Grains of Sand
90% -90% of the people that read this are more ‘spiritual’ than I am. I know that and live with it. Many have pointed out this clear revelation to me and I just simply let it be. God only knows the work that he has to do on my heart and life to keep me straight.
In my sometimes “low spiritual” mode…some people drive me nuts. Maybe it isn’t directly – but it is often by what they have said and done behind my back. As reports have filtered through I have been blown away by their complete lack of concern for my feelings. I mean shish – where is their wonderful spiritual heart and life that they demonstrate in the church?
Hey – before some of you folks start writing furious emails – please remember that my hide is thicker than most others. I believe that my genetic make up may well include some Rhino DNA. Or maybe it is 30 plus years of serving as a pastor… after a while it kind of falls off when shot my way.
Before you get the wrong idea – I cry a lot. I pray more and stay longer in God’s presence. A whole lot of people curse him every day and use his name in terrible ways – yet he never gets uptight about it. His strength is what I draw from.
In dealing with some situations I have come to think of some of the folk as grains of sand. They are beautiful on a beach but a pain in your shoes. They are wonderful as the water and waves ripple over them – but a real pain on the floor of your home. One place that is particularly uncomfortable is in your clothing – particularly your bathing suit. And above all the one place I hate sand is in my bed – sleeping with it is uncomfortable and causes me to wake often.
I found that God wants me to not track the grains of sand into my life. I need not purposely take it home. I need to leave it outside my life.
On one beautiful trip to southern and warmer climates we had the opportunity to stay in a tourist accommodation near a beach and the beautiful water. Outside each room’s entrance there was a square area to the side of the door. It was surrounded by a low cement curb and the center of the square has some smooth stones covering its bottom. Just above the stones was a faucet that was easily turned on with your toes. The whole thing was designed to wash the grains of irritating sand off your feet so you do not track it into the room. It didn’t belong inside where we lived for that week.
God wants my life to be that way too. These “dear folk”, on the other hand, that are there in my life, will attempt to gain continual access into my memory. At least it seems that way. They need attention and demand to be front row center in my life. God bless them.
Some one shared the amazing fact that a Pearl is originally a grain of sand that gets under its shell. Pretty cool eh? Neat how it works… but odd. We think the little round thing has great value. It actually was a pain under the oyster’s tongue – but he or she – lived with it.
I am not an oyster. These grains can hurt us – a lot. This is especially true with “spiritual people” in our little spiritual worlds.
God needs to clean me up many times. I need him to help me deal with the grains of sand that try to creep in…. He loves them too – he created it all
In my sometimes “low spiritual” mode…some people drive me nuts. Maybe it isn’t directly – but it is often by what they have said and done behind my back. As reports have filtered through I have been blown away by their complete lack of concern for my feelings. I mean shish – where is their wonderful spiritual heart and life that they demonstrate in the church?
Hey – before some of you folks start writing furious emails – please remember that my hide is thicker than most others. I believe that my genetic make up may well include some Rhino DNA. Or maybe it is 30 plus years of serving as a pastor… after a while it kind of falls off when shot my way.
Before you get the wrong idea – I cry a lot. I pray more and stay longer in God’s presence. A whole lot of people curse him every day and use his name in terrible ways – yet he never gets uptight about it. His strength is what I draw from.
In dealing with some situations I have come to think of some of the folk as grains of sand. They are beautiful on a beach but a pain in your shoes. They are wonderful as the water and waves ripple over them – but a real pain on the floor of your home. One place that is particularly uncomfortable is in your clothing – particularly your bathing suit. And above all the one place I hate sand is in my bed – sleeping with it is uncomfortable and causes me to wake often.
I found that God wants me to not track the grains of sand into my life. I need not purposely take it home. I need to leave it outside my life.
On one beautiful trip to southern and warmer climates we had the opportunity to stay in a tourist accommodation near a beach and the beautiful water. Outside each room’s entrance there was a square area to the side of the door. It was surrounded by a low cement curb and the center of the square has some smooth stones covering its bottom. Just above the stones was a faucet that was easily turned on with your toes. The whole thing was designed to wash the grains of irritating sand off your feet so you do not track it into the room. It didn’t belong inside where we lived for that week.
God wants my life to be that way too. These “dear folk”, on the other hand, that are there in my life, will attempt to gain continual access into my memory. At least it seems that way. They need attention and demand to be front row center in my life. God bless them.
Some one shared the amazing fact that a Pearl is originally a grain of sand that gets under its shell. Pretty cool eh? Neat how it works… but odd. We think the little round thing has great value. It actually was a pain under the oyster’s tongue – but he or she – lived with it.
I am not an oyster. These grains can hurt us – a lot. This is especially true with “spiritual people” in our little spiritual worlds.
God needs to clean me up many times. I need him to help me deal with the grains of sand that try to creep in…. He loves them too – he created it all
Look at Ephesians 5:25-27 (New International Version)
25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
A scripture that fits so well today… what do you think?
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Friday, January 26, 2007
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