By C. Sampson
It was a warm spring day. A hungry yellow perch circled around the shallow edges of his lake home. The ice had just recently melted and the water was stirring as the deeper water and surface water mixed. It had been a while since his last substantial meal. The cold of winter was a time of survival and he looked forward to the feeding opportunities that spring would bring. As he made what felt like his hundredth circle around the same rock bed something caught his attention. It was small, and he saw just a flicker. Was it food? He turned to look again. Yes, there was definitely something there; finally he would eat. Seizing the opportunity, the perch darted at the shimmering object and opened his jaws to capture the long awaited prize. As his mouth closed down, he instantly knew something was wrong. This was not a minnow, it was hard…and it was pulling him. He struggled against the force to no avail and was dragged to the surface against his will.
It was a warm spring day. A hungry yellow perch circled around the shallow edges of his lake home. The ice had just recently melted and the water was stirring as the deeper water and surface water mixed. It had been a while since his last substantial meal. The cold of winter was a time of survival and he looked forward to the feeding opportunities that spring would bring. As he made what felt like his hundredth circle around the same rock bed something caught his attention. It was small, and he saw just a flicker. Was it food? He turned to look again. Yes, there was definitely something there; finally he would eat. Seizing the opportunity, the perch darted at the shimmering object and opened his jaws to capture the long awaited prize. As his mouth closed down, he instantly knew something was wrong. This was not a minnow, it was hard…and it was pulling him. He struggled against the force to no avail and was dragged to the surface against his will.
Recently, our leadership group at GCC has been talking about focusing
on God and how easy it is to be distracted.
Like the lure the fisherman employed in the story, the world puts lots
of shiny things in our view to draw us away from truth. We are offered objects that appear on the
outside to fulfill some sort of need-love, comfort, security, significance…After
we grab hold, we realize that we have been deceived. God is the only one who can truly meet all of our needs and He
graciously offers to do just that. In Philippians 4:19, we
read that “God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory
in Christ Jesus” (ESV). We are not to spend our time seeking the fulfillment of
these needs. Rather, we are to abide
with the One who supplies them.
I admit this does not always play out as easily as
it sounds. Our enemy knows our
shortcomings and will use our desires as an angler uses a lure. We need to remember where our weaknesses lie
and that these are where we are easily exploited and drawn away from the presence
of God. I Peter 5:7-8 says “…casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be
sober-minded; be watchful. Your
adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to
devour” (ESV). If our eyes are clear
and focused, it is easier to see things as they really are and run from the
temptations.
I encourage you to keep your eyes on God. If you’re like me, shiny things can easily
catch your attention and draw you into dangerous places. Do not be lured into chasing after them, the
fisherman might not be practicing catch-and-release!
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