47 Whosoever cometh to me, and
heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He
is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation
on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon
that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
–Luke 6:47, 48
If I told you that people do the strangest
things you would not surprised. People often behave in odd, strange,
and eccentric ways. We all have our little habits, right?
Personally, I cannot go to bed at night unless I have flossed and brushed
my teeth. In addition, I almost never leave the house in the morning
without shaving. Okay, I realize my behavior does not rise to
the level of odd as millions of people probably practice similar daily
rituals.
However, what about something that becomes
an obsession? Just how far will people take a desire or pursuit?
I have a relative who decorated the den of his house entirely with the
colors and insignias of the Cleveland Browns football team. The
room positively blazes in orange and brown and one wall is covered with
a giant representation of the team helmet. Everything in the room,
from the furniture to the lamps to the carpet and pictures on the wall
is dedicated to his team. Of course, there is a large TV screen
on which the games are watched every Sunday during the season.
My relative’s wife seems perfectly willing to indulge her husband’s
obsession with the Browns. What a wonderfully patient young woman.
You may think my relative’s obsession is
something, but it pales in comparison to Mr. Ron Wade of Longview, Texas.
Mr. Wade has spent over $250,000.00 turning a room of his house into
an exact replica of the Oval Office of the White House. Have a
look for yourself.
Not too shabby, I must say. It truly
does look like the Oval Office. One news source said it took him
two and a half years to design and eight months to build. Mr.
Wade stated that his is a “healthy obsession.”1
Consider the words of Jesus concerning the
foundation of our lives. The Lord said that when we build our
lives upon Him we are building upon the solid rock, which will withstand
the test of time. It’s easy to get off track and become caught
up in all sorts of distractions, worries, and yes – obsessions.
There is nothing wrong with a hobby as these can be relaxing and enjoyable.
However, anything which takes us away from our focus, which is a life
dedicated to Christ, should be brought under control before it consumes
us. The Lord is always willing to help us remove from our lives
anything that becomes a hindrance to a Spirit-filled and Spirit-directed
life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, those parts of our lives
that keep us from the abundant in Christ are brought under control.
Remember that Christ is greater than any problem, or obsession, we will ever face.
Resolve to build your life on the solid rock
of Jesus Christ. You will not regret it, for your life will be
rooted, grounded, and firmly established. With Jesus as the foundation
we have power to overcome anything that hinders. Stand firm on
the Lord, and go forward in faith.
