mepastormike

Me and the family have been on vacation for nearly two weeks now. Most of this time has been in a hotel... With hotels come cable TV. The kids have loved watching the cartoons (so have I); but there's only so much of Sponge Bob Square Pants that I can watch.

Angela (my wife) and I have been watching movies at night on the provided movie channels... but last night I think I've reached my limit of watchable violence, foul language, and destruction. In fact we end up switching the channel during certain scenes that we just can't watch... Yeah, I know, we're really not movie buffs. At this time in my life I just can't watch the "scary" movies... I can't stand all the suspense just before the mayhem happens.

Anyways... This morning I was reading about Jehud (the left handed warrior) from the book of Judges (in the Bible) chapter 3. At the beginning of this part of history I read how the Israelites had turned away from God and gotten involved with all kinds of evil around them. Because of this the people received consequences of their own actions. Surrounding nations attacked and took possession of the "City of Psalms" (Jericho). The significance of this take over just really hit me this morning. The battle of Jericho, just a generation before, had been a tremendous victory for Israel. God showed his power yet again to His people by giving this walled city to them without a fight. Now it was gone... what had once been a victory now fell victim to their disobedience.

Well here's the connection to my life right now with all this... For me personally when I watch this stuff presented in the movies it does something within me. My spirit becomes grieved by what I expose myself to. Thoughts and images within my mind that had been cleansed by God's grace and mercy (victory), now are re-implanted (I am victim to my own doing). It goes along with the garbage in, garbage out thing. There was a time in my life that I would see this stuff and think nothing about it. But right now it bothers me on much deeper levels.

I guess what I had considered entertainment doesn't really entertain me. I know what you're thinking... if it bothers me I should just not watch it! You're right... The power to control the remote control is found by what I allow to control me within. I desire for God's Spirit to be that controlling power.