Friday, June 13, 2008

A Thief & Fog

A woman about my age and I entered Walgreens at the same time after work, she did not head for the moisturizers like I did. A 20 something man entered the store just behind us.

He stared at me, I stared back (I would normally look away, but was impressed to stare), he stared at the other woman, she didn’t notice him. He looked back at me, I stared back at him and he began to follow the other woman around the store.

A cashier called a manager to the front of the store. As the manager approached the front of the store the man ran out with bath products he had stolen. I was shocked; it was broad daylight in Richmond, Texas...

The other woman missed it all, she had no idea he had followed her around the store and no idea he stole shower gel and such 3 feet from her. She was walking around in a fog, we’ve all done it. For safety reasons we shouldn’t. But we also don’t want to be in a fog and miss what the Lord is doing in our lives and around us. We also don’t want to miss or ignore promptings from the Holy Spirit which could save us a lot of time and trouble. My friend Anna Marie disregarded the Holy Spirit prompting her to turn right one night as she left her office, she said that’s not the way home and turned left…she was stuck behind a wreck 5 minutes later and it took her over 2 hours to travel just a few miles. We need to be alert and go through this life with our eyes open. How can we receive from the Lord if we are not paying attention or so set in our ways we disregard Him?

I prayed for the thief to be convicted to stop stealing and have no peace as he used the products he stole and turn his life over to the Lord. I also told God, I was sorry for wanting him to break out in a rash after he used the shower gel and I was sorry I wanted to smack him. God knew the thoughts flew through my mind, thought I ought to be honest.

I pray we live our lives with our eyes wide open and focused on the King of Kings and the things of the Kingdom. Sure we have to have focus in our daily lives, but we don’t want to be so weighed down and burdened we live in a fog. The Bible says:

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall.
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Have a blessed weekend. If I am able to leave the office on time tonight, I will attend the Astros game.

5 comments:

Karen said...

You are a better person than I am. I would have had the same thoughts but I wouldn't have been sorry for them. Sigh. We are a work in progress.

I often pray that God would let me see Him in the ordinary. I'll be praying that my heart be sensitive to His leading today.

blessings,
karen

luvmy4sons said...

Amazing story. And all so true! We need to be sure we are spiritually intune to hear that still small voice and obey even if it means doing something stupid like walk around the city for seven days to knock it down. I hate it when after the fact I remember feeling a little prompting warning me and I did not heed it. I also try to remember when bad things happen like a flat tire or a long line, I never know how God is working through it to protect me from something by delaying me! Great post!

Paula V said...

Good story. How true...thanks for the reminder to be aware of any fogs I may be roaming in the middle. Sometimes, the weight of the world is so heavy that we can easily fall trap to being in a fog and missing the prompting from the Holy Spirit. I know for me right now, it feels like the weight of the world couldn't be any heavier for me. It can be very suffocating and so wearing on my/our souls.

God indeed is trying to refocus me as I've traveled to many of my blog friends.

annette said...

I am often in that fog, both physically and spiritually but pray for eyes to see in both for us all. You'd think we'd be more aware, so I pray that no day is ordinary, no day is safe except under the provision (and awareness of that provision) of the Lord. I am thankful for your awareness and protection because of those eyes to see. Love, Annette (#2)

connie said...

Annette,
Thank you for the remeinder, I don't like fogs, my head is in a Sinus fog most of the time, and I have to pray about it and work hard each day to have no fog between my and God... thank you for the prayers...
Connie
GBU