Proverbs 25:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

One might think that since I was gone so much the last few weeks between living at the gym trying to finish the Ironman, traveling to Florida and turning right back around to Huntsville for the day Friday, there would be no reason for my house to be a disaster..WRONG!

Somehow my dust bunnies multiplied! Apparently going in and out of the house, I changed from bathing suits to shorts, into something I could wear to a funeral but also double as lunch date attire for my anniversary, all culminated in little piles of clothes here, there and everywhere!

Yo-yoing in and out of the house seems to be far nuttier because when I am passing through, I do not have long enough to stop and clean, only to drag out and scatter more things. That’s not EVEN including the bad little dust bunnies who, out of neglect morphed into monstrous clomps of dirt!

A messy kitchen, too? No one has been home, so how in the world are there dirty dishes when I know I unloaded, loaded and washed before leaving so things would be neat and clean upon return! What HAPPENED? It seems every time I return, I just make matters WORSE! “If the walls could talk” in my house, they would more than likely bemoan every time I came through the door!

The verse from Proverbs is not too appetizing, so I hope none of you were reading this over breakfast or lunch (or midnight snack at my current pace). The way we can be much of the time is like the dog in this proverb. I know a messy house is not “folly”, although it can be the result of it. The care we take of others or the things the Lord has given us can stem from many different reasons. Let’s take time to look at and evaluate our priorities. It seems we sometimes make a perpetual mess of things, yet return to it without consideration of prior consequences of the exact or similar actions.

I believe in the passage, the Word is speaking about not going back to our old sinful ways. I also think to avoid “returning to vomit”, we are also encouraged not to ignore the lessons we are taught; instead to ponder them and engage our action of obedience.

One of the best ways to remember something is to keep it in front of us as often as possible, so we should with God’s Word, as a constant reminder to avoid falling into the trap our own will sets for us.

Let’s ponder the reasons why we re-visit places, people, things or habits. We find ourselves in situations and outside of God’s will, boomerang back to Him and hop that train right back to where we were! Now, let’s CHANGE THAT, and I mean in reality, not just theorize and consider a good approach, prayerfully put it into practice! We are told that we can do ALL THINGS through Christ! Stop the madness! Cease the needless frustration! With the paths clearly marked, which road will you take, the one back to “vomit” or the road that leads to victory?

PRAYER
Most Gracious and Loving Heavenly Father
We do not want to be like this dog
Returning to its vomit

Father, please let us not have any desire to go back to whatever we have done before that
was unhealthy for us or others physically, emotionally or spiritually.

We want to bring praise to You by listening and learning from You, O God
We know that You certainly want us to follow Your will
And that is not by returning to our old thoughts or actions

Just as our home needs attention, Lord
Our bodies also need not to be neglected
Please remind us take care of ourselves the way we should
As our bodies are Your temple and should be treated as such

Let’s not allow those dust bunnies to accumulate within us Lord
Let us recognize our sins for what they are and promptly ask forgiveness
Turning away from whatever it is we are doing that displeases You

Help us, please, be responsible Children of our Father and King
Attending to ourselves and all we’ve been blessed to have

In the Name of Jesus
AMEN

songs
“Be Thou My Vision”

“Lead Me, Lord”

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