Destress the Damsel

Time for Touchdowns?

08.30.2015 by hpcs

“A man takes his seat at the World Cup Final. He looks to his left and notices that there is a spare seat between himself and the next guy.

Man # 1 says: Who would ever miss the World Cup final?

Man # 2: That was my wife’s seat. We have been to the last five World Cup finals together, but sadly she passed away.

Man # 1: That’s terrible, but couldn’t you get another member of the family, friend, or someone else to come with you?

Man # 2: No…they are all at the funeral!”
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Well girls, it’s that time of year again…football season. While hopefully no one reading this is such a die-hard fan they would miss their spouse’s funeral for a game, I would like to use this joke to illustrate the need for proper priorities in the life of the christian.

I don’t attend a lot of football games, but I can’t say I don’t enjoy them when I do. The atmosphere is simply one of a kind. The chill of the Autumn air, the fresh scent of delicious foods from the concession stand, the team spirit that unites each person in their respective side of the bleachers. Yet even in the midst of the experience, every single time I am at a football game an overwhelming sense of disappointment washes over me. I can’t help but to think of how MUCH excitement a piece of leather kicked across a yardline brings to people, and how LITTLE excitement the gospel often brings to the same crowd.

Why is it so easy to be first in line at a football game, but so hard to be up in time for church?

Why is it so easy to check up on the scores for our favorite team, but so hard to look up passages in God’s word?

Why is it so easy to stand and cheer for an athlete, but so hard to kneel and pray in thanksgiving to the King of Kings?

The answer is quite simple: Priorities. Every person has them, including me. For instance, washing my dishes is high priority for me; sweeping the floor? Not so much. A silly example perhaps, but that is my point…worldly priorities are of little importance, and whether we like to hunt, fish, shop, scrapbook, knit, play an instrument, watch sports or anything else, these are liberties that the Lord gives us for our enjoyment and are not evil in and of themselves. There is no sin in watching the game. Rather, what I want to put forth as a reminder is simply this: what is our TOP priority? Are we more concerned with touchdowns, or touchups? (On our faith, that is) – 2 Timothy 2:15

Remember, Jesus warns: “where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. (Matt. 6:21) We ought to find our full satisfaction in Christ, and not in worldly pleasures. A little leisurely enjoyment may be harmless, but be cautious – if we are “too busy” to find time to read the bible, pray, assemble with the saints, or help our fellow man, then it is high time to eliminate some unnecessary activities!

“…whoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35b)

I want to encourage each and every one of you that has perhaps been negligent in touching up on their faith.

Do you have a hard time remembering to read the bible? Put it in a place that you will easily see it so that you remember to daily brush up on God’s word. Set up a reminder on your mobile device! Find a system that works for you! Can’t find time to pray? Turn the radio off and pray when you drive…pray when you fold laundry…make it a priority! It will soon become habitual and you will learn to find enjoyment in praying the more you engage yourself in the act. Contrary to popular belief, religion is not about feelings but rather about actions. It is not wise to act upon our feelings, but ironically, if we act on what we know is right, good feelings will follow!

If you have to choose between the funeral (the cross) and the game (worldly pleasures), choose the funeral. Always choose Jesus (our bridegroom) – for the game is temporal…He is eternal!

God bless, and take a chill pill!
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Once upon a time there was a very mighty and powerful king. This king had a son who was betrothed to be married; so the King planned a royal banquet to celebrate the marriage of his one and only child. As he prepared a delightful feast for all who would come, he sent out his servants to tell the invitees that the time had come for the celebration. However, they did not listen to the voice of the servants.The King sent a second group of servants out to persuade the people to come; as all was ready to be enjoyed. Still, they did not take the message seriously, and each went back to his own business. Those who remained of the invitees were a violent sort, and treated the servants cruelly, even to the point of murder. When the king found out about this atrocity which was committed, he was outraged; and sent his armies to take vengeance on the murderers, and demolish their city.

After all this turn of events, the king said to his servants that the guests formerly invited were unworthy of the honor of attending the celebration. He commanded the servants to search high and low throughout the region, and invite every single person they could find to attend the marriage feast, whether bad or good.

