In love with a Stripper!

Sound absurd?

I'm thinking about a different type of stripper. When you think about a paint stripper, its job is to penetrate the paint film, causing it to swell; this volume increase causes internal strains, which, together with the weakening of the layer's adhesion to the underlying surface, leads to sepearation of the layer of the paint from the substrate.

In lamens terms, when you need to seperate the paint from the object which its been applied, the stripper goes inside the film of the paint, causing it strain and creating a swelling effect. This tension weakens the  adhesive power of the paint to the object and leads to a seperation between the two.

In our lives, due to our void that needs to be filled, we seek for temporary things that cause momentary satisfaction and pleasure. Watching, participating, listening, hanging around, inhaling and spending time with these things cause an adhesion of sorts between us and the substance or person that we get addicted to.

Jesus Christ is the great STRIPPER! No, not the kind you find on a pole, but the One who goes inside the believer, through the power in the Word of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit and He causes strain. He creates a dissatisfaction with that very thing which seems to bring pleasure to us. As we are led to spend more time with Him, or hear (through song) His words of encouragment; or speak to people who share their testimonies with us, our desire for that temporary pleasure begins to weaken. Over time through prayer (whether that of our own, or that of others), seperation occurs and we find ourselves able to say "no" and resist the urges of our flesh.

Yes, Jesus is the one we should be in love with. Why? Because He loves us so much that he desires and has the power to seperate us from the things (and people) we foolishly adhere ourselves to!