My point is, though it is our nature to return to the things behind us, maybe God, knowing that, decided to make our journey so much more victorious by leading us through our valleys in the shadows of our sin, not fearing it, but following Him. I mean, if we were delivered and set upon perfectly still waters, would we refer to that time as "something I faced once, but - really don't remember too much of how I felt"? But if we waded through that murky dirty water on that gentle slope back onto land, feeling, choosing God over the dark water below, would He not lead us beside still waters? Would He not cleanse us gradually as we came more and more out of the water... forgiven but being sanctified?

- God, cleanse me and sanctify me. Forgive me for all I've done, and for my nature. Thank you Lord for giving us a way apart from the vomit we so often return to. Thank you for Christ. Father, we choose You. In Your name, amen.
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