This morning I had a strange thought at the gym after I finished working out. I had spent about an hour working up a sweat and trying to get my body in better shape. Afterward, I always take a shower, change clothes and then head to work. Here's my strange thought: What if, after taking a shower, I put back on the clothes I had worn during my workout. That would be nasty and the clean would not last. Those sweaty clothes would put the perspiration I had just showered off back on my body again. So I wasted a shower.
This notion then melded with my quiet time from this morning. Before I went to the gym, I spent time alone with the Lord praying and in His Word. I am slowly working my way through the Gospel of Mark and today I focused on Mark 5:16-20. This is the demon possessed man who was healed by Jesus. He came to his right mind and then two things happened: (1) He wanted to go with Jesus and follow Him. He had no reason to stay. He wanted to be with the one who had healed him. (2) When Jesus told him to go tell others, he went back to town. I noticed that he didn't go back to the graveyard where he had lived while demon possessed. He had to turn his back on that graveyard. He was even willing to turn his back on his family to follow Jesus.
Here is the question for this Sip: am I willing to turn my back on that sin, unhealthy lifestyle, addiction, etc and follow Jesus? If not, we are just like the guy at the gym who showers and then puts back on his nasty clothes. Going back to the same sin puts us in an even darker place than we were before the first sin. But leaving that lifestyle can be challenging, painful and fearful. Yet what awaits us is so much better. What are you unwilling to walk away from: Approval of friends? Cigarettes? Cussing? Living with your boyfriend/girlfriend? Bad temper? Disappointment? Let the Holy Spirit give you the strength to walk away from the sin and embrace Jesus. What He has in store is so much better for you? Take that step today!
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