Lawn Mowers

“I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws.” Psalm 119:30

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1-2



Instructions: Sit in the seat and steer



Walk behind and maneuver to where you want it to go.



stand behind, and try to keep up!


Today was a day of mowing. Now we have three lawn mowers, the riding lawn mower (above), and two others that you walk behind. One a little more difficult to steer (center) and the other that is "self-propelled" (right). I got to thinking . Say that we compare ourselves to the  lawn mowers, and God to the gardener.
There is the riding lawn mower that gives control to the person riding to steer and go easily, there is the one that is difficult to maneuver and takes considerable effort, and finally the one that is very eager to go but is therefore difficult to keep up to. Which one are you?

Do you submit to God's will and seek him,
Job 22:21, “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.

Hebrews 12:9-10, Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.

 

Or are you difficult and fight against what God is calling you to do, 2 Chronicles 13:12, God is with us; he is our leader. His priests with their trumpets will sound the battle cry against you. People of Israel, do not fight against the Lord, the God of your ancestors, for you will not succeed.”

Or do you try to get ahead and therefore come to harm
2 John 1:8-10;  Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God.

Which one are you?

Anger...>?

Psalm 78; Jeremiah 10:23-24; Nahum 1:2-4
  Ephesians 4:25-27,  Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.   “In your anger do not sin”^[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

After reading that scripture it seems as though God is recognizing that there will be times when we are angry but that we should not REACT out of that anger and therefore do ourselves and others harm. We need to RESPOND instead out of love instead. Which means forgiveness and reconciliation.

Psalm 86: 15, But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. 

God himself is slow to anger.... I think this means thinking before you let anger take hold and maybe even recognizing the consequences that could take place if you do react in anger. There are times when God gets angry, so anger in itself is not a sin, it is what we do with our anger that can lead to sin. God's anger is different and since we are more likely to sin out of anger, we need to be careful. So when anger takes hold in a situation, when someone does something that you know is wrong and you justify that anger, be careful what you do or say. Ask God for the right words, or even rather if you should speak at all.

James 1:19-21, My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

 So,  is it  better to forgive the person and leave them to God, If we know that God is a just God?
2 Thessalonians 1:5-7, All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you    and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.