Issue 1137 – Retriever? – January 6, 2024
I am having a bit of a brain-fogged morning, so I have opted to rerun a golden oldie from almost 20 years ago, in September 2004.
Genni the Wonder Dog, is a border collie and basset hound cross. There is no retriever blood in her lineage at all. To confirm that fact, you have to play fetch with her.
Last night, as we walked around the lake, an elderly gentleman, whom we often see, gave her a ball. He was a little disappointed that she wouldn’t chase it. She’s been that way since she was a puppy. I would throw a ball or toy, and she would get it and return it. Once.
I’d throw it a second time, and she’d look at me as if I were crazy. She then goes to get it but takes it away so that it can’t be thrown again. Now that she’s older, if I throw something and tell her to get it, she looks at me with an expression that says, “You threw it, you get it.” That’s the same look she gave her benefactor yesterday.
Perhaps she’s smarter than people are. We’ll often chase something, then discard it, only to move on to something else that we have to chase. Genni wouldn’t do that. Back and forth we go. We are pursuing an elusive something that fails to satisfy us even if we do catch it. We try to fill the void with whatever comes along. The ironic part is that the elusive something is right there and has been all along.
There’s only one thing that will ever fully satisfy. That one thing is an intimate relationship with the Living God. Many know about God, but relatively few know Him. Knowing about God doesn’t satisfy you any more than knowing about cars helps get you from point A to point B faster.
Even the demons knew about God.
When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice,
“What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” For Jesus had commanded the evil spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.
Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. And they begged him repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.
Luke 8:27-31 NIV
They knew about God and His displeasure over evil, which certainly didn’t satisfy them.
Today, the church is filled with people who know about God but don’t know Him.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth–men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
2 Timothy 3:1-9 NIV
These teachers, preachers and others have a form of godliness but deny its power. It’s all pomp, ceremony and religion. It’s about looking good but not being righteous with them.
It’s about being blessed, not being a blessing. It’s about rules and regulations, not freedom from oppression. It’s about knowing about God, not knowing Him. Beware, these people will deceive many!
Satisfaction comes from knowing God. It doesn’t come from rituals, religion or the things of this world.
Until next time, rejoice that we have a God who wants us to know Him.
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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All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2023 KF “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
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