What is rising in you?{1 Corinthians 5}

8:00 AM





The day I was sent home to work I began journaling what I do each day.  I knew that being sent home to work meant changes would occur at a rapid pace and in the past when I’ve been in a crisis, I journaled to help me keep track of who said what and when.  When this post is published, the United States will be 25 days into President Trump’s “stay at home” recommendations, and the 15th day of the state of Michigan’s Executive Order of Shelter in Place to stop the spread of the coronavirus.   According to the models I have seen, we are approximately one week away from the peak of this virus in our country and the state I live in.

I share this information because the changes in the crisis occur gradually, just like how yeast changes the condition of ingredients to make bread.  I love making bread and if you are anxious and try to bake it too soon, it doesn’t rise enough.  And if you let it sit too long, you have a big puffy loaf of bread.

If you are on social media, you are probably seeing posts asking what you’ve already learned about yourself, or what you will take away from this situation.  Several years ago, I made some decisions to slow down.  I grow my own fruit and vegetables and process them and store them in a root cellar.   I had become anxious because all round me everyone seemed to be in a hurry.   Just look down any street and you’ll see a fast food restaurant or several of them.  We can have products shipped to our homes in a day or two.  We even want immediate answers to this illness.

I have discovered something about being at home this past week, I have slowed down even more.  I take more time to cook and clean.  I’m taking more time to go for a walk, some days even going for 2 walks.  I have lengthened the amount of time between opening an electronic device or the television.  I have discovered that God is still at work.  The birds are singing and enjoying the spring air.  The trees are budding, and flowers and plants are sprouting.  All of this is by God’s design.  None of this is done by man’s hand.  It is all God’s!  Yesterday the sun was out all day long – it was exceptional!

Most often, yeast is used to describe the negative effects of sin in scripture.  But I want to use it in a positive manner, much like how delicious bread that has been given the proper time to rise tastes.

As Christians, we believe God is in control.  He is baking bread and He knows what He is making.  He is using all that He has to create an everlasting kingdom.  But, how do we detect the good yeast from the bad yeast?

Erroneous teachings and hypocrisy are not always obvious, and they can be hard to detect.  This often happens when one part of scripture is expounded to justify certain things, while blatantly ignoring other parts of scripture that add context and clarify the whole message.  A good example is when the Pharisees attempted to challenge Jesus on marriage and divorce (Matthew 19:1-10).  Another way to detect yeast is when, for example, someone corrects you about something and your emotions start rising inside, causing you to display bad fruit by responding in a negative manner.  When you find yourself being overly defensive or aggressive and not speaking truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), perhaps there is a lie and false belief at work. 

In order to be delivered from yeast, we must be humble and acknowledge our blindness (Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 66:2, John 9:41).  When we humbly and sincerely acknowledge before the Lord that we could be wrong about our ways and beliefs, even though they may seem right in our eyes and in the eyes of the world, we allow Him to open our eyes and deliver us from error and yeast.  As the Lord says in His word, ‘if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their sin and heal their land’ (2 Chronicles 7:14). 

The time we invest daily in God’s word and prayer gives room to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit to teach us.  He graciously shows us even the 1% yeast and replaces it with the Truth which truly sets us free (John 8:32).  The next time you become frightened or anxious because of the circumstances you are in, pray.  Simply tell Jesus how you are feeling at the moment.  He knows what’s happening right now.  Take a break from the constant flood of information being sent to us and go for a walk with the Lord.  Open your bible and look at all the promises we have before us. 

Last night I decided to watch “Paul the Apostle” and that movie depicts the horrific conditions the early Christians lived in, yet they were reminded each and every day to live in love.  Allow the love of Christ to rise in you today.

Blessings,
Lisa

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