Every week, I sit in a Bible study, and something from Scripture will jump out at me. I am enthralled and captivated by verses and meanings which I had never thought of before.
This week, I was desperately trying to sit through the session. My pancreas was raging in pain. My head was aching from a headache which had been tightly sneezing my skull for five days. I tell myself I have to concentrate.
The teacher passes out sheets of paper with a memory verse. “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you of not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it” (Genesis 4:7).
I am delighted to receive this scripture. It is one of my favorites. It conjures up an image of a tiger waiting by the door. As a person absentmindedly exits his dwelling, the tiger (sin) springs upon him. He has the choice to fight it or let it defeat him. I tell myself I will mediate on this verse all week.
A few days pass. My pancreas is better, and my headache is gone. In an instant, chaos erupts as I receive an email which forces me to radically change my plans. I am extremely frustrated and upset. Someone notifies me 4 hours before the event that I have to find a different venue. My emotions fly into overdrive. I desperately try to contact everyone coming and make last minute arrangements at an alternative location.
For the rest of the night, I am on edge. Perhaps it is not all bad as the surge of emotions gives me energy to get through the night.
After the event, as I sit in bed regretting that I had failed this test, I open my Bible to where I had placed my Bible verse. I read the memory verse. I then smile and laugh.
Today, sin had crouched at my door and had sprung upon me. Instead of fighting it, I let it devour me, I sigh and think, “As hard I try to master sin, it is constantly pouncing upon me. Perhaps some day I will be better. But for now, I need to keep meditating on this verse.”
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