Is your pond freezing over?

Usually around this time of year the weather has grown colder and my little pond freezes over. In it live several small feeder fish and one bullfrog who is growing larger each spring.This year we got to hear his loud and deep croaking each night.

During the winter months the water freezes over,the frog goes to the bottom of the pond to hibernate and the fish become frozen in the ice. I was looking at them this morning and thought what a way to spend the winter.Do they breathe? Do they realize they are trapped in a chunk of ice? How do their bodies withstand it and is it gradual freeze or instant? One day they are just swimming around and all of a sudden boom they are frozen solid?

I think that it is a gradual process.They are just minding their own business cruising around, the water gets colder their bodies and their swimming starts to slow down,they might not even realize this is even happening.Until one day they are suspended in the ice,they are in a twilight slumber.Not too sure of whats going on around them but one thing is for sure they are stuck there until the spring,when the ice begins to melt.

This reminds me of what sin is like.We are minding our own business just going about our day,it is subtle,it slowly sneaks up on us Without us even being aware that it is there.We may encounter it each day.We see it , its no big deal, slowly but surely we start to become accustom to it. Its is familiar it seems ok not a big deal.Then before we know it it has a hold of us,We are frozen in the ice so to speak.Trapped like the unsuspecting little fish.One day they were just cruising the pond ,the next stuck until spring.

It may be the TV we watch,the books we read.The images we see on the computer.It may be that friendship with the married co worker who is just a friend, It may be the friends we hang out with who aren't living their lives right,but that doesn't have any influence on us, we think.
It is the one drink that is turning into 2 drinks then 3 drinks. Or we start to miss church,a day here, a day there, slowly but surely we stop going,why we don't even miss it.We don't even know how it happened.Our lives are not like they used to be,something is missing.Something doesn't feel right.But we can't seem to put our finger on what it is.

There are so many things in the world today to tempt us and the longer we are around them,the more we become desensitized to them.No longer do they raise a red flag to us. What is happening is we are slowly freezing to death in the pond,but we don't even know it.One day we will wake up like the frozen little fish.

We need to constantly be alert and aware of what we are surrounding ourselves with. Are you becoming less and less bothered by what is going on around you? Did you wake up one day and realize you are now frozen in the pond? Why wait until spring.Go to the one who can rescue you from the freezing water.The one who can Renew your mind. Go to him in confession and he will pick you up out of the stagnant pond water. clean you off and set you free to swim again.No longer trapped under the ice.

Mark 14:38 Keep awake and watch and pray
that you may not enter into temptation.
The spirit indeed is willing,but the flesh is weak.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world,but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.so that you may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God,which transcends all understanding,will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

Blessings
Dee