Studies have shown that the greatest chance for you to get in an vehicle accident is within 2 miles of your house. That was true for me. September 13, 2003, we got in a nasty accident just a little over 1 mile from our house. This case happened not to be my fault, but the girl who did claim fault was less than 2 miles from home too.
When we're familiar, our guard is down. We'll watch our kids more closely in a new neighborhood than we would one we've lived in for years. We'll get out the map for navigation through a new town, but where we're familiar, we don't feel we need it. Am I the only one that feels uncomfortable doing regular grocery shopping in a store that is not the one I most frequent?
When it comes to the things of God, there is also a danger in familiarity. We get "used" to God revealing Himself a certain way. We get "familiar" with His grace. We become so knowledgable about the things of God that we lose the careful steps we took when we first believed.
God woke me up again this week. I love it. My last post was telling how God brought me through a valley in my life. Recently, I haven't been in a valley, so much as I have just been "familiar". God in a box. Cliche' Gospel. Same words, lost meaning.
The unfamiliar only comes as we make ourselves vulnerable. My first time in a new grocery store is uncomfortable because it's different than what I know. My first time through a town is the same way. When we read the bible, we ought to carefully digest each word, not rushing as though we know what God's message to our hearts is, but looking around every corner to see what might jump out. God's got new, fresh experience for each of us in His word. But only if we'll make ourselves vulnerable to venture into the unfamiliar.
2 comments:
Hey Mike! Great blog you have here... I'll definately have to come back more often. Just wanted to let you know that you really touched a lot of people's lives at the Single's retreat last weekend with your testimony. They were still talking about it on Wednesday! It's amazing how sometimes we can be afraid of letting people know about our struggles (we think it's easier for people to believe that we don't have any issues) but when we do share it there's just a connection there that goes deeper than the average aquaintenceship. Thanks for opening up to us and sharing that part of your life. I think it really gave us all a sense of hope in times of trouble.
Yeah, COME BACK MORE OFTEN!! I ought to make more posts. That would be beneficial to read, hey?
Thanks for the encouragement. I'm glad God spoke to you through my testimony!
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