May 7th, 2012

...now browsing by day

 

Destruction

Monday, May 7th, 2012

NAME THAT REFERENCE TIME:  I give you a portion of a verse and you try to find it.  No Concordance or Topical Bible or Study Bible allowed.  Okay…that makes it too hard.  You can have help looking it up.

“he does not know that it will cost him his life.”

I know some of you will cheat (okay take advantage of some reference work not mentioned above), but if you will hang in there with me I will give you the reference at the end.  I really want to focus on this little part of the verse.  Actually, it makes a whole lot more sense if I give you some of the contextual verses: “With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.  All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.” 

Now does it make more sense?  I also have pretty much given away at least the book it is from.  The context is speaking of a young man seduced by a wayward wife (big clue).  Whether he was sure of himself and his ability to withstand the temptation or not, we are not told.  We are simply told that he wanders off the path he should be on.  Like a deer in the headlights, he is snared.

Sadly, there are many of us who think we can handle anything that comes our way.  We even use the word “never,” as in, “I would never do that.”  Aaaaah yeah.  The only words that follow that statement are by onlookers who yell “Timber!  Look out below!” because there will be a crash.   Sin has a track record of self-deception.   “I can handle this on my own.”  “That is not my area of weakness, so I am safe.”  The bravado goes on and on, until WHAM!  The next words out of our mouth become, “How did I get into this predicament?” or something similar.  That little phrase from that passage of Scripture sticks out HUGE in this case.

THERE. IS. ALWAYS. A. CONSEQUENCE. TO. SIN……ALWAYS.

I say that a lot.  Maybe it is because I have such practice.  🙂  Or is it 🙁 ?  I have too many instances of the false bravado that led to the wrong preparation for fighting sin and its ugly pull.  THANK GOD FOR HIS GRACE AND FORGIVENESS!!  Otherwise, I would be a permanent casualty.

What do you think?  Have you ever used the “never” word only to have it come back to haunt you?  Did you find the reference?  Look in Proverbs 7:21-23