Serving Christ Without Fear
A farmer had an old donkey who liked to explore. One day, the animal accidentally fell down an abandoned well. The farmer surveyed the scene, lamenting that he neglected closing up the well months ago. Additionally, he had little interest in keeping the donkey and frankly wanted to silence the loud beast.
The farmer called his workers over and they shoveled dirt into the well. The donkey brayed louder when he realized what was happening. They shoveled harder and soon the braying stopped. The farmer peeked over the side and realized that the resourceful animal had been throwing dirt off his back and climbing up. Eventually, he jumped out and ran away.
We often find ourselves in danger because we allow temptation to lead us into sinful situations (Proverbs 2:13-22).
In Exodus, the people of Israel asked Aaron to fashion a golden calf to worship when they gave up on God and Moses (Exodus 32:1-6). This led Aaron to lie to Moses and to God about what actually happened, to cover his sins (Exodus 32:20-24).
David was in the wrong place when he instigated the series of events that led to adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband (2 Samuel 11).
Samson’s weakness for women led him to abandon his mission to judge the people of God and to lose his life, as a result (Judges 16).
We find ourselves in situations where the sinful can prey on us. Like the donkey, we have allowed temptation to lure us into a trap and Satan’s agents try to finish us off. The world hates us and will not miss an opportunity to destroy the faith of God’s people (John 15:18-19; 2 Timothy 3:12).
They shovel dirt on us, trying to bury us alive. Yet, we have to rise above the attacks of the world. We cannot let them stop us from serving God (Acts 5:29). We serve a higher calling (Romans 12:1-2). Like the old song, “We will not be moved!”
The donkey left his attackers behind and we can do the same because we have the mightiest force in the universe behind us. God says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, NKJV).
We have nothing to fear because our enemies are powerless against God’s Children, who wear his armor (Isaiah 35:4; Ephesians 6:10-18). He is always at our side! (Hebrews 13:5).
Hallelujah!
–Richard Mansel @ www.forthright.net