What if Friday the Thirteenth Falls on Sunday?

I know it's an old joke, a stupid joke, but it still tickles me.  Humor me.  Now for the Sunday morning devotional.

 

Couple or three days ago (for Lauren¹ wherever you are) I cleaned out the gutters for the third time this fall, the third time because it took forever (meaning several weeks) for the austrees in the yard to shed their foliage.  This time is the last time for the year, for which I am thankful.


I did not have to think very hard to come up with the spiritual application for this endeavor.  Rather it *bam!* jumped out and grabbed me.  Keeping the debris out of the troughs and downspouts is an onerous task, one that offers itself over and over again.  This caused me to reflect on the day in my life when the effort to keep the trash and debris out of my mind was an unending task, one which seemed ever to need repeating in spite of my best efforts.²

Now we know that the Lord forgives us for He told us that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.³  Nevertheless it seemed in my case at least to be an impossible task to keep the thought-life pure and "holy" so to speak.  And it is an impossible task, an on-going thankless and frustrating task.  But.

There is a solution.  If we allow it and ask God for it, He will build a protective guard over the channels of our minds.  We will live our lives in consideration of His ways, in emulation of Our Lord who gave Himself for us that we might be whole in Him!<sup>4

Cherish and guard your prayer life.  It is your channel of communication with God.

1</sup>Lauren was a young lady from Michigan, a teacher on my staff.  She abhorred the expression "a couple or three" which of course motivated me to work it into the conversation occasionally.
² But Mom, I said, I see things and cannot help thinking certain thoughts.  Mother replied, You cannot keep the birds from flying over you head, but you don't have to let them build a nest in your hair.  Thanks, Mom.
³"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" I John 1:9
⁴"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things"  Philippians 4:8 

--Scriptures quoted from the King James Version