Meltdown

Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?" - Jeremiah 13:27

The Stanislaus County Fair provided me with the wonders and excitement of so many things yesterday ... farm life, blinking lights, people watching opportunities, the glory of a Newsboys concert and one unforgettable hot fudge sundae.

It was about fifteen minutes before the concert was going to start. So, with my money burning a hole in my pocket, I headed for the ice cream stand. It was easy to find even through swarms of people, for I had marked it in my mind hours earlier.

As I stood in line, the choices before me were baffling. A frozen banana, a cheesecake dipped in chocolate sprinkled with nuts, a plain vanilla cone ... or a hot fudge sundae. What to do?

Like a little girl in a candy store (or a big girl at an ice cream stand), I placed my order and stepped to the side while it was being processed.

What happened next, sent me on a ride I will not soon forget. Even before the lady handed me the masterpiece, my glorious hot fudge sundae had started to melt. But with eyes as big as saucers, I was not about to give up on my new cherry-topped friend.

A couple of steps through the crowd, and I knew I was in a world of trouble. The three napkins given couldn't even keep the sticky mess from running down my hand. Too much ice cream, fudge, whipped cream and nuts were crammed into a small Styrofoam cup. Long and careful strides back to my seat would not reverse this madness.

By the time I arrived, my entire hand was covered in glop. Streams of mess ran continuously down my arm, catching the attention of everybody around me. I was stunned - I did not know what to do. So, after a feeble attempt at tidying things up, I did what anybody else would have done ... I dug in.

There are so many times in my life when I think I am making a good choice about something. All of the warning signs are there and my conscience begins melting, leaving an undeniable mess. But do I throw the idea out? Not always. Sometimes, I am bent and determined on making it work - even after God has encouraged me to start cleaning up the mess.

Is there something specific God is asking you to discard my friend? It could be an old pattern of thinking, maybe a hard habit or a dangerous relationship. You can trust God to make things right again - but you've got to let got of what the gloppy mess promised in the first place.

It was a lie.

God is in the business of making all things clean and new. Toss that sticky mirage ... and never settle for less than God's best.