Category: Faith

A couple of weeks ago, I mowed the yard for the first time at this house. Kinda had to, since the neighbor already did. Our lawn was starting to look a little like a plateau next to theirs.

Anyway, I had to purchase a new gas can, so I made the necessary Target run. Went and got some fuel, yanked the mower out of the garage (leaving a path of disarray in my wake), and filled ‘er up.

The mower started OK, but it wasn’t liking the mix of the new gas and the quarter-inch worth of old gas left in the mower. Undaunted, I pressed on, and proceeded to attack the plateau.

Things started OK. The grass was a little high, so it was slow going in the beginning. About halfway through, I noticed things were not improving, and thought they might be getting worse.. I kept checking the mulching bag to see if it was filling up too quickly, but it seemed fine.

Finally, I decided to take the bag off and see if the rear of the mower was clogged. I shook the bag to redistribute the grass to the bottom, only to discover the (possible) reason for my struggles: an unscathed pair of work gloves were sucked up into the bag.

It is possible that they were accidentally left in there by the movers when they transported our mower. I could pin it on them, sure. That is, if I hadn’t remembered leaving a pair of work gloves in the yard while we were cleaning it up weeks ago.

Needless to say, the combination of glove removal and a fresh tank of gas resulted in a much more effective mow. Plateau no mo’.

If I hadn’t taken action to correct the problems I found with my mower, would I still have been able to finish mowing the yard? Probably. But the results would have been less than desirable at best.

When we become aware of sin in our lives, we can leave it there and, well, coast along. But we will never be effective in our walk with God. And one step on a slippery slope usually leads to a spiritual downhill ride.

We simply can’t coast. Not a single day.

Had my Orange Conference moment a few moments ago.

Just heard Perry Noble speak. That’s always a treat. Before that, Volunteer Rhapsody was hilarious (check the video). The other stuff was great.

But that isn’t what impacted me.

Have you ever had the Holy Spirit scream in your head? He did in mine.

It was during the music after Perry preached. I didn’t catch the singer’s name. I didn’t know the song. But it had a line in it about worshipping on our knees.

And then it happened. The Holy Spirit said, “When was the last time you hit your knees just to worship me?”

I had no answer. But I couldn’t shake the thought.

If you are reading this as an attendee of Orange, you know how cramped the seating is in the Gwinnett Center. So I didn’t hit my knees. I sat. And I wept. And I repented.

The easy defense could be made that we “bow in the attitude of our heart.” That’s fine.

But we are talking about God.

Our King.

Creator.

I needed to bow.

I needed to hit my knees.