What type of terrain do we find ourselves on today?
Rock Island State Park is a place I love to visit annually. We have made wonderful memories there.
The scenic beauty of this wooded park is dominated by the Great Falls of the Caney Fork River - an imposing limestone gorge (called a gulf in southern culture). It provides scenic overlooks, waterfalls and deep pools for fishing, rock-hopping and exploring. This is no casual stroll my friends. Getting to the various swimming holes, diving cliffs , and beautiful waterfalls requires slow, thoughtful, cautious steps. Beginning from the descent from the parking lot of steep steps hugging the rock wall going down into the gorge itself, your eyes are constantly focused at your feet and where you place them, in order to avoid losing your step and hurting yourself.
As I was in Sunday school discussing our text, I was reminded of maneuvering through the rocky terrain and the correlation between both. In Ephesians 5:15 it says.... See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,. Circumspectly means to walk cautiously or carefully. Paul was urging us as Christians to pay attention to our behavior. His plea was for us to think before we act. This place we call earth is definitely "rough terrain" for those of us who claim that heaven is our home. It is full of slippery rocks of temptation, unstable rocks that when we trust them enough to put our full weight on them shift and leave us unbalanced and grasping for something secure to keep us from crashing down completely. This world is also full of places that, like Rock Island, require the hand of a friend to help us up and over to get where we are supposed to be. Balance is a requirement to make it through without slipping, in both life and at Rock Island.
How ridiculous would it be too see someone wearing high heels going rock hopping in a place like Rock Island? What about running carelessly, tripping, bleeding and continuing to run without regard to their body's condition? That would be the type of foolish Paul is referring to here. Only a fool would attempt to behave so carelessly without regard to the effect their behavior would have on themselves.
So as we are walking across this " rough terrain " of life together, toward our destination of heaven.... a place of joy and peace, may we first prepare ourselves with surrounding ourselves with helpful friends who will help us to get to our destination successfully , then prepare ourselves with the proper attire for our journey. Most importantly, as we set out on our journey may we take each step one at a time, focusing on what is immediately before us and think strategically before we put our full weight and commit to that next step. Let us not be foolish and careless as we walk toward our destination but may we all walk carefully so we may arrive knowing we made the most of our time and enjoyed the journey with the friends that took those steps with us and became part of the story that God was writing all along in our hearts.
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