Yesterday I was at the beach. The beach nearest to our home is beautiful, but it's right on the Atlantic Ocean and it's known for its cold, freezing water. My brother and I love to stick our toes in. But there lies the problem. Even though the water is cold and uncomfortable, I usually find myself going a little farther into the water. Instead of sticking just a toe in, I find myself up to my ankles. Then just below the knees. As I go farther out, the waves get bigger and are soon slapping me nearly up to my waist. Then, the water pulls me out just a little farther. After a while, even though the water is still cold, the freezing sensation starts to wear off a bit. Then, just before I go out anymore and get soaked, I hear a voice. It's my mom! She's calling me back, saying that's wet enough, it's time to get out of the water and go home. Sometimes, I get a chastisement for getting too wet but then she opens her arms and wraps a warm towel around me and we go home. Though I may be a little upset at first, I will soon realize that she saved me from going too far into the freezing water and getting entirely soaked. Hmmm ...We are all like me sometimes. We all know when we want to feel exhilarating way of the Wide and Easy Road. We say, "Oh, it's not like we'll get off the Straight and Narrow. We just want to test the Wide and Easy. It's no big deal." But it is! One little toe dip will find us being pulled farther off the Straight and Narrow. Farther and farther, until - wait! I hear Someone. It's God! He reprimands us, scolding us for straying, and He leads us back to the Straight and Narrow with open arms.
"...Yahweh—Yahweh is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in faithful love and truth, maintaining faithful love to a thousand generations." - - Exodus 34:6b-7a