Tiger Woods is back in the news because he is on the slate for the Masters. This announcement rejuvenates all of the previous discussions of what he did and the public's fascination with watching the disintegration of character. Woods seemed so successful and such a good athlete, yet his desires defeated him.
Sex and money - it seems that most people's problems begin with one of the two, whether they are Christians or not, and whether it is a source of allure or a source of entrapment. People worry if they don't have any and envy others who have more than they do. So, yes, it is the 'love of' rather than the thing itself, but what destruction can follow if either don't occupy their proper place in our lives.
I confess that I am a worrier and money is often on the list. I find myself getting caught up in the 'what ifs' and suddenly my thoughts are consumed by the filthy lucre.
I have heard it said that if you let something cause you worry, you are essentially making that thing in charge of your life. So therefore, allowing the worry of money to have first place in my thoughts is removing Jesus from His position as Lord. Looking at it from that angle makes it even more necessary that I take every thought captive. Any anything that I let have control of my life other than Jesus can lead me to destruction.
I look at Tiger's troubles and I think that there but by the grace of God go any of us. We like to point or shake our heads, or watch as fascinated as we would watch a train wreck, but maybe that's because deep down we think, 'whew, this time it's not me'.
Today I decide again to commit my worries to the only One Who can take care of them, to put the Lord on the throne of my life and my thoughts, and to trust in God rather than man. And maybe I'll take a moment to pray for Tiger instead of just shaking my head.
Comments? Write me at sgmradio.lorrainewalker@gmail.com
Great post, Lorraine.
ReplyDeleteEach and every day I become more and more aware of how God's grace and mercy sustains me. How many times have I whispered those very words under my breath, "whew, this time it's not me." Even as a Christian, I have been guilty of things in my life that I knew were not pleasing to the Lord. We've all been there, for the Bible says we've all sinned and come short of God's glory.
But isn't it amazing that we're never out of reach of His grace and mercy?
As my heart goes out to Tiger and his family, I am reminded once again of the compassionate grace and mercy extended to me by friends and ministry peers when I needed it most.
God is my refuge.