As we love to do each cold winter night we are able, my husband and I were sitting by the outdoor fire pit a few nights ago, watching the fire fairies flicker and float into the night sky. As I watched them lift up and near the tree branches, by the light of the fire, I noticed wads of mistletoe attached to several of the branches.
Michael and I started talking about it, and he informed me that mistletoe is actually an invasive species and, given enough time, will kill the tree it has overtaken.
How crazy is that? I really had no idea. A symbol with such a positive connotation is, in actuality, a parasite.
And isn't that similar to how that sneaky evil one works? He fools us into thinking his game is all presents and bows and kisses under the mistletoe, all the while attaching himself like a parasite to our soul, lulling us into complacency.
We are so easily confused by the Enemy we often forget to keep our eyes on the true meaning of our holiday hustle and bustle or on the One True Miracle of Christmas. And sadly, we are prone to take our eyes off the only Savior who can remove the scales from our muddy brains and allow us to accurately see the truth behind our adversary and his darkness disguised as light.
Mistletoe is only a symbol, of course, and more serious, damaging parasites plague us or drag us, kicking and screaming, from our end goal.
All is grace, and God loves to shower that grace upon us. For those struggling to focus on the hills from whence your help comes, I pray this coming year will be the one where you are more aware of God's truth than you have EVER been in your life, and you will waste very little time coming to recognize the ones whom your adversary sends to confuse and distract.
May God bless you all richly during the new year!
"And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light." 2 Corinthians 11:14.
"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. Colossians." 1:13.
©2022 Coffee, Cobwebs, and Curriculum. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. www.coffeecobwebsandcurriculum.blogspot.com Follow me on Facebook or Twitter! Links can be found in the right sidebar of this blog!
I didn't know dat, about mistletoe - we were at a Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve where a big bunch was under the open doorway to the kitchen. It's such a lovely tradition, and this is a great analogy of the parallel between Satan and his wily ways. To disguise as something innocent, drawing and/or beautiful!
ReplyDeleteHappy and BLESSED New Year to you, LoveFace!