“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
I couldn’t help but laugh. One of the squirrels that comes to the patio of our mountain home many times a day, climbed up one side of the wrought iron gate and down the other. It stopped, sitting right next to it, looking around for anything either edible or threatening. After sitting for a few minutes, glued to its spot, it ran underneath the gate it had just taken such pains to climb over, and down the steps.
The squirrels around our house provide entertainment on a daily basis. They to reach for bird feeders day after day, never seeming to learn they are out of reach. They sniff at the door to the garage, always optimistic that today they will get to the food on the other side.
How like squirrels we people are. God gave a simple, and direct way to Him, through acceptance of His Son, Jesus, and confession of our sins. Yet reaching God on our own terms, somehow seems more attractive.
Recently, at a funeral for a man whose children grew up in the same church we did, the oldest son talked about the Eastern religions he is into. He has chosen their do’s and don’ts and lists of steps with no certainty of eternal life over God’s guarantee of eternity with Him.
The squirrel didn’t gain anything by the complicated way of reaching the patio, it just wasted time and energy, ending up as bad off as it was before. Just as futile, is the idea that mere human beings can gain the acceptance of the God of the universe by performing repetitive actions, or chanting verses over and over, and being good people. Believing in the completed work of Christ on the cross, confessing their sin, and accepting God’s forgiveness, with the assurance of eternal life seems too easy.
Just as I don’t feed squirrels because they’re vermin, God doesn’t recognize those who choose their path to salvation.
Lord, help us to trust in you, the Creator and Finisher of all things, enough to follow your simple, but loving plan to salvation. Then teach us to spend our days in meaningful works that show our gratitude for all you have done for us, resting assured that you will keep us safe for eternity.
© Copyright 2012 by Norma Gail Thurston Holtman and www.normagail-2mefromhim.blogspot.com. All Rights Reserved.
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