Mercury is in retrograde, and this is NEWS!
http://shine.yahoo.com/life-made-easy/mercury-retrograde-survival-guide-155500286.html
Not that we’re superstitious of course! But, things are going really well the last few days with certain trouble spots at work, KNOCK ON WOOD! Just don’t open an umbrella inside, or walk under a ladder. We’ve really got to get rid of that black cat of ours, you can’t help but cross its path.
According to another article: Mercury’s retrograde causes all kinds of problems:
The planet’s backward movement — which began yesterday and will continue to do so until April 4 — is notorious for screwing up anything involving technology, communication, transportation, and legal matters and drudging up problems (or people) from the past you thought were gone for good.
It is amazing to me how otherwise intelligent people believe this drivel. Amazing. The same people who think I am a fool for for believing that GOD created the universe and all of life on earth, are willing to believe this.
Here is the real problem though. Superstition is anti-grace. It assumes the universe at large, and fate, are lurking and waiting to curse us. This curse is barely held at bay by the flimsiest of scaffolding, the chicken wire and duck tape of little senseless practices that ward off the amorphous and omnipresent evil that is everywhere around us.
People would say that I’m overstating the case, that they don’t really think that all of this is really THAT true. If that is so, then why do I get dressed down at my work:
Me: “Hey, that trouble system has sure been running well this past week!”
Rational Person: “You can’t just SAY that! find some wood and knock on it!”
Me: “No. Instead, I’m going to open this umbrella and hold it over your head.”
Rational Person: “I can’t believe you! Stop it!”
Me: “I thought you said you weren’t superstitious!”
Rational Person: “I’m not, but you’re being crazy!”
Me: “Right. I’m crazy.”
Let me clarify. Superstition is true. It carries power over people. It runs things because people obey it. It is a force to be feared, to be appeased. It is a speculation raised up against the knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). It is in fact idolatry. It is the polar opposite of grace. Grace assumes that we may have seasons of difficulty, but that God causes ALL THINGS to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). So, I am going to start calling down this insane idolatry. I might start to open umbrellas indoors. I might put a ladder over my door. I am going to make a point of expressing praise for things that go well, and then NOT knock on wood. I am going to declare the favor of God as trumping all of this superstitious nonsense, because though everyone will deny it, when they bring it up, they secretly put great faith in it. Mercury is in retrograde, so I declare power to break curses and new stability and freedom and success in Jesus’ name! I believe in God, and Jesus Christ His only begotten son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe it is Christ and Him crucified that breaks the power of these curses. It is finished!
The right thing to do is to have compassion and kindness on those who are wrapped up in such lies, and to so speak and so work that their eyes might be opened up to grace. Sometimes in the thick of life that is a little hard to remember. Under grace, when I forget, it doesn’t mean a curse is hanging over my head waiting in readiness. I can be authentic, and my irritation with others wrapped up in destructive and false belief systems is forgiven. But I also long for them to be released from such a prison. God, birth this longing in us. Amen!