WHAT TO DO WHEN THE SKY IS FALLING

The Upward Look, by Jon Forrest
What to Do When the Sky is Falling

A man was traveling on his donkey when he happened upon a small fuzzy object lying in the road. He dismounted to examine more closely and discovered a sparrow lying on its back; its scrawny legs thrust upward. At first, he thought the bird was dead, but closer investigation proved it to be very much alive. The man asked the sparrow if he was all right.

The sparrow replied, "Yes."

The man asked, "What are you doing lying on your back with your legs pointed towards the sky?"

The sparrow responded that he had heard a rumor that the sky was falling, and so he was holding his legs up to catch it.

The man retorted, "You surely don't think that you're going to hold it up with those two scrawny legs, do you?"

The sparrow, with a very solemn look, replied, "One does the best he can."

Sometimes, the best we can do is simply not enough. There are many things that are beyond our own capabilities like “keeping the sky from falling. Many people think that they have the ability to overcome sin all on their own. But, if they are honest, it is not within the scope of their aptitude. Susceptibility to sin and its repercussions has overwhelmed the race of man from the beginning of time. James says that lust leads to sin which results in death (see James 1:14-15). When Eve was tempted by the serpent to partake of the forbidden fruit, it was her lust that brought her down. The same has been true since then and is true today. The Apostle Paul often used the Greek word, “SARX” (translated flesh) to describe this craving of the natural human flesh for things. John wrote about “the lust of the flesh (SARX), the lust of the eye and the boastful pride of life as our vulnerabilities to “loving the world or the things of the world which is a direct interference with loving God” (see 1 John 2:15-17).

In Ephesians 2:1-10 that amazing “BUT GOD” event is described which shows how that all of these personal issues we have with lust, sin and death have been resolved by what Jesus Christ did for us through his death and resurrection. If we are in Christ we are no longer conquered, useless victims. We are no longer dead in our sins, but alive through Christ Jesus. Verses 6-9 remind us that all of this is possible through a thing called GRACE! “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith---and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God---not by works so that no one can boast.” (Verses 8-9)

So, you see, when the sky was falling on us in the form of the weight of our many sins, we were helpless to stop it with our “skinny little legs” no matter how hard we tried. But Jesus gave us his strength through his grace so that we could not only survive, but to thrive against this burden.

So, he has nothing for us to do? OH! CONTRAIR! Verse 10 says, ”For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Because of God’s amazing grace and resurrection power in us we can do great works. But they are God’s works in and through us. We are not the powerful ones, God is! When we determine to stop the sky from falling, it must be by God’s will, direction and power, not our own. He is about the \singular authority of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Have you received his power? Have you gone to work?

Sunday we will look at Scripture pertaining to the title Christians Help their Friends as we prepare ourselves for FRIEND DAY, October 19. I hope you will tune in with us and pray about who you will invite to join you on that special day.

Productive in Him,
Jon