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Wandering…

 I’ve spent a glorious weekend in New York with my best friend. Some folks (my family included) thought I was crazy to want to visit the city that never sleeps. The truth is, I am fascinated with the history and culture of the crossroads of the world. The fact that I’m a total theatre nerd just makes it a perfect place for me to visit.

Would I want to live here? At one point in my life, I might have said yes. There is so much immersion into the arts that I could literally lose myself if this were my home.

Along with this artistic culture, however, there have been some pretty extreme compromises. For example, Greenwich Village became the epicenter of the LGBTQ movement and has unashamedly spread into the island of Manhattan. Humanism has largely overtaken the religious mindset as New York is filled with people seeking knowledge. Humanity is worshipped instead of the One who created humans.

I do love this city. I love the buildings and street markets. I love the small bookstores and pizza by the slice. And, oh my goodness, the coffee! This city contains so many of the things I personally am drawn to. And I love the people. I’m grateful for those who live here and work to share the truth of Jesus in a city where the human mind and the human condition are worshipped. But I couldn’t live here.

For one thing, it would break my heart to watch as thousands of people throw themselves into hopelessness by indulging in their own worldly pleasures every day. And quite frankly, I don’t know that I would be strong enough to keep from becoming like that. 

But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. (Romans‬ ‭2‬:‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

It’s so easy to reach for the things we want without thinking. It’s so simple to wander into a culture that glorifies sin and spews hatred for raw truth. It’s nice to feel important, smart, validated-even if you’re wrong. In the end, wandering into living for ourselves leads to our self-destruction. If not in this life, we will spend eternity regretting our choice to live in and for ourselves. 

My prayer today is that we all choose to live for God and never wander into self-indulgence.


© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.


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