Have you ever stopped to think about a turtle? I’ve had various experiences with turtles. When we lived in Southern California, we had a couple of California desert tortoise. They hung around our yard. We might give them lettuce to eat, and in the winter we put them in a box in the garage, with paper, so they could hunker down for that season. Pretty much they kept to themselves.
My other experience with turtles was very memorable – in the real spiritual lesson sort of way. I was on my way to church for a funeral, very full of myself, when I spotted our neighbor’s turtle running away. I decided to play the hero, got out of my truck, picked up the turtle to redirect it home, and ended up in the hospital with a tri malleolar fracture of my left ankle!
Turtles have a special place in my heart!
You see, God was teaching me about my arrogant, self-righteous pride! Proverbs 16:18 states “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (NIV 1984).
Yes, I needed humbling…well, still do, and will continue to need that work done in my heart by God’s Spirit until I meet Jesus in person.
What I learned about turtles from my fall was that they excrete a very slippery substance. It is like ice. I can testify fully to that fact. Pride is a slippery slope, once you start on that path, without Jesus, there is nothing ahead but a nasty fall.
God taught me much from my turtle event. The turtle returned home. It’s hard shell protected it when we fell together.
It is that hard shell I’m pondering.
God provided turtles with shells that are amazingly impenetrable. My research revealed that some turtle shells can likely take up to 200 times their weight in pressure, likely taking thousands of pounds to crush them. Wow! God gave turtles an amazing protective shield.
But God gives those who belong to Him even greater protection than that. His protection can never fail. It is impenetrable, invincible – for those who love and follow Jesus.
The turtle has all that protection available to her, and her natural instinct is to draw all her body parts into that shell when trouble comes. It would certainly be foolish of her to leave her head outside the shell when a predator attacked. Yet, I think that is often the case with so many people. Instead of running to Jesus, accepting His gift of salvation, and allowing Him to use His power to love, guard, protect, guide, etc., people too often foolishly “keep their heads out of the shell”. Why? Pride.
Pride is the basis for all sin. Pride encouraged Eve, and Adam, to eat the fruit God instructed them to stay away from (Genesis 3:6). Please consider the words in that verse that describe Eve succumbing to the first sin of mankind. The verse states that she took and ate the fruit when she realized the fruit was “pleasing to the eye” – oh my, let’s guard what our eyes see and think is good for us – and “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Psalm 101:5). Pride wanted its fill.
Pride shifts confidence and trust in God to confidence and trust in oneself. It is a nasty sin, and produces much evil from its arrogance.
We all know this, because we all have a sin nature. It was passed on to us because Adam and Eve chose a piece of fruit over obedience to God, sin became part of the nature of mankind.
But God loves each of His children so much that He won’t allow mankind’s pride to win. No, God promised His “seed” would defeat the very evil Adam and Eve failed to resist (Genesis 3:15).
God ALWAYS has the final word!! God is ALWAYS the Victor!!
Isaiah 5:15-16 tells us that God will exalt Himself, after humbling mankind. Many “woes” are pronounced throughout Scripture against those who persist in resisting God. Only those who accept Jesus as Lord and Savior will experience His complete restoration to intimate fellowship with Him, for all eternity. That final day is approaching, when mankind will be called to a final account before the perfect Judge (Matthew 12:36; Hebrews 9:27; Revelation 20:11-15).
Only those on Christ’s “team” will rise to live with Him for all eternity.
Will you be part of that “team”? Scripture refers to His people as His body. He is the Head, His followers are the rest of the body (1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:4-5; Colossians 1:24).
Pride can only be resisted by the power of God. We start by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior (John 3:16). God will give the ability to resist pride and self-confidence, if we seek Him with our whole heart (James 4:1-10).
The Bible contains many biographies of men and women who humbled themselves before God. Isaiah is one example of a man who recognized his sin, and humbled himself before God, then displayed that true faith as he served Him (Isaiah 6:5-8).
The other aspect about the turtle is that it moves slowly. It is not in a hurry.
Unfortunately, fast has always been my pace. My husband often says that I have two speeds, fast and asleep. But Godhas been teaching me to be like the wise turtle, to slow my pace, and lean upon Him for everything. The more I do this, the more joy (spiritual experience with God), and the more happiness (emotional response to life) I have each day. God helps me make lemonade out of the lemons, and not gripe as much when troubles arise.
As I lean further into the Lord, like the turtle pulling itself into its shell, I savor the blessings He provides each day, even when troubles arise. Because of Jesus, this is possible. Without Jesus as Lord and Savior, the momentary blessings of this world will expire when Jesus returns, and judgment takes place.
If Jesus is not yet your Lord and Savior, your place of refuge, you can change that this moment. You can humble yourself by talking with Him, confessing your sinful state, your need for His absolute forgiveness, and ask Him to guide your life in service to Him.
Verses for further consideration: John 16:33; Ephesians 6:13; 1 John 5:4; Revelation 17:14.
I’d be thrilled to talk with you about a relationship with Jesus, and the journey wants to take you on to find peace, joy, contentment, and so much more, in this world of troubles.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2020 Donna Shappy
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