This time of year, it seems that everyone that I bump into is coughing or sneezing all over me. Not sure why this happens, maybe I am just approachable and sneezeonable--but it happens. Watery eyes and itchy noses abound, and it seems that all the students at Myrtle Beach Primary are sickly.
Growing up, an itchy nose meant something entirely different. I am unsure if this saying meant the same thing up north, so I am asking for a little clarity. When I would say to my mom, "My nose is itching" her reply would always be the same. I am wondering if my mom was weird, or normal. I have my inclinations, but need a bit of wisdom here.
Northerners, If you would have made that statement to your mom, what would the answer have been?
One reply--"It means that you will soon be kissing a fool."
Another--"It means that someone would come to see you with holes in their britches."
Ok--possibly we are on to something. What about you folks that call yourself, southerners?
Answer-"It means that you would soon have company."
Well, I guess my mom was a true dispenser of all things Southern, because that was her answer.
Now, the question that I have, and this does have a point, is that why is it that whenever someone comes to our house, we always apologize for the looks of the house?
Even if we have just cleaned up, if someone comes in, we always apologize and say,"Please excuse the mess." Why do we feel like we need to be better than we are.
Why is it that sometimes we sweep everything into a closet and hope that it will not be found until we can actually get back to it?
OK--wives, what if you have swept all the junk into a closet. All the broken toys, all the piles of dirty laundry, and all the garbage that you hastily gathered is hidden. Then mother in law arrives, and walks over to the closet. You try to distract her, you tell her how great her hair looks, you offer to paint her toe-nails, anything to keep her from finding you OUT. She reaches for the doorknob anyway and.....
The scripture today speaks to the condition of our lives. It is one that makes me quake in fear.
Revelation 3
"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.
Wow-it is as if Jesus has gone over to the closets of the church at Laodicea and opened it up. All the halfway mess has came crashing down. We realize that we too are in the same situation. We know what we are to do. We know what God's word says, but yet--we are content to do things are own way. The terrible part of this approach to life is that, IT MAKES GOD VOMIT.
When we eat something that makes us sick, how often do we run right back to it and try it again. Once that taste is in our mouths--we want to forget about it. A friend of mine got sick at a Cracker Barrel one day, and has yet to go back. It evokes bad memories, not to mention, his gag reflex.
If Jesus ignored that which made him vomit--we would be in such a desperate situation. But the text does not end with the vomiting experience. There is good news for you, and me. It concludes this way:
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
He has opened the closets of our lives, and became sick. But, he helps to clean us up, and invites us to begin again. He comes back, and knocks on the door--he longs to fellowship and eat with us. He longs to know and enjoy us, he longs to laugh, hold and love us.
Does your nose itch?
Perhaps he is knocking. Company is coming--will we let him in?
No comments:
Post a Comment