Salty Sodom

She looked back, and turned into a salty statue, frozen in place...

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26)

I love this story so much. Forgive me in advance for my glee? God was not messing around with His immediate judgment and condemnation of Lot's wife. This story is in Genesis, and what I appreciate most about it, is God's display of power: He, when all is said and done, is Sovereign over all flesh, and we learn this in the beginning. 

While Lot's wife had the privilege of being 1/4 family members that took the opportunity presented to her, to run to safety, before the town behind her was set aflame as a result of Gods righteous indignation, she preferred her wicked ways; in turning back, she garnered death:

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death (James 1:14-15)

And:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23). 

Current plague

We are currently in a plague of spiritual sin that will result, for many, in their physical demise:

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God (Revelation 15:1)

NOTICE: it is Gods wrath that fills the plagues: the human element in all of this, is our turning away from Gods Word, His commandments, His will, His way. We, like Lots wife, are given an opportunity to run to safety without turning back, but many refuse to leave their life of sin behind, despite the fact that we are told we receive not her plagues if we refrain from being partakers of her sins

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not her plagues (Revelation 18:40)

God wants us to leave what threatens our eternal life with Him, and He gives us plenty of lead time to do this. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah, the inhabitants wickedness was no longer tolerable to God, and His judgment was poured out upon them for their reprobate and blatant self gratifying indulgences:

 

Then the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens (Genesis 19:24)

1/4 choose not God

The thing is, as mentioned above, Lots wife was 1/4 that ran, but she was also 1/4 that choose not God when she turned back, bringing upon herself instant death because of her disobedience. Imagine, that in the city in which you live, only you and your immediate family are given the opportunity to escape sure death: 

• Would this not be a blessing to you? 
• Would this not cause you to thank God, and run as quickly as you possibly could, to the cover of safety that He and He alone offers?

Sinful selves

I am thinking about our here and now dear reader, how we are not so different from the people depicted in the Biblical stories we read about. We can all look back, see our sinful selves, and the hell that we lived through as consequences for some of our unsavoury choices. Perhaps, 1/4 of us, when given the chance to escape, will be just like Lots wife, turning back and longing for what was:

And I looked, and behold, a pale horse, and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over a fourth part of the earth to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth (Revelation 6:8)

Did you notice in the scripture directly above this writing, that power was given unto them over a fourth part of the earth to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth ... Yikes! I have heard some numbers regarding those that have accepted into their bodies the poison being administered in injurious and sometimes lethal doses: it would appear, that 1/4 of the population has succumbed to the seducing spirits that had them turn away from God, and toward worldly and deadly ways. 

Collective human past

As I consider the dots and try to connect them, I know that my vision is blurred, that I see dimly, and that I am doing a whole lot of speculating about what is to come based on what has happened in our collective human past. What I am completely confident of, is God sees and knows all, and He is well aware of what resides in each heart. The Bible is very clear on this: 

Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are ... (Luke 13:23-25)

Back to Lots wife

That little lady, Lots wife, is a perfect representation of what God asks us not to do! She is forever nameless, and figuratively frozen in time as a pillar of salt. Our name, is either written into the book of life or alternatively, blotted out. Contrast and compare the scriptures below:

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:15)

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels (Rev 3:5)

Lots wife made a grievous forever error. By turning back to the sinful city of Sodom, she revealed the contents of her heart. She was not done with that place, or what she enjoyed there. Giving up sin for salvation isn't for everyone, and Lots family members were no different from regular people like you and me: we hem ha and hesitate until it's almost too late! Look at them dragging their heels in this next bit of the story, to the point where the angels laid hold upon his hand, and upon his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters

NOTE: I encourage you to read the full story in Genesis for yourself; here is a tasty morsel for you to chew on until then:

  When angels say 

"Make haste", run!

And when the morning arose, then the angles hastened Lot, saying Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said: Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed (Genesis 19:15-17)

Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven (Genesis 19:24)

Full circle

I will close with a return to the top, the beginning, the notice of warning that helps us see, that God determines our destiny.

