Airbnb with the Devil
As a child, my dad would tell me very matter-of-factly, that if the sun went down on my anger, I would give devil a chance to come and hang out with me. Lol! Scared me out of the planet and back. Pop was right. Recently, I let the devil Airbnb with me. I got upset with someone, and it became a deep hurt, that soon got out of control.
A few suns did set on my anger unfortunately, and then the devil stepped in; dragged his Prada luggage into my space and kicked off his shoes. He talked my ear off about how I was right to be angry and actually quite justified at such underserved insolence! Even God understood my anger, he would say. He warned me about letting people in, people were just wicked opportunists. They were all the same -all this he tut-tutted, while he's making himself a sandwich in my kitchen and sipping some tea, wearing my house robe and totally feeling at home.
In case you didn't know, Satan doesn't travel alone. Just saying. He has baggage (we all know that), he also has an entourage. Stop and think about that. Think of the scariest movie you've ever seen, the creepiest movie... The Conjuring, The Exorcist, Ouija...yup. He travels with spirits like that. Not cool. Not cool.
Kicked them out one day, the whole lot of them- I had had enough. I remembered this post and it soothed my heart. Plus I recalled the scripture that says human anger doesn't achieve God's perfect plan for our lives, that sealed it. I would give mercy and forgiveness, even when it seemed undeserved.
Be upset, be angry but don't let the sun set on your anger. Please, I beg you. You'll give that weird guy and his goons a foothold. He'll bring chaos. He'll mess with your mind. He doesn't do dishes, plus he'll use your towel and leave it on the floor. Don't say I didn't tell you.
“And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil// Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
Think Thomas
Thomas also known as Didymus or T.diddy or Doubting Thomas was a disciple of Jesus. Everyone knows him for being the guy with the scowl standing with his arms crossed and his brows matted as he stares down the other disciples, in bible stories. Sometimes, he has a speech bubble extending from his mouth saying, "If I can touch his hands and his sides, then guys, you've got you a believer." It's funny how I've never ever wanted to be Thomas. As a kid, I wanted to be......maybe Philip because I imagined he'd have a short, full tufty beard that glistened in the sun( I don't know why), or Thadeus because his name was cool or Barthelomeow because no one would ever send me to do chores with that type of name. "Barthel'-- never mind, John, please get the door." Never ever did I want to be Thomas. He was the faithless one, the doubter, the one who wasn't perfect because he needed proof. We all turned up our noses at him in Sunday school. I have a significantly sized nose, so me, most of all.
Then last week, a thought hit me as I had tea with Jesus. I came to discover two things: 1) Thomas was me 2) Thomas was special
Let me give you a little background: Jesus had died and risen, along with him rose other dead people** causing the creepiest event in history [Other formerly dead people were seen around Jerusalem; mommies in grave clothes appearing at busstops drinking frappacinos, and other formerly dead people hanging out at the local market and in hot tubs. It was Halloween on steroids.] He also had just made one paranormal appearance to the disciples to show them he was now alive, however, Thomas wasn't there. He was probably somewhere, doubting away.
When Thomas returned, they gave him the gist and they showed him all their selfies with the Master. He folds his arms, mats his brows etc. Then Jesus appears. Again.
Again.
He appeared again. This was a Jesus who had just done the most unbelievable, unachievable thing in the history of the seen and the unseen; he had died for man and risen again. I bet he was scheduled for interviews, lunches, world summits, Ophra must have reopened shop to have him on her show. Parties on rooftops in his honor; angels must have been singing and asking for autographs, God the Papa must have been waiting on tiptoes at heaven's gates for his return. But Jesus put all of that on hold and reappeared, to show Thomas he cared about him, not only at times when he had faith but also when he had doubts.
Whenever your faith is creaky, God doesn't kick you in the sheen. He does everything and anything, including walking through walls and letting you poke his scabs, just so you believe. So don't let anyone turn their significantly sized noses at you when you are weak in faith. You will in no time be strong. Don't think he'd rather hang out with the strong people of faith and no doubters. Just remember He came back for one man. So that he could believe. One man named Thomas.
xx
**Matt 27vs52-53