Who has you under a spell?

WHO HAS BEWITCHED YOU?

Romans 12:15 (New International Version, ©2011)

¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

I have read this verse so many time before but never before have I been as impacted by it as I was this last week.   A friend, well I guess I should say acquaintance, lost a loved one recently.  In my concern, I decided to reach out and send words of encouragement.  However, it was not received well.  Somehow, the lack of communication throughout the years has made it an offense to send words of condolences and support.  I heard also of good news from a recently married couple who were expecting a baby in a few months.  Again to offer words of congratulations was received with a face that was made up and the words “How did YOU know?  I can’t believe that the news have spread so far”.  Mind you this couple went to a public event and he forgot to hide his wife in a paper bag, who was showing to the world.  Perhaps the offense was because I was not a part of the closely knit circle of friends and family.  My congratulations and condolences became a sore point as opposed to rejoicing and mourning with those who are rejoicing and mourning.

I honestly felt like saying the line from Star Trek, “Beam me up Scottie!”  This must be a parallel universe that I was transported into and I wanted out.  When did people exchange the truth for a lie?  When did we become so deceived that the word of God becomes something you have to think about because in following the literal meaning you become the source of distress and upset?  I became angry – not at the two people, but at the lies of the devil.  It has become a world in which what is right is now wrong and what is wrong is now right.  He has turned this world upside down and the deception has snaked itself into the church. 

I felt like shouting out as Paul did  ¹ You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? … ³ Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?^{[a] 4} Have you experienced^[b] so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? ⁶ So also Abraham “believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”^[c] (Galatians 3).

Christians are terrified and remaining silent in their suffering when they should be speaking.  They are speaking when they should be silent, creating fear by the power of their tongues, speaking death and not life unto themselves.  I am not using this to exhale, but as a wakeup call to all who will read.  We are blinded and walking in mute acceptance of this upside down alternate world we live in, but I believe it is time to trade the lies for the truth…trading it all for the joy of the Lord.