Bears & Diapers

Our family was just in the hills of Tennessee for some vacation. I use 'vacation' loosely since we were traveling with a 2 year old and a 6 week old, but our boys were troopers! We stayed in the mountains of Gatlinburg - meaning hairpin turns, steep grade slopes and driveways and bears! Yes, bears! One morning we looked outside the cabin to find a mama bear and her four cubs tearing into the garbage from last nights dinner. (and by looked outside - I mean this was taken from the front porch and back patio without a zoom lens!). 

After this, during my quiet time, I realized that this can be a picture of our faith walk. These bears are born knowing how to hunt for food, being focused on food, and fighting for their food. But, somewhere along the ways of modern civilization, these bears have settled for this. They have escaped the hunt, the fresh food and have settled for left overs. To completely illustrate this point, one unsuspecting bear cub proudly toted off one of my 2 year old's diapers (I doubt he was the most popular back in the den). 

I was hit squarely in the face with conviction after realizing this. God calls us to SEEK, to ASK, to KNOCK, PRESS ON, RUN, PERSEVERE - action words! Not just sit back and let faith come to you. 

"Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, 

knock and the door will be opened to you. 

Matthew 7:7"

"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the 

upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

Phil 3:14"

Like these bears settling for leftovers, taking chances on the quality of food, have I settled for other's leftover faith? Am I guilty of just letting others do their faith walk and then I take the remains of that walk? Don't get me wrong, one of these bears struck gold with left over steaks and bacon. And so, some others teaching is helpful and useful, but it shouldn't be the sole source of my relationship with God. I want my own steak - the steak off the table of the Lord, chosen by Him for me! His unique Word spoken from the mouth of God sent to develop and grow me! I don't want left overs…and I certainly don't want to tote off a diaper thinking I've hit spiritual pay-dirt (think of all the garbage 'spiritual' teachings out there that equate to a fully soaked and soiled Pampers size 5 diaper). 

And yes…watching His mighty creation without the boundaries of a zoo…awe inspiring! 

Longing for my own quiet MOMent with my Lord…

Rachel