Properly Groomed!

I read sometime ago about someone who had a pet duck that drowned in their small backyard pond. Imagine, a duck drowning. To me that seemed at bit bizarre. All the ducks I have ever seen appeared to be excellent swimmers. But this duck did drown. Since it baffled the family, they took the duck to their vet to find out what had happened and found out the duck had not properly groomed itself. There is a special oil which ducks use to waterproof themselves. This oil is produced beneath their wings and as ducks groom themselves this oil is spread through their feathers to repel water. Without this oil a duck would become waterlogged and thus sink like a rock. Apparently that is what happened with this particular duck.

Just as we might say this duck rather than being "in" the water ended up "of" the water, we have a similar challenge in life. We are "in" the world, but are not to be "of" it. ( John 17:15-18) In order to meet this challenge and keep our lives afloat we must be properly groomed, otherwise we too could end up becoming waterlogged by the world and find ourselves sinking like a rock.

Do we have proper "spiritual" grooming habits? Note what God said through His prophet, Isaiah:
“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has CLOTHED ME WITH THE GARMENTS OF SALVATION; HE HAS COVERED ME WITH THE ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
( Isaiah 61:10 ESV)

Earlier in Isaiah 61:3 we have a reference also to the "OIL OF GLADNESS" and a "GARMENT OF PRAISE."

The tendency today is to spend much time in front of the mirror hoping to prevent having a "bad hair day" (I only have "no hair" days), or looking through the closet for just the right outfit. Let's be careful we are not so caught up in trying to look good (i.e. pleasing to that guy or gal you're trying to gain the attention of, your peers, or employer, etc) in merely a physical sense. We need to be most concerned about our spiritual grooming.
We could be beautiful to the world and yet disgustingly ugly and repulsive in God's eyes. May you be beautifully clothed in salvation, righteousness, and praise, as well as groomed with the oil of gladness in knowing the beautiful Creation into which God is transforming you. Immerse yourself in God's word even beyond the focus of these daily messages so you can maintain proper grooming. If you don't, you stand the chance of becoming waterlogged by the world to which you are daily exposed. God has prepared a means by which you can be protected and stay afloat.

Have a great day GROOMED BY THE LORD!
Carl

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