But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26)

While the world turns, so do people. They turn away from God as their source of security and life, and toward themselves and what they can do to ensure their physical well-being, and in the case of those that lived in Sodom & Gomorrah, their hedonistic lifestyle that included sacrificing their own children to idol gods. They were wicked then and we as a collective human race, are wicked now... and God, well, He has a timetable for us, and the hourglass is running out of proverbial sand.

I encourage you to be a 3/4 kinda person. Lot and his two daughters were treated mercifully by God when they obeyed the angels that warned them of what was coming: they obeyed, keeping their eyes trained forward, without looking back. We too, have been amply warned of what is to come, and we all get to choose, salty Sodom, or Saviour of our souls, with a lifetime guarantee of eternity with the Sovereign of the universe, Jesus Christ💞

Joshua 24:15

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15). 

God is timeless

Salvation is a bloody business dear reader. When we travel back in time, rivers and streams, great seas that flood the earth, run with the blood of both the wicked and the godly hearted. God is timeless and always has a redemptive plan for His people. He is not secretive or stealth in His revealing of Truth. He does not hide His ways from eyes that long to see and ears that dare to hear; why, even a cooing mourning dove knows God!

But dear one, it is not the shed blood of Gods people that matters, it is the shed blood of One Man, One God, that I am considering this day, otherwise known as the Lamb of God:

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). 

Speaking of doves...

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him (Matthew 3:16). 

All directional arrows point to Jesus as our saving solution to our wicked sin problem. Our current societal sin issue is fear:

• of tomorrow
• death
• man
• dying
• neighbours
• self
• and last but perhaps most damning, of missing out on what this hedonistic world has to offer

Stay in Goshen

But dear one, again, it is the blood that I think of today, as I consider what is occurring in the world, and always has. Many have run to their fellow man, trusting deadly poison shots to preserve this one life that they have been God given, and feeling relief that according to man, they have been saved from dis ease and death: all this while Christ followers have stayed safely out of harms way by remaining in Goshen and figuratively painting the blood of The Lamb over doorways:

Lamb of God: pure love

And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:13). 

Foreshadowing

Do note, that a plague and death came upon those that did not heed Gods warning and accept Gods gift of protection. The shed blood of slain lambs painted over doorways was symbolic and foreshadowing of the blood that Christ would shed on the cross at Calvary. It is the blood of the Lamb of God, known as Jesus the Messiah, that ultimately protects people from death via plague. 

Those that trust in Him, know that He is the giver of life; conversely, death takes the lives of those that do not trust in God as their life preservers! 

Fearing God is elemental to wholeness in this life, and the promise of eternity with Him in the next:

Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! (Psalm 33:8).

AND

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Historical idiocy

Nothing has changed dear reader! Nothing at all... in fact, we are a boring lot of repeat offenders, degenerates, historical idiots in need of a Redeemer. We have done what many before us have done, and that is to take our lives into our own hands and pretend we have some kind of control, some kind of say in how it "all turns out"... including trying to cheat death by attempting to avoid and evade its surety. 

We are all guilty of hedonistic self-indulgence except for this... when we realize and have the knowing, that we were bought and paid for by the blood of the Lamb! this makes those of us that willingly state, as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD, weep in gratitude and overwhelming appreciation for the kind of protection that only the Living God can provide.

He is the historical God! He is the beginning and end, and man alive, He doesn't change. We are the ones that are fickle and failure inclined. He repeats His message over and over again because we are thick skulled and disposed to our own wicked ways, and yet He persists perennially. This is why the Bible says the same thing to every generation: 

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and a buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day... (Psalm 91:1-16). 

Note of pure joy💖

I am going to end on a note of pure joy dear reader:

God is God for goodness sakes! It is so wonderful to be in relationship with Him. He knows everything and everyone and He runs the universe perfectly and always has. I am in childlike awe at this very moment in time, because He does all the heavy lifting and we, you and I, get to trust in Him... phew, now THAT is a relief, wouldn't you say?! 

