Every conqueror throughout history has had to learn the same basic hard lesson: it is far easier to invade a territory than to occupy it! Whether it was Alexander marching his Greeks across the length and breadth of the mighty Persian empire and into far flung India, or simply Saddam gobbling up little Kuwait, the initial land grab has always proven a bit hard to hold.
Similarly, it took my wife and me only a few short days to move into our new home. Now, however, the process of settling in and actually establishing a long-term presence is underway. Only time will tell how long and how difficult this current phase of the occupation takes.
Nonetheless, we press on. And as each new box is opened, and its contents disgorged and situated, we get closer and closer to our goal. Bedroom, bathroom, living room - one by one, each new territory has been subdued and then fallen submissively into place.
Today, it was the pantry's turn. My wife worked diligently to conquer and to organize it. When she was finally done, I could not help but view her work with admiration. There on the shelves in front of me sat boxes of trail mix, peanuts, cashews, popcorn, Cheez-Its, and yes, even glorious Cheetos!
There were even some containers with chocolate flavored candy and other assorted high-calorie snacks. For my part, as might be imagined, I was beside myself with joy. It was like finding myself suddenly being reunited with long lost loved ones!
But alas! My joy was to be short-lived. For right there, in full view down on the floor in front of this marvelous display of gastronomic delight lay our bathroom scales! That’s right! My loving wife had strategically placed them there as a convicting reminder that the two of us will soon wear in public whatever we consume in private!
Needless to say, my appetite quickly began to wane. In due time, it had abated completely. And to this very moment, try as I might, no matter how many times I pass by those shelves, I just cannot bring myself to put one single snack in my mouth! Why? Because my conscience simply won’t allow it.
As I have reflected on the matter, I have been reminded of a Bible verse many of us learned back in the day in Vacation Bible School. It was the Old Testament Psalmist who originally declared (in chapter 119, verse 11): “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
That, of course, is the famed King James Version of this verse. The Good News Translation puts it this way: “I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you.” And the English Revised Version translates it as: “Thy word have I laid up in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
Just as my wife has now laid a set of scales in the heart of our pantry in order to check any unbridled self-indulgence that might undermine our physical health, so does the Psalmist affirm that he has laid up God’s word in his heart to insure that he does not violate those Godly principles that govern his own spiritual health!
For my heart, I will likely never again look at our set of bathroom scales the same way. And whenever I do look at them, I pray that I will be reminded of the crucial importance of keeping God’s Word in a central place in my life as well!
Perhaps you might also need to reposition a thing or two in your life. Say, for instance, a set of scales? Or better yet, how about the Word of God itself?! After all, in the long run, your health - your spiritual health - may very well depend upon it!
SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/119-11.htm.
Similarly, it took my wife and me only a few short days to move into our new home. Now, however, the process of settling in and actually establishing a long-term presence is underway. Only time will tell how long and how difficult this current phase of the occupation takes.
Nonetheless, we press on. And as each new box is opened, and its contents disgorged and situated, we get closer and closer to our goal. Bedroom, bathroom, living room - one by one, each new territory has been subdued and then fallen submissively into place.
Today, it was the pantry's turn. My wife worked diligently to conquer and to organize it. When she was finally done, I could not help but view her work with admiration. There on the shelves in front of me sat boxes of trail mix, peanuts, cashews, popcorn, Cheez-Its, and yes, even glorious Cheetos!
There were even some containers with chocolate flavored candy and other assorted high-calorie snacks. For my part, as might be imagined, I was beside myself with joy. It was like finding myself suddenly being reunited with long lost loved ones!
But alas! My joy was to be short-lived. For right there, in full view down on the floor in front of this marvelous display of gastronomic delight lay our bathroom scales! That’s right! My loving wife had strategically placed them there as a convicting reminder that the two of us will soon wear in public whatever we consume in private!
Needless to say, my appetite quickly began to wane. In due time, it had abated completely. And to this very moment, try as I might, no matter how many times I pass by those shelves, I just cannot bring myself to put one single snack in my mouth! Why? Because my conscience simply won’t allow it.
As I have reflected on the matter, I have been reminded of a Bible verse many of us learned back in the day in Vacation Bible School. It was the Old Testament Psalmist who originally declared (in chapter 119, verse 11): “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
That, of course, is the famed King James Version of this verse. The Good News Translation puts it this way: “I keep your law in my heart, so that I will not sin against you.” And the English Revised Version translates it as: “Thy word have I laid up in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
Just as my wife has now laid a set of scales in the heart of our pantry in order to check any unbridled self-indulgence that might undermine our physical health, so does the Psalmist affirm that he has laid up God’s word in his heart to insure that he does not violate those Godly principles that govern his own spiritual health!
For my heart, I will likely never again look at our set of bathroom scales the same way. And whenever I do look at them, I pray that I will be reminded of the crucial importance of keeping God’s Word in a central place in my life as well!
Perhaps you might also need to reposition a thing or two in your life. Say, for instance, a set of scales? Or better yet, how about the Word of God itself?! After all, in the long run, your health - your spiritual health - may very well depend upon it!
SOURCE: https://biblehub.com/psalms/119-11.htm.