Day Two Hundred Sixteen “Chemistry…For Dummies”
Oh my, I was in WAY over my head, and although I considered myself a hard-working, diligent high school student, I was sure that this class would be the one to ultimately destroy me. Chemistry, ugh…too boring, too complicated, too difficult…definitely a when-am-I-ever-going-to-use-this-again class. So here it is, a summary of the vast wealth of knowledge I amassed in that dreadfully dull class so many years ago, a sort of Chemistry for Dummies: 1-stuff (that’s the technical term) is made up of a basic building block, the atom; 2-that teeny atom has a center, called a nucleus; 3-inside the nucleus are protons and neutrons, with electrons spinning around the outside of that nucleus, probably trying to escape chemistry class? Now it gets much deeper, so munch on some chocolate, that always works for me. If an atom has a balanced nucleus, it is considered stable; if the forces between those protons and neutrons are unbalanced, the atom is unstable and will undergo a chain of decay until stability is once again achieved. And if my memory serves, the result of that decay is radioactive, producing a somewhat nasty reaction.
Instability in our spiritual life has a much deeper impact than that of a dangerous chemical reaction. James warns us that “a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways,” while Paul encourages us to “be stedfast, unmoveable,” or stable. As I read through the Old Testament, the constant instability of the children of God serves as a stark warning to me. Israel, from its infancy, was unstable, allowing the twin sins of immorality and idolatry to decay the fabric of their nation. After finally entering their Promised Land, Joshua challenged them to “choose you this day whom ye will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served,” idols and false gods, or the true God of Israel. Centuries later, Elijah would challenge these indecisive people again, “how long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.” Which is it, Baal or God? Choose! Sadly, the response of the people of God was silence, “and the people answered him not a word.” The chain reaction would continue until Hosea would lament, “For Israel hath forgotten his Maker;” their spiritual decay had erased all remembrance of the God Who had redeemed them.
The cure for instability is single-mindedness, a mind laser-focused on God, His will, His thoughts, His Word, His worship. Our thought life is the first link in the chain reaction to our soul. Our thoughts stir our emotions, those emotions influence our choices, and those choices ultimately determine our lives. What controls our minds, controls our lives. The world is waging a desperate war to control us, to pull that focus, whether through media, music, culture, entertainment, or amusement, away from God, so that we too, forget our Father. The results are an unstable atom, one which will decay and become lethal.
James 1:8 A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.
Lord, I do not want to be the one who halts between two opinions…I want to be wholly devoted to You. Help me to find my stability in You, not in the world that is trying so hard to draw me away.
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