Old Aesop recounted for his readers the curious tale of a community of mice who called a council to address a deadly concern.  The barn they inhabited had begun to be patrolled by a marauding, bloodthirsty cat.  Every morning another mouse or two would be unaccounted for, likely victims of the tabby’s sharp, deft claws.  Something had to be done.  As the mice met and discussed the problem, only one possible solution gained everyone’s approval.  If a bell could somehow be hung around the cat’s neck, its ringing would sound the alarm and be their salvation.  But the question was soon asked, “Who among us is going to bell the cat?”

Who would be willing to dare do such a thing?  Sadly, excuses were the only reply and the council was adjourned in despair.  What was necessary required a courage and a love unknown in the hearts of those assembled.  Of course, this apathy and lack of faith proved more deadly than the cat.

Our hearts, homes, and communities have our own marauders on patrol.  Satan has long prowled about looking to strike with lethal lies and deadly deceptions and delusions.  We, too, every morning are sobered by another one of our loved ones waylaid by the enemy.  We’re not without hope of a solution, however.  The Apostle Paul makes a sound proposal to the church in Ephesus, one having to do with prayer, spiritual armor, and good old fashioned courage.  It reads really well.  It preaches really well.  It sounds very, very good.  But who among us is willing to bell the cat?  Are you?

A treasure hunter’s first treasure is a map.  No life is long enough to crawl down all the world’s caves, or dig up all the earth’s deserts, or set sail for all the remote islands in all the seven seas.  Without an “X marks the spot”, fortune will likely elude our explorer.  Sadly, the same fate awaits those who seek to find the treasures of knowing God’s will for their lives.  Whoever would hunt for God’s best is certainly in need of a map.  This Sunday morning, September 10th, we begin a course of study entitled Decision Making and the Will of God that aims to offer insights to those eager to answer the question: “Does God have a specific will for my life and can I know it?”  So grab your fedora, kindle a sense of adventure, and join the discussion.  The study will be held in Room 208 in the Family Life Center on Sunday mornings at 8:30.  We’ll be brewing coffee and serving baked goodies!