Trust in Him, He has you covered. He has never left your side, you just need to turn your head and see Him there, walking beside and with you💖

Sucker Punch

Sneak attack

After a sneak attack by the unseen enemy, people are left battered, bruised, assaulted, and insulted. When attempting to stand, lower limbs tremble with aftershock wobbling from repeated blows. That's how sucker punches work: the coward plots in private, colluding with others of the same ilk, and when they come out of their darkened mind cave to attack, it is from behind. 

Men with money

Mafia style, the perpetrators throw bags over the heads of their prey, and pummel with what they intend to be deadly blows. THAT, dear reader, is what the men with the money, stolen from unwitting lemur like humans, have done on a global scale. Rather sinister, wouldn't you agree?

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12).

While the battle for soul booty began in unseen and high places, the earthly realm is where we see blood and guts splattered and strewn. We have witnessed massive carnage, and the ripple affect will become more pronounced over time from the critical hits that landed soundly from the enemy. 

Battle

What occurred to me last night, is recovery and catching up. As I see it, there are three categories of players and stages in the recovery phase of this battle:

1. Harbingers: Those that saw through the plotting and planning, and sniffed out the violence awaiting the masses, sounding the shofar of warning: theirs was a loud and unheard voice, trumpeting danger, danger, look behind you, the enemy approaches

2. Caught up: Those that were unaware prior to the sneak attack, and once alerted, speak definitively and strongly against the devouring enemy that stops at nothing to destroy lives and kill when they have a clean shot at a target

3. Take action: Those that preserve good and restrain evil by mounting a counter attack, using legal and righteous means, godly ways to discomfit the enemy, lasso them, and bring them to the lawful of the land for trial, prosecution, and punishment when found guilty

Taking harbingers seriously, the caught up crowd now become the shofars, while the take action crew do the work of ensuring justice is restored to the land, and citizens are protected from villainous marauders. 

Why, you might ask?

Why, you might ask. Why is all this happening? It is all because of God dear one!!! There is a Heavenly God known as Jesus the Christ, and there is the god of this world that wants nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy:

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly  (John 10:10).

We see in two short lines of scripture, the dichotomy, the duality of the opposing forces of this world. They are not equal and opposite though dear reader. One is the Sovereign, the other is a sinister enslaving of souls snake that can only mimic and contort the glory of Gods creation, blinding the minds of those that have yet to meet their maker in this world but will without doubt, meet Him in the unseen spirit realm:

In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). 

Satan is a trickster:

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). 

Now you know

Dear one, we were sneak attacked by a blood thirsty enemy that engages the human mercenaries of this world, those that would forsake their souls for what this life on planet earth has to offer, at the expense of the human beings that share space and time with them. We know this, because we have been temporarily subjugated to the ploys and tactics of this now evident enemy. 

It behooves us at this point, if we haven't done so already, to educate ourselves on how this story ends. The enemy is well aware of what his future looks like. He knows God: Satan heard God pronounce judgment long ago; the devil doesn't need to read Revelation! Within his vicious nature, he cannot help but be true to himself: he will do his utmost best to take with him to hell, any and all that do his bidding, including denying the living God. This is what the book of Revelation says about the current state and next, the fate of the fraudulent wanna be king of the world, along with his charcoal black, broken winged angels:

And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world-he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him (Revelation 12:9). 

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever (Revelation 20:10). 

Walk to a close

As we walk to a close, lets enjoy a note of confidence, a knowing that can only be gleaned when one such as you, such as me, realize Who is in charge: 

See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand (Deuteronomy 32:39).  

The exciting Good News

Dear one, this is my driving point:

• It does not matter how the enemy plots and schemes
• It does not matter what he thinks he can get away with
• It does not matter if he believes he can still win this battle

God kills, makes alive, wounds, heals AND, those that belong to Him, cannot be delivered out of His hand!

Each life is precious to God

Conclusion

I have come to the glorious conclusion, in my simple minded way, that when someone dies, when someone lives, when someone is wounded, when someone heals, it is all because God determines what happens in each life... 

Praise God, He is truly truly Good

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31). 

