Nougat 24

How many of us are familiar with the game of citings or dodgeball? As one as physically gifted as myself, I was neither a thrower nor a citer – at all! So I usually ended up as Boatie (I think I’ve shared this before, but it is new to some of you). I was a bit humiliated by my title, but tried to make it work. In life we are sometimes obliged to make decisions that are tough on either side. And some of us opt to sit on the fence – like a Boatie. I think we may feel so inclined on reading today’s Holy Nougat

“Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived.” 2 Timothy‬ ‭3:12-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Now let’s not get it twisted – this is NOT about the glorification of evil. Rather this is a description of the era just before Christ‘s return. And with the way life is going now, one could see that we are either in the birth pangs of those last days or actually already in the thick of it all. Whichever it is – even if it is not the time – one thing is certain: each of us has to discern what God desires for our lives with great prayer and fasting.

I know that I would rather not experience suffering, whether for my own actions or for Christ. And when, not if, it comes to a decision between the way of ‘evil’, that may present as attractive and suffering free; I wonder … what will I choose? Now that’s one decision EACH of us has to make for ourselves, whether or not we see the time as being the ‘last days’. As my godgranny would say, ‘Every chamber pot haffi siddung pon it owna battom’; ie each one has to make the decision and take responsibility for it.

For many of us, the choice is simple. We’re Souled Out to Christ and we will choose accordingly. Or we’re invested in our comfort and nothing can get between us. In either case, those ones of us are fully clear on what motivates our decisions.

But there are some of us who will find ourselves in the Valley of Decisions. And when we weigh the ‘odds’, it’s hard to decide. We may even choose to be Boatie pon Two Side. (My experience tho was that Boatie was not accidentally left behind, it was that neither team really wanted that player). Although Life does have fences and room therefore for Fence Sitters or Boaties; one thing remains true; reality usually requires that a choice is made. And there’s a Zero Tolerance Policy for Boaties on Christ’s Team. We may be Hot or Cold; but the Lukewarm aka Boaties or Fence Sitters will be spat out of God’s presence (see Revelation 3:16).

So potential for persecution or falsely flourishing? – the choice is ours.

Lord Jesus help us make the right choice.

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May all we seek be found in Christ