'X' Marks The Spot

Dear Faith Family,

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock, (Matthew 7:24). 

We’ll call them George and Bob.  They were fishing buddies.  Occasionally they would rent a boat and head out on the lake for a day of angler adventure.  On one particular day, George and Bob found themselves in the fish bi-ness (business more serious than regular business).  They had no where near enough fishing poles, and they were not able to reel fast enough to keep up with their record haul.  Limited out, they packed up and headed back to the dock. 

Contentedly exhausted they carried their catch s-l-o-w-l-y from the boat to the car for all to see!  George managed a single forward thought.  “Bob, I hope you marked the spot where we caught all of these fish!”  “Of course I did George.  I carved a big ‘X’ in the floor of the boat!”  Frustrated, George responded, “What if we don’t get the same boat next time?!” 

It is sadly interesting to actually hear through to the basis of our moral and political positions.  Even comical.  Too often our positions are based on personal preference.  Sometimes on personal comfort.  And even on what we deem best for others (insert here what makes them happy, etc.). 

The problem isn’t that we’re drawing conclusions.  It isn’t even that we have a basis for the conclusions that we’re drawing.  Like George and Bob, the problem begins when we carve our “X” in the wrong place. 

For example.  Would we agree that murder is wrong?  What about abortion?  And euthanasia?  We have an “X” – an opinion.  But where is our “X” etched?  Murder isn’t right or wrong because we think it is.  It isn’t right or wrong because it enables us to sleep comfortably at night.  Or because it makes someone else happy, or not.  To etch your “X” in one of those places is kind of like marking an “X” on the bottom of the boat.  The boat isn’t a safe place to make your mark.  Even if you “get the same boat next time” who cares?  That boat moved and “X” no longer marks the spot. 

Murder is wrong because God said it is wrong.  Right and wrong are etched in His moral character.  He is the only unchanging, immovable Rock in our ever-changing world.  Might be a good idea to examine our “X’s” to be sure that they are etched in Him.  What spot are your “X’s” marking? 

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever, (Isaiah 40:8),

Pastor Karl