A Thought for the Day – 035
The Pearl of Wisdom and the peril of adultery – both
rewards are personal choice. Both are intoxicating. One is laced tightly with
instruction; the other is loose with unlaced sin. One embraces and rejoices while
the other entangles and destroys. Heed godly instruction as the ways of man are
before the eyes of the LORD – Proverbs 5:1-23
Comments and challenges
From a
sailors perspective the Mediterranean Sea near Turkey is very picturesque.
Until 1869 it was not possible for sailors to navigate from the Black Sea to
the Mediterranean Sea. The Suez Canal changed all of that and one morning
several years ago while stationed on a U.S. Navy destroyer I was looking out at
the beaches as we were just off the Coast of Cyprus. To my surprise as well as
those with me; up popped a submarine a few hundred yards off our port bow, the
sub was identified as Russian and it was having air system problems.
Our
Ship’s captain via our quartermasters asked if we could help them in some way,
their answer was no, but that they had help coming. The next morning, a Russian
Cruiser, two Destroyers and a Submarine Tender showed up heading west toward
the sub and the area where we were. We indicated that we were there to help,
they indicated that they were not impressed and for us to go away. Now I would
have gladly done that but our captain had a different thought… we stayed.
We
circled the little flotilla of four ships and I do not remember the number of
days we did this. However what I do remember is that the destroyers took turns
training their guns on us the whole time and likewise we trained our guns on
them. A little flexing of the muscle you might say, but we were no match for
the three Russian warships, we could have taken the submarine tender though I’m
sure and maybe the submarine since it was ailing.
Here is
the rub! The beauty of the area, Cyprus to our north and Turkey to our west
became unattractive; the truth is that these beautiful beaches and scenery was
no longer in focus. When the circumstances of life take over your day, all else
takes a back seat. Your eyes see people and places as impossible obstacles,
your ears hear sound bites that seem to be back biting, but are simply
incomplete and your mind races to solve problems that really are not on the
radar and do not exist. Then what is not a problem; becomes larger than life
itself, even a nightmare.
Troas,
Ephesus, Antioch, Paphos, Caesarea and Jerusalem; all of these places of the
past and present were nearby, all were visited by the apostle Paul on his
journeys and each of the these places posed a threat to his life and mission
and yet if you read his epistles and the Book of Acts you will notice that the
apostles eyes, ears and mind were not on the threatening circumstances of the
enemies of the cross. His eyes, his ears and his mind were focused on being all
that God had called Him to be.
Like
the apostle… Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face and the
things of earth will grow strangely din in the light of His Glory and Grace. Faith
in God is the only answer to the problems of mankind, it is not that you won’t
hear, see and be mindful of the enemy. But if your eyes, ears and mind are on
Jesus, the beauty of faith in Him will not fade away and your victory in Him
will be secure and full of unspeakable glory. Hebrews 12:1-2; Galatians 2:20;
Philippians 1:27-30 and many other passages, go ahead search these out, you
will be glad you did.
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