The reason is that there are foxes living underneath our garden shed. With advice from the pest control experts sent by Woking Borough Council, I have attempted to discourage their presence, but I don't know whether I have succeeded. It is difficult to tell whether they are still in residence, though another heavy snowfall would reveal their presence from their footprints. But if they are still there, I must get rid of them.
The story of the attack on the baby tells me that I must succeed in evicting the foxes. It is too serious to 'let them be'.
The lesson I learn, for my Christian living, is that I must similarly be decisive and effective in evicting bad habits of thinking, acting and speaking from my life.
St. Paul was very clear in his teaching to his friends in Thessalonica. 'For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clear-headed. Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clear-headed, protected by the armour of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.' (1 Thessalonians 5.5-9)
Instead of treating the temptations towards evil which we all encounter as cuddly and friendly pets, to be pampered and fed, we must treat them as wild animals which may look appealing on the outside, but they have the capacity to bring damage and death to our spiritual lives.
With Lent approaching, we are reminded that we should be being tough on sin and the causes of sin in our own lives. We need to take action because the glory of God and the health of our own spiritual lives is at stake.
Some questions come to mind. Do I watch the stuff on DVD or on television which is not healthy? Am I hooked by online porn? Do I fantasise about people? And so on!!
Best wishes,
Richard
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