There’s Sugar On The Altar

I woke up this morning around 8:30 all groggy, lazy and barely moving. As I did, I was suddenly overcome with a strong thought of my actions the night before.  You see, the night before I had probably about 40 ounces of non-caffeinated soda with my quick fast food meal.  Not the best for me I know, but I don’t do that very often anymore and didn’t have anything at home ready to eat.

You see, sugar affects my body in such a way that it fatigues me. It is not a friend to my body and I know this, but still partake in soda drinking when I go out to eat.  Anyway, I go to bed shortly after we get home and I asked the LORD to wake me up early to meet with Him in my quiet time. He did.  About 5:30 I woke up but felt so groggy and fatigued that I went back to sleep for three hours.

I know, everyone does this and so what’s the big deal, right?  Well, as I woke, I was reminded of my request the night before. I had told the LORD I wanted to meet with Him this morning and I had not followed through on my end of the bargain, because of one simple seemingly harmless partaking the night before.

I let one sugar laden soda take control of my body and keep me from my time with the LORD Master. One pleasure, one bad habit controlled my behavior enough to lie to the LORD GOD and miss being with Him.  One habit of pleasure, a seemingly harmless act, affected me in such a negative way that I missed an opportunity to sit at my LORD Master’s feet and be with Him.  I let one stinking soda ruin my time with GOD!  When I was confronted and convicted by the Holy Spirit, it was very sobering.

Now, it may be OK for me to do different things, but it may not be in my best interest to do all of them. I shouldn’t let anything I do take a hold of me in such a way that it controls me, which, is exactly what I did. I know it sounds too silly or trivial but, I let one simple thing, drinking a soda, come between me and GOD.

So this morning, I confessed my sin to my LORD Master and I placed my desire and the pleasure of having soda/sugar up on the altar in surrender. Now, I know that not everyone has this problem with sugar or soda, so I am not saying all sugar or soda drinking is bad and sinful.  But, for me, I don’t want to let something control me so much that it negatively influences my body, mind and behaviors. For me, it is just not worth ruining my relationship with GOD. But, it did get me thinking…

How many other things that seem harmless do we let control our bodies, time, or actions?  Things that don’t seem so bad, but take us away from our time spent at the feet of Jesus?  All of us have different things that we do and the ways we use our time. For me today, the LORD Master convicted me of my sin when I said one thing and did another.  My integrity was on the line and it wasn’t looking good. The Holy Spirit corrected me this morning and allowed me to confess and give up a dark part of my heart so that it may be replaced with the love and light of my LORD Master.  I would much rather have a strong relationship with my LORD Master than the fleeting pleasure of a can of soda.

How about you?  Is there something that is keeping you from enjoying the LORD Master’s company?  We may be able to do all things, but, just I was reminded of, not all things are profitable for me to do.

Are you letting things master you?  Even seemingly harmless things can become a snare to us and keep us from having a full and wonderful relationship with GOD.  Ask GOD to show you where your tangles are and to help you surrender them up to Him.

Thank you LORD Master for showing me my sin and thank you for Your forgiveness. Thank you for the blessing of Your Holy Spirit who not only corrects me but also is my comforter and my teacher.  What wonders I have in You, my GOD and Father in Heaven.

LORD GOD, keep cleansing my heart and removing all the tangles, for I want to be more and more like You each day. I surrender to You my life to use as You will. Thank you for Your loving care.

In Jesus name I pray these things to You.  Amen