Wilderness Of Sin

Even small transgressions start down path of sin

We have two dogs, a long-haired dachshund and a Scottie. Buster, our dachshund, is the timid, short, long one and Beau the Scottie is the stout, brave one. Both are considered members of our family, and Buffy dotes on them and cares for them.

I read several years ago in a paper from a city in the Northwest about a family’s unusual pet. The news story went that the father had found an abandoned baby mountain lion in the wilderness. Since the man lived on a ranch, he decided to take the baby mountain lion home and nurse it to health through this early stage.

The family fed it with a bottle, cuddled it and the children played with the little mountain lion. They treated it like a pet. Months passed and the little cub became more aggressive.

One day, the man’s oldest son was roughing around with the young lion on the floor of the family’s den. With no warning, the animal suddenly turned on the boy and attacked him. Its jaws were powerful and his bites tore big gashes on the boy’s arm. The boy was screaming frantically as the father grabbed the lion, muzzled him and tied his legs together with rope to restrain him.

The young man was rushed to a nearby emergency medical center. After some hours of surgery and over 40 stitches, the surgeon told the terrified parents that their son would recover. Yet, he said that it would take months of physical therapy for the child to regain the use of his arm.

What happened? The mountain lion’s real nature had come out.

That is what sin does. The progress into deeper sin may start as a small amusement or interest. At first it gratifies and satisfies. We justify it as innocent fun.

This dabbling in sin is manifested in many ways. Slip some quarters out of the petty cash. Thumb though that lewd magazine while I am out of town. Watch that pornographic movie when it is just me in a faraway motel. Gamble just one more night. Flirt “innocently” with that new man in the office. Tell that one little lie to impress someone.

All these activities begin as temporary pleasure and yet come back to ensnare us. Before we even realize it, that little insignificant thing becomes catastrophic for everyone involved.

Families are torn apart from affairs of the parents. Children are separated from their fathers who are serving time in the penitentiary for fraud. Children are placed in foster homes because mom started with marijuana and now she is addicted to hard drugs. Daddy explodes over nothing and becomes destructive because he has to have a drink to calm down.

Sermon: Gusher Relieves the Wilderness of Sin – 27 Mar, Rev. Dr. K ...

Sermon: Gusher Relieves the Wilderness of Sin – 27 Mar, Rev. Dr. K. Lehman

Here we are this morning, midway through Lent, praying in today’s collect for God to keep us safe in body and soul. In today’s lessons, God answers our prayer this way. God says, I always will your safety, but you must trust me for it to be accomplished in you. It’s the way of things.

The exodus story reveals the erosion of confidence among the thirsty and complaining Israelites and with Moses, their frustrated and anxious leader. Trudging through desert after a pillar of fire and cloud requires stamina. In the inner workings of body and soul, trust upholds will, and will prolongs stamina. As they lose trust, their will weakens. They are flagging. We thirst, they cry. At least they can voice their need. And it’s good that their leader resorts to God. Now what, Lord?! After all, it was you who got us into this pilgrimage. . It’s not that they will see God, but one hopes they sense God, as their survival is secured by potable water. Moses is to take the elders to this rendezvous point, as witnesses, and to use the staff that assisted God’s mighty acts in Egypt.

In other words, God’s presence is not only marked by cloud and fire, but also by water from rock, in this story, and later, by bread from heaven. God is to be found in the miracles of daily sustenance, in our replenishing at the times of our depletion. We are to apprehend God finding a way and showing the way, when we have lost the way. God is our scout and our trailblazer.

I love the double entendre of this line. Israel journeyed through the . We always make our way in stages, being human, and we’re always in need of guidance and course correction. Think of Israel and Moses. They’d just experienced the plagues, the Passover, the parting of the sea. You’d think there would be some remembrance of deliverance. Even in the desert wastes, Moses has lifted up his arms, and God has come through, right on cue.