Fauci the Sickle

Infamy

Today we dive deeply into the meaning of names. There are some names that hurt the ears and injure the mind, afflicting the soul with their mention... Cain, Judas, Adolph, as in Hitler. To name your boy child any of these would be an act of cruelty, because no matter what century we are in, these names harken back to infamy, and are synonymous with murder:

• Cain was the first murder
• Judas attempted to kill God
• Adolph was a mass murderer: Hitler didn't JUST kill Jews, he was a killing hobbyist, destroying anyone that did not compliment what he deemed worthy of life. Killers are like that, murder is their sport

Fauci: is an Italian surname. It is derived from the Sicilian word for "sickle", and originated as an occupational surname referring metonymically (a metonymy is a figure of speech in which a thing or concept is referred to by the name of something closely associated with that thing or concept) to makers of sickles 

Grim reaper

A murderer hidden
in plain sight

So, Anthony (witch ironically means worthy of praise) Fauci came from a line of sickle makers and has become a personification of a weapon (the scythe) closely associated with the grim reaper. I just don't feel I need to expand on this image, since it is so easily called up in our collective consciousness. Just as the names Cain, Judas and Hitler drudge up a thrill of horror in the spirit at the thought of them, Fauci too will go down in history as one of the most egregious mass murders of all time.

You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). 

Rand Paul

I watched an exchange between Fauci and Senator Rand Paul. They were clearly a mismatch since Rand Paul had no clue that he was trying to use logic in debating a liar. This never works and only serves to raise the blood pressure of the reasonable one. While Rand Paul got fired up, Fauci remained cool and suggestive that Rands arguments were misinformed and without merit. A sign of a most extraordinary liar, is their ability to make the truth teller look like they are raving lunatics without a proverbial leg to stand on. Paul Rand was onto something, but before he ever encountered the likes of Death Doctor Fauci, God was onto him:

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (Romans 1:18). 

Give Fauci some credit

Let's give Fauci some credit! When you have been raised up to be a sickle, and you have practiced your craft since birth, you become a master, worthy of praise! This guy is an expert for goodness sakes, and wherever he goes, he has crowds eating our of his grubby grabby hands, while they mumble yes through their double masked mouths, as they roll up their sleeves for a shot or two and he is hoping for three, that pays him extraordinary mercenary money, all over the world!

"Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?' But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn" (Matthew 13:24-30). 

God has His own

This is a most wondrous time to live dear reader. We face the challenge of figuring out what kind of seed we are and to whom we belong. The Author of Life and the father of lies are diametrically opposed and there are men and women that serve One Master, or the another. Fauci is no man of mystery, in fact, he can been seen in photos with other master manipulators that were fathered similarly. His praise comes from those to whom he belongs, and for as long as he is of devilish use, he will remain as a tool, a sickle separating people and sending out unsavoury and sick messages that instil fear. 

God has His own workers, that labour in love. We speak life and truth and desire people to know that freedom comes from The Word, the Saviour of our Souls, Jesus Christ:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7). 

Gods timing is perfect and He makes a way for those that belong to Him. While the world attempts to cling to what they know, Gods people cling to Who we know. The wheat and the tares will one day be separated and I pray, that Fauci and his ilk, repent and sin no more before the grim reaper comes to claim them for his own. 

NOTE: I did not misspell which/witch... just in case you were wondering?!

Drink

I am so tired I just have to sit down. Can you get me a drink?

Thirsty and hungry business

The scene is set for an intimate conversation, one with intrigue and some playful misinterpretations that lead to a drum roll finish. We are talking thirsty and hungry business here, a travelling missionary, one woman, and a band of obtuse kitten like minstrels who have yet to open their eyes to the astounding reality they are living. We also have some scoundrels, who go sniffing around to see what dirt they can dig up about some guy, who is gaining too much popularity. This is where our story begins.

A turf war that God refuses to fight, just walk away

The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee (John 4:1-3). 

