John 8:34 – Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
The man walked into the bar and said to himself “Remember that we’re only here to see if some of the old friends still come here. Just here to see them and have some laughs.” Deep down he knew he was sliding and couldn’t help himself. The woman felt her anger toward that person of a different descent. She doesn’t know where the anger comes from but every time she sees “one of them” a simmering flame flares into a wild fire. She should love that person. Never has “one of them” hurt her but she just doesn’t like them. She should not start a confrontation but she just can’t help herself. Coming up beside that person she knew she was sliding and couldn’t help herself. Sin, of any kind, once embraced and repeated will move from the one-time mistake to a controlling master.
A long time ago a wonderful sister had a flannel graph ministry to kids. She was going to be at the adult service and the kids would sit up front next to her. I wondered whether we should stay as we didn’t have children at the time and I thought the ministry was only for the kids. One of the older saints, whose kids had long ago left their home to raise their own families, encouraged us to stay. She was sure it would bless us. Though skeptical, I didn’t insist that we leave.
The visiting nice elderly woman (probably about my current age) set up her flannel board and then began to speak to the kids and congregants in her Children Sunday School teacher voice. Actually, she was so sweet she immediately pulled me in, and all the rest of the adults.
After a short period of time Ahab felt a coldness come upon him. He opened his eyes and saw the reason for the cold, it was his camel who had poked his nose into the tent and let the cold in. Ahab scolded his camel that he was not allowed into the small tent. But the camel pleaded with Ahab to please let him have only his head inside to stay out of the frigid cold outside the tent. Ahab felt bad for his friend the camel and said “okay, but only your head.” The camel agreed only his head would come inside and Ahab went back to sleep.
Again, a short time later, Ahab was awakened by coldness. He looked over to his camel and saw that the camel had crowded further in and was now in the tent up to his shoulders. The big camel was letting in more of the outside cold. Ahab was again about the throw the camel out but the camel pleaded that the night had become more bitterly cold and so he only came in far enough to keep himself from freezing. Ahab softened for his friend’s condition and relented that he could stay with his shoulders inside, but not any further. The camel promised to obey Ahab’s direction.
During the coldest part of the night Ahab was again wakened by cold air. Also by the smell of his camel and its breath. He opened his eyes and was startled to see the camel was now fully in the tent an almost laying on top of him! Ahab became very upset because now the small tent was so crowded that there was almost no room for him. The camel began to plea again about the cold. Abraham wondered how to handle the situation now.
By the way, the camel’s name was Sin. And this a good story about how we should never let sin sneak into our lives. If we do, like the camel took over Ahab’s tent, sin will take over more and more of our life. And if you need to ask Ahab, he will tell you that it is easier to never let a camel in then to get him out once he comes fully in. That is true about sin in our lives.
Now, some forty years later, I’m glad that we stayed. I learned a good lesson. Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.