Well it has happened again. For the 4th time this season I have poison Ivy. I hope you can bear with me as I wallow in my misery on the blog today but this is as good a place as any to descend into a malaise of melodrama.

I know what you’re thinking, “Stay out of the bushes, Pastor!”

But this time I believe it came from some leftover oils on the hedge trimmer I used on Saturday to trim my bushes. It was this trimmer I used three weeks ago on some poison ivy plants by accident.

So as I sit here covered in Calamine lotion and self-pity allow me to make some spiritual applications:

Why do we keep making the same mistakes over and over again? Why do we forget they always lead to the same result?

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

It’s the principle of the path. For whatever direction you are heading – there is a final destination. No matter what you think, say or believe – if you walk off the path of Christ there will be a poison ivy plant in waiting or possibly . . . something worse.

As Christ followers, we are called to regard the path of the Israelites. God said stay on My Path! If you don’t – bad things will happen. Things like Deut. 28:27 (NIV) “The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, festering sores and the itch, from which you cannot be cured.”

We need to realize the Old Testament stories of their failures are meant for our protection. That’s why Paul talked about them in 1 Cor. 10:6 (NIV) “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” Idolatry, adultery, grumbling and complaining – were all leaps off God’s path and they all led serious generational “itching!”

Take a lesson from me! Stop diving into the bushes. Stay on the Path of Life! Keep to the poison ivy-free path of obedience and faithfulness.

For now, I will rub some more Calamine and try not to scratch.

May I could pull this look off on Sunday Morning…