The last few years some houses in my neighborhood have been unoccupied
for an extended period of time. For the neighborhood boys the vacant driveways
and alley have turned into a raceway and property fences are now balance beams.
Last week I looked out the back window to see three middle school boys piled
onto an old riding lawnmower. They were having a great time cutting didoes in one
yard full of knee high weeds. At least they were having a good time until they
were confronted by a mother…a mother other than their own. Jumping off the
running lawnmower the boys scattered, but returned a few minutes later to turn
off the mower. As the mother wagged her finger the oldest boy protested loudly,
“But nobody cares, nobody lives here.”
Jesus tells of an evil spirit leaving a man, but later returning to find
the human-house still unoccupied, yet swept clean and put in order (Matt 12:43-45).
I’ve always pictured a well kept and well maintained, albeit spiritually empty
house. Obviously an unoccupied house, regardless of whether it is tidy, is an
open invitation for mischief.
1 comment:
Gail;
-----Until you presented this analogy, I perceived the evil spirits filled the house simply upon the occasion of its emptiness. It never dawned upon me that this emptiness has two natures, a lack of substance and a shortage of guardianship. These boys were enjoying the situation at the opportunity provided by the latter maybe more than the former.
-----Other examples can be seen. One is looming over the once great house this nation was. We have been a generous people. We have fed much of the starving world, not richly by any means, but freely. We have cried out for justice in places of oppression. And we’ve stood for the right of a man to enjoy the fruits of his labor in peace.
-----We still do. We have fought hard the AIDS crisis in Africa without pay. We still ship grain there. Our voice is yet raised around the world against oppression, arguing the virtue of social justice. We speak about the right of a man to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Our house is yet well furnished. It is far from empty. But the demons come.
-----What’s going wrong? I recognize there is no perfection amongst man’s efforts and affairs, but that often there is aim and desire for it, while sometimes there is not. Many decades ago the Creator of us was honored in this house, if not completely obeyed. Our sins were before us because we humbly placed them there, even if we did not fully repent. There was a time in this house when we meant well towards our neighbors, allowing them space for enjoying the fruits of their efforts to survive. Our generosity and virtue we perceived as natures cultivated in us by our God. And we thanked Him.
-----In the cracks of imperfection grew not only mistakes, but also deceit. Anger against God drove an angst for rebellion in the hearts of men filtering into places of high esteem. They wrote. They sang. They entertained and taught and misjudged and misguided peoples hopes from being set upon the personal God of their hearts to reset upon the promises of a new social order of social justice freed by the death of God. The house was not emptied of its furnishings of generosity. They were kept in good repair. They were simply put to a different use, while the guardian was booted down the trash shoot. And the doors were bolted against Him.
-----Again, this is not a world of totally this or totally that. You and I and the wonderful folks who enjoy your blog are examples of hearts full of the Guardian. But the Guardian lost His place amongst the collective seat of social decision and order. And society wide our house was swept clean of Him.
-----Now demons allow the furnishings of generosity to fool the people into thinking they are yet free and generous even while their hands are being tied to the rack with oppressive rules and regulations, torturous taxes, and legitimization of all acts of natural pathways to more demonic traffic. And soon our very health will be in thumbscrews; that which incites the greatest fear and angst of any animal will be under control of the enemies of God. Can we expect less from a hoard of spiritual barbarians who came to rule by the effects of American Pragmatism, a philosophy teaching in euphemistic terms the utility of the lie?
-----No. The demons are on the mowers cutting away the dignity and empathy and honor for God and fellow man which cultivates happiness and well being in soils of hard work watered by responsible thinking. Now that God has been relegated to the persona non grata of public debate, discussion, imagery, and belief, He will be taking better care of His new companions, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy than He will this pitiful collection of fools whom we might call the “transforming America”.
-----Brace yourselves for the coming spectacle. Yet pray and work for revival. Don’t join them. Beat them with truth and love shining forth by the good sense it takes to honor God with action, lips, heart, and mind.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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