Monday, July 1, 2013

Deadly vines


Twisted Vine Tree by TravelPod Member Elaqid


Slowly, silently, skillfully these killers move in, and before you realize what is happening it is almost to late.  Your strength is gone and your will is subdued. You've been taken out of the game by a subtle opponent. Even now you can remember how it started. How innocent it all seemed.  Small and obscure, not demanding; having the ability to survive on the remnants it was given. Then it started growing, requesting,and demanding more. More time, more attention, more energy, more resources. and being feed its every desires. As it grew, it weaved around into every available space and crevice. With its enormous strength it compressed and fractured you. It's appetite grew along with its size. Difficult to conceal. Merging with all aspects of life. Developing its own identity it now wants a name. It seeks all your attention. Some how the dynamics have changed. It is large and full of life- your life- and you are small and frail.Your survival is now dependent on the scraps it gives you. You were once magnificent, tall like a great oak tree. But now life is ebbing from your soul. Empty. You discover that you have been cut off from the source of your strength. You call to this baleful vine for help, but none is found. You are alone, life has been choked out by a deadly vine of sin. Looking up at it,you yearn for the power and strength it seems to be endowed with.You fear you cannot stand alone. After all, you created it with your idolatrous ways. It has now become a part of you, the essence of you. Why doesn't it answer? After all, you feed it. Why doesn't it give back? It was given all your attention. You worshiped it. Can it not hear your cries or feel your agony? What have you created ? What have you done? Weariness begins to take over and you no longer struggle. Sin was allowed to grow and grow into a deadly vine of idolatry.
   Jeremiah, an old testament prophet we can read about in the Holy Bible, tells about a people group who were chosen by God to be his light in this dark and sinful world. But over the course of time they forgot about God, his faithfulness,his everlasting love, his provisions, his protection, his promises, and his justice. They turned their backs on his words and his commands. They turn their back on God! They scoffed at him and worshiped other gods. They became corrupt.

Jeremiah 2:9-"I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign vine?"

As in the days of Jeremiah God is sending out a plea....

Jeremiah 4:1-"...if you return to Me, if you remove your detestable idols from my presence and do not weaver, if you swear. As the LORD lives, in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by HIM and will pride themselves in Him."