After they did so, there was no shortage of guests – the palace was filled to overflowing! The king came in to take a look at the turnout; but something was amiss. There was one man who was found to be without a wedding garment. The king sharply rebuked him, saying “Friend, how did you get in to my palace with no wedding garment?”, but the man had nothing to say for himself. So the king commanded his servants to bind up the man, and remove him from the ceremony and cast him out, alone, into complete darkness.

Many were called, but few were chosen.

The end.

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Wait, wait, wait. That’s it? That can’t be the end of the story. No “happily ever after”?

You’ve probably guessed by now…this is no fairy tale, but is in fact a true story; and it is found in Matthew 22:1-14. The king is God, the son is Jesus, and we are the invitees.

The ending is bleak, but has an important message for us.

What I really want to point out with this story is the man who lacked a wedding garment. What is the significance…why is an article of clothing so important? Well, clothing in the bible is a representation of what kind of person we are. When the bible speaks of putting on a garment, the picture (or type) it is portraying is the putting on of character.

A crucial element in the parable to consider is this: the man without the wedding garment accepted the king’s invitation. He wanted to be at the feast. Nonetheless, his desire was a selfish one, for he wanted to come to the feast on his own terms. By disregarding the custom of putting on a wedding garment, his attitude proclaimed that he thought he knew best, and thought he could get away with less than the king’s standard.

Let’s take a moment to ponder the consequence of his foolish notion.

He was…

[cast out]

[surrounded in complete and utter darkness]

[with weeping and gnashing of teeth]

Ladies, for our own good we can not sugarcoat this…the man was condemned to hell. This should be a sobering thought, for such will be our eternal reward if we will choose to put on our own garment (man’s wisdom) instead of God’s garment (wisdom from above).

Sure, we have free will, and we are welcome to do things our own way.

We can follow in the footsteps of Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the Lord [which He commanded them not]…but then again, they were devoured by fire, and “died there before the Lord”.

[Leviticus 10:1-2]

We can follow in the footsteps of Uzza who touched the ark of the covenant in a rash attempt to save it, even though the Lord had said touching the ark was to be done under no circumstance…but then again, God smote him and he “died before God“. (1 Chronicles 13:9-10)

We can follow in the footsteps of Lot’s wife, who took one last glance at her home as it burned to ash, even though she was under strict command to look solely ahead…but then again, she was turned into a pillar of salt and also died before God. (Genesis 19:26)

Friends, we have free will to live as we please – but are the consequences really worth it?

Sometimes we don’t understand why God has certain expectations of us, but we would do well to remember that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts! (Isaiah 55:8-9) He is the KING! He knows what is best for us.

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Now that we have looked at some passages of those who chose their own way instead of God’s ways, let us consider someone who did the opposite; a man who obeyed even when he did not understand the Lord’s reasoning.

“And he [Jesus] entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship. Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught. And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Luke 5:1-5

Okay, so we’ve all heard this story before, and we know the conclusion…the incredible amount of fish that came from Lake Gennesaret, and Jesus’ memorable words: “Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.” (v. 10) For a moment, though, let’s key in on Simon’s words in verse 5: “nevertheless, at thy word I will let down the net”….

Wow! Here we find true faith; an obedient faith. Think about it – who was the fisherman here? Simon. He knew the ropes better than just about anybody…but he recognized that Jesus knew even better than he, and Simon obeyed his Lord. The reward for that act was immeasurable.

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In light of these pictures laid out for us in God’s word – which man are we?

Are we going to be the man thrown out of the kingdom because we think we know better than the King?

Or are we going to be the humble servant who proclaims “nevertheless, at thy word I will…”.

Let us take on a Simon spirit in our day-to-day lives and in our worship in the assembly. We ought to seek God’s will in every matter, for our salvation is too precious to treat carelessly. Instead of living in “sporadic surrender” to God, let us offer ourselves to Him in total and “supreme surrender”!

“Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding” – Proverbs 23:23

God bless, and take a chill pill!
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.