I hated carrots.
When I was in elementary school, my parents required every child to eat their vegetables before they were excused from the table--like most parents do. Holding my breath and plugging my nose, I would nibble on one corner of the carrot and eat it as slow as possible--hoping my parents would give up on me and let me throw my plate away.
It never worked.
Around sixth grade, I had a brilliant idea that included sneaking my carrots to the bathroom with me. One by one I plopped them in the toilet and flushed them away.
This plan worked exceptionally well... until it didn't.
I remember the day my dad was called into the bathroom upstairs because our pipes were clogged. I remember standing behind my dad holding my breath as he took apart the toilet. I remember asking my dad what he thought caused the clog... praying that the carrots were not the issue. I remember all of these things, especially being reprimanded and grounded for the chaos I had caused after my parents did in fact find not one, not two, but all of the carrots I had been getting rid of through the use of the human manure system.
This story makes me chuckle as I type it out. It reminds me so much of how often we as Christ followers do everything in our power to avoid what is uncomfortable.
We consistently move backwards and avoid the power of God in order to pursue the strength of the world.
We see an example of this in Isaiah 31:1-2 NIV
"Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord."
Written to the Nations of Judah and Jerusalem, Isaiah reminds his readers that those who desire the strength of Egypt will not be able to experience the power of God. This may not make sense to us because we can't connect to the reference to Chariots and Horsemen that Isaiah is writing about. However, here is something you should know about Chariots in their time period:
The Nation or military power that had the most chariots and the most horses controlled the world. Egypt was this military power.
Isaiah is challenging his readers to rely on the power of God, something that will require an uncomfortable living style, rather than going back to the powers of Egypt that they once knew.
Living for God requires us to flee from the chariots of this world, even if it means we need to eat a carrot every once in a while. Who knows, you might grow in your faith and actually start liking carrots.
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