Devotion: Nibbles

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that
they may have life and have it in abundance." John 10:10


Every morning, I go outside and notice that some deer/chipmunk/rabbit
has nibbled away on the hostas I've planted. Each morning, I hope
that these critters would have found the more luscious hostas at the
neighbor's house, rather than continuing to eat away at the fledgling
plants in my yard. Each morning, I am disappointed to find that
another leaf has been chewed; another stem broken. My neighbors
suggest that I put a wire basket around them, but my laziness has kept
me from taking preventative measures. So each morning, I am
frustrated at the slow destruction of what I have wanted to flourish
in my yard.
This is how I believe sin works in our life.
It subtly nibbles away at our heart, eating away at our resolve. It
creeps in, unseen, but leaves a frustrating result in the way we
interact with God, our friends, our coworkers, and the world. We hope
that one day it will just go away on its own, but wake up each morning
to see it's impact on our life.
The promise of Jesus is that inspite of these things that will sneak
into our hearts and eat away at us, He promises to give us eternal
life; it allows our lives to flourish, bloom and grow. Though sin
will steal, kill and destroy us, life in Christ will produce the fruit.
Where are you feeling chewed up by the world? What parts of your
heart are slowly being eaten away? How might Jesus being calling you
to live in a new direction, one filled with abundance?