Check out those peanuts

The pastor went on a call to one of the elderly widows in his church. While he sat and visited with her he noticed a bowl of shelled peanuts on her coffee table. So, during the chat he began to nibble on them. Soon the bowl was empty and so he apologized to the woman for eating all of her peanuts.  She replied, “That’s OK, Pastor. No problem. You see, three weeks ago I had all my teeth pulled. Since then I’ve just been sucking the chocolate off the peanuts and putting them in that bowl.”   I can almost hear the roars of laughter from men and the “ewww’s” from the women out there !

All is not what it seems sometimes !  Yesterday’s blog spoke of discernment and in line with this we all have choices to make in the course of our days.  Sometimes the decisions are life changing and huge.   At times we can look at a situation before us and be tempted to make the call based on things other than what God may want for us.  We may choose based on convenience, cash, or just plain ole “But I like this” or “I want to do this”.  Living by faith rather than feelings is often what it boils down to.

I was reading in my devotions yesterday in Jeremiah. In chapter 21 there’s an interesting situation that’s developed in Jerusalem. The enemy is near and poised to take the city. The prophet Jeremiah is called by the king’s order to tell them what God’s Word is for this precarious situation.  Jeremiah faithfully predicts the enemy under Nebuchadnezzar will win, he will coonquer the city and despite all their best efforts Israel’s fight will be in vain. But Jeremiah gives a ray of hope in his dire prophecy: “. . .Thus saith the Lord; Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death” (vs.8)   So, two options people !   At first glance, #1 seems the way to go AND, it is, buuuuut look what it entailed: “He that abideth in this city shall DIE by the sword, and by famine, and by the pestilence” (vs9) – time to pack the bags, eh?  The rest of the verse goes on to say, “but he that GOETH OUT and FALLETH TO THE CHALDEANS (for those in Ohio, thats the enemy ! Ha, Amber & Mike) THAT BESIEGE YOU, HE SHALL LIVE. . .” (vs9).

What a choice to make, talk about having to walk the walk, huh?  Sometimes our choices really test our faith as this would’ve for the Jews then.  But just like them there really is only one viable option when it comes to what the Lord has said and when we make it we experience life in its fullness !  Yes, similar to what many Jews who’d heard these options must’ve thought, the choices God presents can seem scary (will I survive, make ends meet, do ok?) but if God is in it and you have the principles of the Bible to go on you’ll be just fine !  Trust Him, just watch out for those peanuts !