At the Dollar Tree

       I love going to the Dollar Tree.  Sometimes I don't buy anything; but I enjoy looking around.  It's amazing to me what they manage to sell for only a dollar.   Not only are there interesting things in the store; but often there are interesting people too.  Everyone knows I love little ones, but I especially like to watch interactions between children together or between parents and children. 
        So a couple of days ago, I'm in the store picking up some cards and other things.   I'm a couple of aisles over from where the toys are; but I hear a conversation between a little boy and his mother.  She must have come in between errands because she seemed to be in a hurry.  The little boy was in quite a dilemma.  He wanted to continue looking at all the toys; but Mom needed to go.
      The little boy did not want to leave the toys.  I don't even know if she had told him he could buy something or not.  He just didn't want to leave the toy aisle.  And at the same time, he didn't want his mother to leave him either.   In an attempt to get him to come with her, she started to walk away a couple of times.  He began to cry and begged her not to leave him.   A small battle was taking place.  Mom won. 
      Hearing this little drama unfold started me to thinking.  That little boy was stuck.  He had to make a choice between the allurements of the toy aisle and the safety of  his mother's presence.  How often do we do this to ourselves?
     Are we ever tempted by the allurements of "the toy aisle" of our lives?  Are we ever get enticed to leave the safety of God's company by trying something out in the world?   Certainly, I am.  The devil is a great deceiver.  He is an expert at making something look charming.  He might whisper in your ear -"It's OK,  you can stay here with me."   Be careful - that is a spiritual death trap. 
       Maybe we try to argue with God.  We might be happy with where we are in the world.  Maybe we say,  "I don't want to leave my worldly ways, Father.  But can't you stay here too?"  The Father is always within our reach ... but that's the key.  We must reach for Him.  We can't try to stay between two worlds.  We have to choose. 
       God wants us to walk with Him.  But we can't get stuck trying to hold on to parts of the world.  Our walk with Jesus must be pure and righteous.  We have to put our worldly toys away.   Jesus told us in Luke 16:13 - "No one can serve two Masters."  
       Yet it is not always easy.  Paul talks about the struggles between the flesh and the Spirit.  Galatians 5:16-17 reads:  "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.  They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want."  ( NIV)  This sounds a little bit like being stuck in the toy aisle to me. 
      BUT - we are not to despair.  God is on our side.  He wants us to win!   Paul tells us that in I Corinthians 10:13. 
"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (ESV)  
       Going back to the verses we mentioned from Galatians 5, we know as long as we walk by the Spirit, we will not have the desire to follow the works of the flesh.  But it does take diligence on our part.  Walking by the Spirit means moving away from the sin.  Studying the Spirit inspired words of the Bible helps us learn to walk with the Spirit.  Knowing how much God loves us and that He will always provide a way of escape is of great comfort. 
      We are to "be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might."  (Ephesians 6:10 ESV)  It is through Christ's power that we gain the strength to move out of the aisle (so to speak).  Every day we grow as a Christian is another day we grow away from the world and draw closer to Him.  It may not always be easy, but if we walk in the Spirit we can do it.  
         Remember Paul's encouragement to Timothy:
".... I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."  (2 Timothy 1: 6-7 ESV)    It is through God's power - and through God's love - that we develop our self-control.

Christ above all things,
Robin