In
the years of the Great Depression, there were still people who had
expendable cash. As a result, there were various and sundry forms of
entertainment available. One such venue was the traveling circus. To
advertise, crude posters were attached to telephone poles and store
fronts, announcing the time, date, location, and of course, the
price for admission. According to an old story, there was a little
boy who was from a painfully poor family, who read one of the
posters, and immediately wanted desperately to attend. He knew his
dad and mom were working for mere pennies a day, while at the same
time trying to take care of their aging parents and him. He
knew they couldn't afford the ten cent admission price. Knowing it
was hopeless to ask, the little boy sat down on the dilapidated
front porch his family called a home, and began to cry. Hearing his
son crying, the little boy's dad came to check on him. When the man
realized how much his son wanted to go to the circus, he tenderly
reached into his pocket and produced a dime, and placed it in the
boy's hand. The little boy was so excited! He hugged and kissed his
dad, and skipped off to see the circus. When he arrived, he saw a
long parade of unbelievable sights! He saw a bear ride by on a
tricycle! Next he saw a man riding upon the back of an elephant. One
by one, the different acts of the circus paraded by the little boy
who sat with mouth gaping, and eyes as big as saucers. The last
thing to pass by was a clown with huge shoes, a big red nose, and
painted on smile. As he passed the crowd he was reaching out to
them, shaking their hands. When the clown came close to the little
boy with his hand outstretched, the little boy happily placed the
dime into the clown's hand. The clown looked at the dime, ruffled
the boy's hair and followed the rest of the circus people into a
giant tent. When the little boy tried to follow the clown, a big man
with angry eyes told him it would cost ten cents to see the circus
inside the tent. The little boy told the man how he had paid the
clown his ten cents. The man refused to believe the little boy, and
told him to go home before he got into trouble. So, the little boy
went home. On the way home, he had a hard time swallowing the giant
lump in his throat. When his dad saw him returning so soon, he asked
him if he had seen the circus. The little boy told his dad what
happened and began sobbing uncontrollably as his dad tried to
console him. Unfortunately, the little boy only saw a glimpse of
what he was supposed to see inside the big top tent! He saw the
animals, acrobats, trainers, and clowns pass him by. He even saw the
man with shiny clothes and big top hat go strutting by like he was
in charge. But he never got to experience the full show! He missed
out on the flying trapeze act. He didn't see the elephant balance on
a ball. He didn't get to laugh at the shenanigans of a whole troop
of clowns! He never saw the lion trainer place his head inside of
the great animal's mouth. All because he paid the clown what his
father had given him! All because his expectations had been prematurely met, as a
result of his lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6, says, "My people
are destroyed for lack of knowledge." Many times we have not
experienced what God the Father has planned for us because we were
not in tune with HIS TRUTH. Sometimes we may have had a
tendency to rely upon the knowledge others offer us. Perhaps we haven't
sought the fullness of the Lord for ourselves. God is calling us to
experience the FULLNESS of His power! Unless we study what
that means in His Word, we may be paying the clown! The little boy
was restricted from entering the big top, because he unwittingly
paid the clown. What he THOUGHT was the circus, was only a parade! We may be experiencing restricted SPIRIT FLOW
because we are unwittingly paying the clown. If we are seeking the
signs and wonders BEFORE seeking the LORD HIMSELF...we are in
effect, paying the clown. If we
are seeking to be validated through spiritual manifestations,
INSTEAD of being validated by the Holy Spirit from Whom naturally
FLOW gifts and manifestations...we are paying the clown. ANYTIME
we are MORE focused on ourselves, and what we WANT, instead of
realizing the ever present GOODNESS of JESUS CHRIST...we are paying
the clown. And the clown (the enemy), will ALWAYS take what isn't
his...especially when it is willingly offered to him! We must be
VIGILANT! We must be walk circumspectly! We must seek DAILY the
FULLNESS of the Holy Spirit! We should never be satisfied with
restricted FLOW. God is willing to pour out His POWER on us.
"For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the
dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and My
blessing on your offspring." (Isaiah 44:3 NKJV) Why would we
settle for a trickle, when God wants to give us floods of HIS
GOODNESS!? We shouldn't! May we live EXPECTING GOD'S BEST! Get
out your SPIRITUAL wading boots...it's beginning to rain!
Your
Partner In Ministry,
Greg McCowen
Covenant Life Fellowship - Lubbock
Church - (806) 771-4244
