Our background photo today features a spout of water shooting up from beneath a lava bench! Over time the ocean has worn away the lava bench from underneath and has created a hole in the lava through which water shoots!
You never know when a forceful spout of water will erupt through the hole in the lava!
There are signs clearly posted to be careful! … don’t go too close to the hole! … danger!
The erupting, spouting water is unpredictable … and it has happened, in the past, where unsuspecting observers have wandered too close and … when the force of the shooting water shot up through the hole, these incautious persons were knocked over by the force of the water … and then swept with the rushing water back down through the hole and into the churning ocean below.
This area is dangerous.
Don’t wander too close!
Don’t stand around, hanging out right up near the spout-hole!
Don’t go right over to it and peer down into the hole!
Don’t take a seat in the “soak zone.”
It could lead to your death if you do.
But despite the clearly posted warnings, there were a surprising number of people who wandered right up close to the spout-hole when hubby and I were there.
Everyone wants to be happy, prosperous, successful. Everyone wants to be blessed. Certainly everyone who was visiting the spout-hole was hoping to have a wonderful day … and maybe catch a few amazing photos while they were at it.
So … if the visitors to the spout-hole wanted to have a wonderful day … how would they achieve this??
#1 – They would not wander too close to the danger zone.
#2 – They would not “hang out” and “stand around” in the danger zone.
#3 – They would not try to be an active participant in the “fun” by taking a seat in the “soak zone.”
In the same way, if we would like our life to be happy, prosperous, and successful … if we would like to be blessed … how do we achieve this??
#1 – Guard your mind. Don’t let your mind wander to areas and thought processes which are contrary to God’s Word.
This could be social media … scrolling and scrolling … continually filling our minds with all sorts of ideologies and information which is contrary to God’s Word. This could be the news we consume. This could be the movies we watch. This could be the lyrics of the music we listen to. This could be podcasts or YouTube videos. You get the point.
#2 – Watch where you “hang out.” Don’t “stand around” hanging out with those whose thought processes and ideologies are contrary to God’s Word.
This could be our conversations with our coworkers and friends. This could be our comments and participation on social media. This could be our friend group with whom we spend most of our time. Etc. …
#3 – Have you become an active participant? Are you actively engaged in promoting ideologies which are contrary to God’s Word? Are you actively engaged in activities which are contrary to God’s Word?
If so … you have taken a seat in the “soak zone” … and it’s only a matter of time before destruction will “wash you away.”
Psalm 1:4-5 states: “Wicked people are like chaff that the wind blows away. The wicked will not escape God’s punishment.”
Just like the erupting spouts of water violently shoot up and wash over the lava shelf … sweeping unsuspecting persons down into the hole … to their destruction in the churning sea beneath … this is what happens to those who wander too close to that which is contrary to God’s Word … which then leads to “hanging out” around that which is contrary to God’s Word … which ultimately leads to actively participating in that which is contrary to God’s Word.
Watch out! Beware! That area is dangerous!
