FollowWe found a Nook. Not a pacifier Nook (“Nuk”) but the e-reader Nook. It was lying on the side of the highway on our way from Cannon Beach. We had never used one before and I was checking it out to find owner information. I found an email address and we were going to contact her when we had internet access so we could arrange to give it back.
But there was a problem. The nook was filled with “yucky” things. Yucky books. Lots of yucky, icky books. We had just had this wonderful time at Cannon Beach and now we had this evil influence in our car. So, I found the setting on the nook to reset it back to factory settings and I pushed it. But, I didn’t realize it also would delete the owners’ info. So now I had no way to contact her. And even if I could, I would have some explaining to do because I deleted all of her books. They probably cost her quite a bit. She was the owner of the nook and she had every right to put on it whatever she wanted. I was judging her for what I saw. God alone is her judge. We accidentally invaded this woman’s privacy. We tried to do a “good thing” and find out more about her so we could return it to her. How do I get myself in these situations???
So now we had a Nook. When I got home I loaded it up with the WORD, Max Lucado books, inspirational Christian music, fun games to play, family pictures … and then GOD gave me an analogy. I feel this is the reason we found the Nook.
God gives us free will. It is our choice what we fill our minds with, like the Nook. We can watch movies or read books that can cloud our judgments. Our “free” time can cost us greatly. HE sees everything we fill our minds with. I am reminded that, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)
And I am also reminded that just like pushing the reset button on the nook, wiping it clean, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Knowing that God has total access to all of my thoughts, let alone all of the things I choose to do, can be a scary thought. But it is also a safety net. If I filter my life through His perspective, it is healthy in every way for me. But if I chose the world’s way, I get in trouble.
I need to remember I once was lost … and I didn’t even realize it. And then I got a glimpse of His love for me and recognized the ugliness of my sin. I was full of the “yuckiness” of this polluted world. I found Him. He washed my sins away and “reset” me back to His intended purpose. The One that gave me life, gave His life to do this. Not just push a button. I am so thankful ….
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