The Dark Hand of the World & Sneak Preview #4
The dark hand of the world is active. This is not new information. Turn on any television set, read any historical documents, or generally pay attention and you will see that forces are at work in this world that do not have our best interests at heart. Whether it shows itself in the form of politics, volatile religion, atheistic humanism, or merely a bad word shared between friends, there is abundant evidence that sin—and the Devil—are at play.
A few days ago, it came to my attention that yet another “celebrity” had become embroiled in a sex tape fiasco. Why does this happen? Why risk devastating your career, your livelihood, and your relationships for the sake of a cheap thrill? The answer is always the same: sin. You are a sinner. I am a sinner. We are all fallen.
But I daresay it goes deeper. For many, their life isn’t something for which the goal is good fruit and wholesome love. No, for those that participate in such illicit activities, the simple fact is that they have long embraced unrepentant sin. They are of this world, taking pride in the flesh, the lusts of their eyes and minds.
“You are of your father the Devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of liars.” (John 8:44)
In this example, Jesus was speaking to the Jews of their hypocrisy. Previously, the Pharisees and Scribes had attempted to entrap him regarding the punishment of an adulterous woman. How can they cast their judgments when they themselves are not free of sin? We are imperfect and can only be made better by sanctification through the Grace of God. Now, let me clarify that what Jesus is saying in messages like this isn’t that one should never judge another (the often repeated Matthew 7 defense). Rather, he is putting forth that one should acknowledge his own sin before he is able to root out the unrighteousness of his brother.
See, the Devil tells you that nothing is wrong with enjoying your life however you wish. You want to be filmed engaging in indulgent recreation by another? Go for it, says the Devil. It’s your body, your life. From the beginning, the Devil has twisted words to make his way seem the truth. “Has God said?” he asks Eve, knowing that he is deceiving her into believing otherwise. He tells her that if she eats from the tree of knowledge that she will become like God, knowing good and evil.
This is what lies at the center of sinful life. An unrepentant sinner loves the world, loves the things that he or she can claim as his, never giving thought to the Creator, only ever craving that which satisfies the flesh. In this way, they become their own master, their own God. That is the lie of the Devil: you should submit only to your own whims and passions.
This is the way of ruin. Under this purview, men and women commit crimes against God and their own soul. Why should they do anything but embrace that which brings them their own joy? They will make that sex tape. They will defraud a business. They will enslave the masses. They will murder and steal. Their will be done is how they see the world.
There remains a fundamental difference between worldly joy and heavenly Joy. Worldly joy is seductive and fleeting, arriving in spurts, nothing more than a series of ups amidst a sea of downs. Heavenly Joy, the embrace of our Father, is everlasting. It is not a minute of bliss or fifteen seconds of fame. It is peace forever more.
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.” (Revelation 22:14-15)
In this life, the pleasures of the flesh take hold and steer you away from the truth. In the next, you are eternally separated from the love of God. So why remain unrepentant? Why not embrace the free gift that is the Grace of God? Why not be born again?
I hope that I’ve made sense in this post. All of us can attest to struggling with some form of unnecessary and possibly sinful indulgence. For instance, I’m readily aware that I have devoted far too much of my existence to playing video games. I don’t believe that they are inherently sinful, but as always, moderation is the key to any pastime. With God’s help (and really, he’d be doing all the work), I pray that I can better manage my time as a Christian.
Thank you for reading. Now, as I promised, here is another (perhaps the last) sneak preview of my upcoming sequel novel. Still working on finishing up the first draft. I can already see that editing is going to be a pain in my rear, but it’ll all be worth it when the novel is finished.
[image error]
He opted to take a look around, see if he could find the bathroom. With all the sweating and lack of anything to drink, he thought he should be dehydrated. His bladder disagreed.
Kasey must’ve done well for herself in JTTF. Situated between two pairs of custom Zaisu Tatami chairs that she had to have imported from Japan, an oval coffee table caught his eye. The top was glass, but the legs were wooden with a leaf motif and gold finish. A stone statue of a Greek siren adorned the top. Chic it was not.
Finch walked down the hall toward Kasey’s room, hoping that the azure nightlight he had glimpsed meant the bathroom was near. Along the way, he passed various replicas of famous paintings: Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, Edvard Munch’s The Scream, American Gothic by Grant Wood—it was a smorgasbord of selected artistry with no rhyme or reason.
He thought Sinclair’s money bought nice things, but her tastes far exceeded that of their boss. None of it clicked or made decorative sense, but that was Kasey.
Multi-colored oriental wallpaper clashed with white tile in the bathroom. Atop the toilet sat a statue of Gautama Buddha, but Finch knew Kasey wasn’t a practitioner. She loved the shine, like a crow pilfering trinkets or a dragon guarding his hoard.
He washed his hands in the surprisingly modest sink. While he dried them off—with a towel bearing the image of cupid shooting an arrow through a heart—he peeked around the corner. The door to Kasey’s room was closed. Apparently, she was going to be awhile.
“It’s like waiting for a prom date,” Finch muttered, moseying back to the living room.
There you go. Not much story in there, but I bet it’s enough to gain a little more insight into the character of Kasey and her relationship with Llewyn Finch. Anyway, glad I got to share with you on this wonderful Monday. See you next week. God bless.
