Friday, August 22, 2008

Visualizing the Spiritual


 

    Sometimes I will visualize a spiritual truth. This helps me to see the reality of the situation I'm in or facing. Dr. David Gibbs is a master at putting a story or giving a visual of this thought. He told of a time when his daughter was attacked by dogs. (here is the link to the download of the sermon). The description he gave of the dogs and the attack was riveting. It was just really intense. If you have a chance to listen do so. But if not here is a brief description. He describes the dogs and how vicious they are. One day while he was at the kitchen table he heard the dogs attack his daughter. His daughter only had to say one word in order to get a response. "Daddy." That was the only requirement in order for him to respond. And boy did he respond. He went over the table and through a screen door. He then hit the first dog so hard that he knocked it out. Banged the second dogs head on the ground till it was knocked out, and then the third dog cowered away. His daughter had to have something like 150 stitches on her head. He said something at the end of the story that stuck with me. He said "I don't know what kind of "hound of hell" is on you, but the father is waiting and wanting for you to cry out "Abba Father" or "Daaaady".

    So, that is the picture I get when I am tempted. It is a wicked and evil reality that is around us. God delights in running through screen doors and knocking out trained attack dogs at the very sound of His name. "Daaaaaaaadyyyyy". Cry out and He show Himself strong. Driving away the hounds. The other side of the reality is when we are tempted and don't cry out what we are really say