Hooked on Worms

An animated email a friend sent me today showed a line with a little worm dangling at its end. Just then a fish comes along and, looking all smug and happy at his luck, takes a bite. Instantaneously he finds himself being pulled up, out, and away, with a look of alarm and distress on his face.

I don't often point out analogies to spiritual truths from events and pictures like this just for the fact that they don't personally grip me. To be honest, many times when I hear them I find them somewhat cliched in their delivery or content. Today however this little cartoon animated scenario in the background of my email caught my attention and brought some scripture verses to mind.

The apostle Paul wrote: "O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but by your own affections.Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:'I will dwell in themAnd walk among them.I will be their God,And they shall be my people.' Therefore'Come out from among themAnd be separate, says the Lord.Do not touch what is unclean,And I will receive you.''I will be a Father to you,And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the Lord Almighty.'Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

This is a loaded excerpt taken from 2 Corinthians 6:11 - 7:1, and although I did not intend to expound on it all, when I started to type I felt it necessary to copy it all here. I believe this is what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to the church. He is exhorting us to pursue holiness, without which, no man will see God. And this is not a message for the unbeliever, nor for everyone who calls themselves, 'Christian'. But God is calling to His church, the body of Christ, the betrothed of Christ, to be separate, to make herself ready.

In 2 Timothy 2, Paul reminds us that we are like soldiers engaged in warfare, and competitors engaged in a marathon. We must compete according to the rules (vs 5) and we are not be entangled again with the affairs of this life (vs4). The author of Hebrews in chapter 12 also likened the path of the elect of God as a race of faith and exhorts us to "lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith..."

While there are some Christians who lead a downright double life that they are aware of, almost to the point of comfort because of a conscience that is being increasingly dulled [and I just want to warn that God will definitely NOT strive with this kind of blatant lukewarmness for always], others are engaged in a constant tug-o-war where they actually make themselves miserable courting sins that used to satisfy, that is, before they had believed and received the gospel of Jesus Christ. They hate their sin and want to stop - right up until they make another decision to sin. No matter what form or method this takes, all who find themselves in a similar position are what I will call "hooked on worms". Paul said, "You are not restricted by us, but by your own affections." 2 Cor 6:12) James said, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." (James 1:14)

But pay attention! God knows how weak we are, and He knows that our sin 'so easily ensnares us', but He has made a provision by the effective working of His grace and Holy Spirit within us, to make us holy as He is holy. Our part in this process put simply is 1) to completely surrender to Him, and 2) to endure.

God did not save any one of us to lose any one of us! He did not bring any one of us in off the streets for one meal only to send us back out to wander and starve! God does not regard our failures and weaknesses and shrug His shoulders and think, 'Well I did my part..."

The Alpha and Omega has offered Himself to also be the Author and Finisher of our faith! Do you know, that you know, that you know this?!!!

I encourage you to keep on keeping on.You who struggle with any sort of sin, any sort of pattern of failure, any sort of weakness, do not cease to persevere. Do not cease to war against darkness and do not cease to hate sin, even when it is found in your own life. Christ loves you with an everlasting love and He will be faithful to complete what He has started in you. He alone is able. Jesus promised that, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled". Jesus promised that, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.""...The time is at hand. 'He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who us filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who us holy, let him be holy still'. 'And behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with me...". (Rev. 22:10,11,12)