Richard Craig, Author at GraceAndWorks - Page 27 of 59

When I lived on the farm, one of our main jobs was to build and repair fences. There were miles of barbed wire fences that were built around pastures. They were used to keep cattle in and other ranchers cattle out. We would dig holes and put round wooden posts in them. Then we would have to fill the hole back in and tamp the dirt so the post was solid. This was all done by hand as we didn’t have machine post hole diggers. Once the post was set, it was time to put the barbed wire on them. We would buy barbed wire on a reel and hook one end on a corner post and take the tractor or pickup and pull the wire along the line where the posts were. Once the wire was laid out, we had a stretcher that one end was hooked to the wire and the other end would hook around the post. We would stretch the wire tight and staple it to the posts. Most of these fences were three wire, sometimes four wire. We spent a lot of time building these fences and then they had to be kept up and sometimes repaired.

Other fences we had were chicken wire to keep the chickens in and other animals out. Around  the corral we had wooden fences. At times we used electric fences. These were primarily used for a quick fix. We used small round steel posts and one strand of wire hooked to a box that would send electricity through the wire. If any animal touched it, they would get buzzed with an electric shock. It worked OK, but, was not near as strong or effective as the barbed wire fence.

In life we tend to build fences to protect ourselves and to keep others out. Are they strong and stout like the barbed wire or are they a quick fix like the electric wire? Either way, we need to be careful, so as not to fence out someone that matters. We can become isolated from friends and family, if we’re not careful. Isolation can lead to depression and then we just pull ourselves into a hole and hide from everyone and everything.

One fence I haven’t talked about is the picket fence. Picket fences can be short and pretty, medium high with not much protection, or tall with protection for our pets and kids. What ever the case, they are for the most part pretty, white, showy, and friendly. If you are going to be building fences of any kind, these are the kind to build.

If you have built fences in your life of any kind, knowing God and having an understanding of His love towards us, will help us in having and showing that same love towards others. God so loved the world He gave His only Begotten Son. The Apostle John tells us that if we don’t love our brother, we can’t love God. Are you pulled into a hole protected by barbed wire or do you have the pretty, friendly, picket fences?

Why do you ask? Who cares? After all it’s MY weekend off. It’s MY only day to do what I want. So, what are you going to do? Find a foursome and go play golf? Maybe find a buddy and go fishing. Think maybe we’ll take the boat and go to the lake. Gather the guys and watch football all day? Sleep in and lounge around all day? Think I’ll settle in my easy chair and watch movies all day. Unfortunately that are some of the things people  will do on Sunday.

The New Testament proclaims the 1st day of the week as being the Lord’s day. It’s not YOUR day!! In Hebrews, you’ll find the writer saying, “Don’t forsake the assembly of the Saints.” Many times, it is just said, to not forsake the assembly. People must think that pertains to the assembly of buddies to watch football or the assembly with a friend to go fishing, boating or golfing.

So, maybe this Sunday we will go to worship service as God would want. We say we believe in God and we will do what He commands. What about assembling with the Saints and worship God? That’s one of His commands. While in Worship, we can sing songs of praise to His name (Also a command). We can approach God’s throne and offer prayers (Also a command). We can show God how much we appreciate what He gives us as blessings, by giving of our monetary means to further the work in His Kingdom (Also a command). We can hear a lesson from God’s word to make our life more productive as Christians (Also a command). We can fellowship one with another (Also a command). We can Commune with God and remember the Son He sent to this world to die so that we can have forgiveness of sin and have a home in Heaven (Also a command). We say we love God and we believe in Him, yet, we don’t want to give Him any of our time or make any effort to OBEY His commands. Why is that??

It’s Sunday, let’s go to Worship Services and honor our God.

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