Thought for 2 July

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (New Living Translation)   “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”   As I’ve previously mentioned, I take my wee dog over to the grounds of the Mausoleum in Hamilton most days so that both of us can get some fresh air and exercise.  There’s a man-made water channel that runs through the centre of the grounds where I’ve seen a heron and even a kingfisher (although not for a wee while).  I was crossing over this channel at the side of the park nearest Motherwell and when looking towards the next crossing point about 50 yards away, I could see a young lad probably about 16yrs old pushing a supermarket trolley into the water channel and then returning to the two young girls he was with to continue their walk.  It made me ponder on what made that young lad reach his decision to do that.  Would pushing that trolley into the watercourse impress the girls he was with?  I don’t think so, but if it did, what would that say about them?  If it wasn’t to impress the girls, is there any logical reason that would explain that action?  I couldn’t think of any then and still can’t, so what made him do that? I don’t think this is an unreasonable example of how men, women and young folks do things, think things and say things at various times in their lives that they will never be able to logically justify.  I suppose we can apologise if we say something wrong and in situations like the one I shared about the young man, he could attempt to put things right by removing the trolley from where he left it and returning it to the proper store.  Even if we try to put things right, the damage has already been done and the only way to avoid this situation is to resist the temptation to do the wrong thing in the first place. Today’s reading reminds us that we are all capable of being deceitful and wicked but earlier in the chapter at verses 5 and 7 we read: ‘Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans and turn their hearts away from the Lord.  But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.’ It is clearly telling us that however much teaching, coaching, counselling, advice and therapy an individual receives in relation to behaviour or personal development provided by men and women that excludes the absolute necessity for God’s intervention, is destined to fail. Prayer Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful country in which we live, help us do what we can to care for the natural surroundings that we sometimes take for granted.  Help us to be grateful for knowing you a little in this life and help us try to live our lives in ways that are acceptable in your sight and Lord, we ask you to forgive us when we get it wrong, as we surely will.    Amen