What in the world? I read it again. And then again. The sentence made sense…I guess. But was that four letter word really necessary?
“Did you just mean to curse?” I messaged my cousin. I figured this had to be some sort of autocorrect error…and it was. Whew! My cousin and I had a good laugh about the whole thing…but it got me thinking.
How often does the enemy filter and autocorrect my thoughts…incorrectly? Someone SAYS or DOES something …my mind goes into autocorrect mode, incorrectly interpreting what was just said or not said.
The enemy is a joy killer. Even in good times, he has a way of getting us all riled up and annoyed, drawing false conclusions about anything and everything.
In a message titled, “As a woman thinks,” my sister, Anu, addressed this very subject. She tells a story found in the book of Joshua chapter 22.
The children of Israel were slowly making their way to the Promise Land. Just before entering in, a few tribes came up with an idea. The tribes of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh asked Moses if they could settle EAST of the Jordan. This was a bit of an odd request considering their Promised Land was located on the WEST side of the Jordan. Moses agreed, but on one condition. (He wanted to make sure they weren’t trying to take the easy way out). He asked the men to first cross the river with their fellow Israelites and help in conquering the land of Canaan…then only could they return to the land East of the Jordan.
The men were faithful and kept their end of the deal.
As the 2 & 1/2 tribes were heading back East, just before crossing the Jordan River, they decided to build a very large altar near the Jordan River at a place called Geliloth.
When the rest of Israel heard about the large altar, they assumed the worst, accusing these men of turning away from the Lord. In fact, the whole assembly gathered at Shiloh and prepared to go to WAR against their fellow countrymen.
The 2 & 1/2 tribes explained themselves and their altar! It was not to declare war, but to preserve peace! “The LORD alone is God! The LORD alone is God! We have not built the altar in rebellion against the LORD. If we have done so, do not spare our lives this day. But the LORD knows, and let all Israel know, too” (Joshua 22:22)
A battle was about to start based on an assumption! (And we all know what happens when we assume) The enemy got into the Israelites’ heads, twisted their thoughts and made them think the worst of their own brothers and comrades.
Oh, how the enemy does the same today!
Friends, the holidays are upon us…a season filled with joy, food and people we encounter just a few times a year. As we prepare our feasts, perhaps we need to prepare our minds as well. Let’s turn off the enemy’s access to autocorrect our thoughts and yield our hearts to God instead. Ask the Holy Spirit to filter it all …what we say, what we hear and what we think.
– Binu