We have here the beginnings of a turf war. The Pharisees saw a rival in this Jesus that everyone was talking about and following around, and a reconnaissance crew was sent out to eye spy what the damage to their territory might be. Underestimating the oppositions leader is always a sign of character flaw and poor judgment, because we all know that when what we have is replaceable by something far Superior, compared to what we have experienced before, changing teams is not even a consideration! Alas, the crass crew of self-righteous and hypocritical Pharisee's did not see the writing on the wall, or should I say, the waves on the water? Regardless, Jesus didn't have time for their nonsense. He had work to do and I picture him brushing the dust off his heels, turning his back and going where his Father sent him, to meet a woman, at a well...

Jacobs well and a tired thirsty Jesus

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour (John 4:4-6). 

It was high noon, Jesus was tired and sat down dear reader! This addition to the story made me glad. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is a working man. He walked and walked some more and he got tired and thirsty and hungry too, just like us. A man on a mission is like this: when our work is important, we just can't stop sometimes, isn't that right dear one? Jesus demonstrates that to sit, to rest, to replenish is important. While this is a wonderful part in the story, and you may want to sit a while with your coffee and savour the moment, the story gets richer and deeper. Come with me to see what happens next.

A request for a drink of water

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into town to buy food.) The Samaritan woman answered him "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) (John 4:7-9). 

Here, right here is where our ears get to perk up and our eyes open wider in anticipation. She hasn't a clue what is coming and the thrill is ours as we watch closely to see the unfolding of the plot line as revealed by the Author of life.

Unwrap the gift and drink deeply

Drink deeply, and thirst no more

Jesus' answer "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." "Sir, " the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get living water? (John 4:10-12). 

Grin. Hints are being dropped with foreshadowing building our excitement. This is the beginning of an astounding exchange between the woman at the well and the Godhead she sees simply as a man to have a semantics argument with. I urge you to go to the book of John to read the full account of this conversation (let's be brief here, you don't have all day to read this... you too have work to do!).

I skip to this mind blowing reveal, drum roll please:

The woman said, "I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he (John 4:25-26). 

Jesus shares with a woman that he is the Messiah, the Christ, the anticipated and hoped for Saviour of the world! This life altering truth (along with Jesus being able to tell the woman that he knows what her whole life has looked like prior to them ever having met at the well) has the woman running into town and declaring 

Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" They came out of the town and made their way toward him. Meanwhile his disciples urged him to eat something. But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food? (John 4:29-33).

The plot is complete

A woman, a well, confused disciples. A man who is God, some guys who don't like being challenged and pushed out of their place of power. A town full of people rushing to meet the Messiah... Living Water, Bread of Life. 

• How is any of it different from our today dear one? 
• Who are you in this story? You have before you many role options, except for One. 
• Do you vie for his spot? 
• Do you stir up dissension against him? 
• Do you converse with him and recognize who He is and run into town to share The Good News? 
• Is this just a story to you? He knows everything you ever did... how about that? How about that?

He knows everything you ever did... how about that? How about THAT?

Love Boomerang

Love Boomerang

Emotional boomerangs

A boomerang is: a curved flat piece of wood that can be thrown so that it will return to the thrower. In action, once the boomerang has been thrown, it will "recoil on the originator". Recoil has several meanings, one of which is: rebound or spring back through force of impact or elasticity. 

I have never thrown a boomerang, have you dear reader? I have imagined throwing one and pictured myself ducking quickly to avoid decapitation upon its return to sender! I am fairly confident that with practice, throwing and catching a boomerang would be very entertaining. With this in mind, I see each of us, you and I, throwing our own emotional boomerangs all over the place.

Impact

Choose an emotion, a sentiment, or a character trait and think of someone who embodies what you have selected to focus on. There are two directions you could go in with this, positive or negative. Have you fixed in your mind the person? 

• What dominates in your thoughts when you closely observe them in your minds eye? 
• What feelings come up for you? 
• Does a smile lift the corners of your mouth? 
• Do you picture laughter and play in their company? 
• What impact do they have on you? 
• Conversely, are you currently frowning and dreading them because they are mean spirited, critical and generally miserable to be around? We all have impact on one another and there is rebound. What is sent out into the world recoils back, there is a return

We all have impact on one another and there is rebound. What is sent out into the world recoils back; there is a return.

