Issue 992 – Death Defying – February 24, 2023
Kathy took this picture many years ago. Our two sons, Kris and Kyle (both long since married with children of their own), were playing on the hill in our backyard. Kris, the eldest, is the driver, and Kyle, the enthusiastic ride-along. Kyle wanted in on whatever Kris was doing, making him the typical annoying little brother.
This game seemed to be to ride the trike down the hill and either stop it or bail off before crashing into the house. It wasn’t a great distance, but the hill was pretty steep. The tricycle hit the wall more than a few times.
I don’t recall, but tears and bandaids were likely required at some point. If not for this adventure, certainly for any number of similar stunts.
Kids will be kids, and they all seem to gravitate to attempting some form of “death-defying” stunt or another. Well, perhaps “death-defying” is a little overstated (although not always), but certainly a parent-concerning or parent-terrifying deed.
Tears, cuts, scrapes and bruises are part of growing up. Sometimes more serious injuries occur as well, although not as often as they might have.
As parents, we can get torn between protecting them and letting them spread their wings. If we are too protective, we can harm their development. On the other hand, if we are too free, the children can get seriously hurt or even killed. Boundaries are necessary, but knowing where to draw them can sometimes be challenging.
As a child and teen, I did some things to cause my parents great concern. Sometimes I look back and realize that it was only by the grace of God that my friends and I are still alive.
Sometimes, all a parent can do is provide guidance and be there for their child when the bottom drops out. Some children learn quickly and seldom cause serious issues, but many have to learn things the hard way.
Unfortunately, many of us are like those slow-learning children. The Word is full of rules, guidelines and suggestions as to how to live in a manner pleasing to God. We seem determined to ignore them at our peril.
We thought we knew better than God from the earliest days in the Garden of Eden.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17
Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. Genesis 3:1-7
We seldom give thought to the fact that all sin is grounds for death (and the cause of our separation from Him). We have all defied God and been given a death sentence. There is nothing we can do under our own merit to free ourselves. We have hit that wall; we can’t stop the tricycle or jump off in time.
Fortunately, there is a remedy in Christ. If you have trusted Him, the earthy consequences of your rebellion remain, but you have been set free and reconciled to Him. Look at your life and give Him glory for His mercy.
If you haven’t yet turned to Christ, I encourage you to do so before it is too late. None of us know how long we have left before we face God’s judgement.
Be Blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
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