A Fool's Errand?

A million and one things will rush to make you forget . . . God and His glory.
And really, there is nothing . . . NOTHING! else going on here . . . .
It seems like there is . . . but it's all a charade, an illusion . . . smoke and mirrors and glittering balls, shiny lights, noises, melodies, flashes and booms, smiling faces and pawing clawing animals tearing you away from the One astounding . . . awe-inspiring . . . mind-blowing, heart-wrenching fact of all reality--I AM THAT I AM . . . Who IS THAT HE IS!
In microcosm, the Distractor--the Liar--the Pied Piper tried vociferously this morning to prevent me from writing this.  Really?
"Really?" someone asks mockingly skeptical, eyebrow cocked . . . . "You think you are that important that the devil would try and stop you from writing on your silly little blog?  C'mon . . . heh, heh . . . "

Yep.  Anywhere, anytime . . . everyday . . . all day, moment to moment, day after day . . . guess who is there, all set up with striped tents, carnival barkers, strange oddities . . . hoping to keep you away from remembering and extolling the glory of God?  The evil one himself, the great deceiver . . . . He who wants the attention that should be going to God . . . . "Look at me!  Look at me!"  he says, the attention whore . . . .
The adversary is here for me . . . trying to derail what I want to do for and about the Lord . . . and he's there for you, laying snares . . . and for every living creature, full time . . . no matter how large or how small your footprint is in this world . . . .

Everything, all day, side to side, front to back . . . the prostitute is there dressed to kill--dressed to kill the quiet, holy, sacred spirit of the Lord, with seductive, mesmerizing glamor or, whining, complaining, cajoling . . . or using pleas for sympathy, portraying himself as some pathetic, dejected child . . . "it's for the children" . . . he will wail, demanding tears and action . . . . And when all these things don't work, then he begins to lay guilt trips, "if you loved me, you'd pay attention to me!" . . . "you are not a good "christian" . . . a "good christian" would _______" . . . . and finally, if none of this works, then come threats and intimidation in various forms of cover . . . something like the Caesars of Rome and other pagan kingdoms demanding "worship me as your god or die!" . . . .

Bills, gossip, competition, good works, security, hunger, thirst, pain, pleasure, entertainment, beauty, ugliness, poverty, wealth, family, friends, bosses, co-workers, artists, models, pan-handlers, grandparents, children, brothers, sisters, lovers, enemies, authorities, politics, social causes, philanthropy, scientific discovery, travel, food, natural disasters, disease, cancer, tyranny, revolution . . . .

A million and one fronts are laid out every morning . . . every day . . . through the day . . . into the night . . . then in dreams . . . the Deceiver is there, with his many minions . . . constantly, relentlessly, with vigor and cunning to DISTRACT AND THWART AND UPEND your intention to keep the Lord, our God, our Father and Creator . . . keep Him far to the edges, outside of view, out of vision . . . out of reach . . . a distant sound . . . a faint outline . . . vague, forgotten . . . fading . . . small . . . inconsequential . . . unimportant . . . an afterthought . . . .

HOW ABSURD!  HOW IRREVERENT!  WHAT AN INSULT!  Is there anything more foolish and small minded?

The very source and purpose and cause of our entire being . . . we ignore?  We allow to be set aside while we pursue ten thousand ultimately meaningless, derivative, tawdry, often filthy and deranged, insidious . . . diversions?  We forget the glory . . . the majesty . . . the wonder . . . the intricacy . . . the power . . . the eternity . . . of OUR FATHER GOD?  For monkey toys?  For dust to dust?  For man and woman-made baubles?  We become entranced and led by other creatures?  None of whom could take another breath or step if it were not for that same God . . . that cosmic, universe creating Sustainer providing every breath, every twitch of muscle fiber acting . . . to move, to walk, to talk, to LIVE!

Every moment, every day in a multiplicity of diverse and clever ways . . . there is your adversary, who wishes to confuse . . . and STEAL . . . and KILL YOUR SOUL . . . celebrating with likewise demons who want nothing of you but your misery in hell with them . . . conniving and contriving to DISTRACT and MISLEAD you THIS DAY, THIS MOMENT from remembering your holy, blessed, wondrous Lord!

He who suffered incomprehensibly . . . beaten, mocked, tortured, spat on . . . murdered ON YOUR BEHALF!  So that YOU would not be consigned to the place you actually deserve because of your love of sin, love of self, love and pursuit of EVERYTHING BUT GOD!

And we allow this to happen?  Every day?  To be so pathetically seduced and thwarted?  For what?  For a few indulgent moments of self seeking, self exulting, self promoting?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!!!!

Our Lord is knocking, calling, asking, inviting us to join Him in spirit ALL THE TIME!  Yet we say, "wait just a minute please . . . I've got a lot of things to worry and complain and stew about today--all related to my personal comfort and satisfaction . . . . I'll get back to you though . . . so please, just hang out and cool your heels while I lavish myself with a hundred tasks and plans and goals and desires and objectives of the moment."

WHEREAS, we should be dropped instantly to our knees, just looking at the reality of the I AM THAT I AM--that HE IS . . . and that He deigns to include us in ANYTHING!

We should be so struck with awe and holy terror and anticipatory joy . . . simply realizing the incredible situation THAT WE EXIST AT ALL . . . AND THAT THERE IS A GOD WHO IS LOVE WHO SUSTAINS ALL . . . and that we are invited to LIVE FOREVER IN HIS MIDST!

HE IS!  HE IS!  And HE IS LOVE!  This is boundless good news!  Just look at it!  NOW!  TODAY!  He is the ONLY relevant business, desire, task, purpose, dream, hope, target, subject, object . . . THAT WE HAVE TO DO WITH!  What if this were an existence where HE IS . . . but He happened to be HATE?

Yet, we're over here diddling on the sidelines, obsessed and niggling with other creatures, focused on THEM?  Following them?  Admiring them?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?!?!

C'mon saints!  LET'S GO!  TODAY!  NOW!  ON YOUR KNEES, for GOD'S SAKE!  For GOD'S sake!

Or . . . do you want to keep being about . . . uh . . . hmmm . . . the DEVIL'S SAKE?!

Whose business are you about today?  God or Satan's?  Really . . . . When He returns . . . what will you be about?
But not only that . . . BUT HE IS KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR NOW!  Nevermind when He returns in Glory to judge the age . . . HE IS HERE NOW!  IN YOU!
Are we dragging Him around on our errands for the devil today?
Are we busy with the devil's errands . . . right now?  Today . . . tonight . . . tomorrow?  saying, "just a minute Lord, I've got a few things to do first . . . but, don't leave . . . I'll get back to you . . . . First, however, I've got to focus on your creatures.   They fascinate me.  I'm envious, angry, resentful . . . over them . . . and I want to spend some more time and energy on that, not You . . . but please, no offense, . . . just hang around for a bit more while I spend some more of my precious mind and heart on them, not You . . . . If you don't mind, k?"

The fool's errand for you?
Or, GOD'S errands for you?
What's it going to be . . . . . . . . . . . . .