Potential weapon in your hand

we have impact and a potential weapon in our hands is critical in this life we live with other human beings. Each of us carry our own boomerangs. Choosing what to throw out into the world means we also choose what comes back at us. You may not see it at first, but I assure you dear reader, that when Love is your boomerang, Love is your return. Love sent and received begets much more of the same. Don't take my word for it, try this for yourself

Now turn your gaze inward

• What emotions, sentiments and character traits dominate in your personhood? 
• What do you send out into the world that will come back full force and impact you?  
• Who do people see you as? 
• Do you need to duck dear reader? 
• Is your boomerang dangerously spring loaded? 
• Will its force, upon return threaten your well being? 

Potential weapon

Knowing we have impact and a potential weapon in our hands is critical in this life we live with other human beings. Each of us carry our own boomerangs. Choosing what to throw out into the world means we also choose what comes back at us. You may not see it at first, but I assure you, that when Love is your boomerang, Love is your return. Love sent and received begets much more of the same. 

Don't take my word for it, try this for yourself

Spider Web

How do you feel about spiders?

Squish

I am not too fond of arachnids, in fact, just the thought of one makes my lip curl and body quiver. I am not afraid of them, I will rescue them from my pool, or tissue-paper and squish the thing if one is in my house, but I sure don't want to cozy up to any of them!

Yesterday morning, I had this feeling, that I had been in a spiders web? This was a curiosity to me, since it was the first time I had ever felt this way. I looked up what the Bible says about spiders and found these verses:

His confidence is severed, and his trust is a spider's web (Job 8:14).

They hatch adders' eggs; they weave the spiders's web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched (Isaiah 59:5). 

Woven a web

This past week, I became acutely aware that someone I knew had woven a manipulative web over a span of years, catching people like flies. The interesting thing about a spider, is their seeming patience... they have natural engineering abilities and masterful techniques, and when a person has become a creepy crawling spidery thing, they too, patiently weave, one strand after the next, building their web, knowing that innocent victims that happen to fly into their trap, will feel stuck, struggle and get gluey, only to have the spider suddenly appear and quick step their long legs toward the waiting snack. 

Silky strands

The insidiousness of an arachnid like human, can only be assessed and determined after the silky strands have been wiped away, and the would be victim as been released from the web of destructive deception. Without their web, the spidery scheme is destroyed, and the leggy insect will scramble and hustle, looking for its previous place of prey trapping and tracking. 

A spider without a web must recover and rebuild: they cannot help themselves, that's what spiders do to maintain food supply and satisfy their thirst for life force sucked from their victims. They are predatory by nature: so too, are the human spider-like people you may encounter in your life. They are scary and sinister, sneaking around behind the scenes, producing row upon row of lies, while attempting to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of their prey, entrapping slowly and almost ever so sweetly... 

See their fangs

Fangs are dangerous: run!

You don't know you have met a spider-like human until they strike up close and personal: with this in your face view, their sharpened and oft used fangs become evident. This is when they have the least power, weakened in their exposure: would be victims can look at them with a sense of wonder, in awe of how the spider has entrapped itself neatly in its own web of constructed deception. Thing is, they don't even realized they have wrapped themselves round and round with their own silky rope, because after all, they are spiders. 

The difference between an eight legged spider, and the spider-like-two-legged human variety, is conscience: while an actual arachnid is guilt free for using the natural abilities God has given it to feed itself, a human is forever and always responsible for the misuse of Gods gifts, especially when they are utilized to wound and devour other humans. This type of predator goes against Gods code, His laws for how humans are to treat one another.

The spidery human, is a con artist, without a conscience... truly a dangerous predator: once you know who you are dealing with, it is wise to stay clear from their webby traps and soul puncturing fangs! 

I end with this scripture: a request of God, and a brief description of how to spot a spider-like human:

Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows, shooting from ambush at the blameless, shooting at him suddenly and without fear (Psalm 64:2-4).