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Yesterday I had my first trip to the “Genius Bar”. Given the circumstances, I was not feeling quite like a “genius”. Yes, I brought my iPhone to be looked at as it was acting up after being dropped into my cup of tea. It was only a split second that it was even in my tea. I scooped it out of my tea so quickly, horrified at what had just happened.

That was all it took. A second.

I so had hoped for favor. For mercy. For grace. For some good news.

But that was not to be.

With a quick use of his little laser light, the technician knew that I had water damage. I believe the words he used were, “Significant water damage.” How could a split second cause significant water damage I asked?

“That’s all it takes,” he replied.

He very gently delivered the rest of the report. He could replace my phone to the tune of $150. So since my phone was working just fine (at that moment), I told him that I would take it back & use it until it did die. He told me that probably by nightfall, it would no longer even take a charge.

I left the Genius Bar so disappointed. Not at all what I had anticipated.

No favor. No mercy. No grace.

I wasn’t home but a few minutes, when in checking my Facebook, I discovered that some wanted to know what had occurred with my trip to the Apple store. I wrote:

Well – no grace given 🙁 but I do have application which I will write about on my blog, lol. Life was less expensive before I became dependent on an iphone, twitter & texting.

I meant a life application or life lesson not an app, lol.

No sooner did I type that than I began to ask God just what was the point of it all. Was there a life application? And this is what began to roll around in my thoughts….

I went to the Apple store wanting favor, grace & mercy to undo the harm that I had done to my phone. Sure it was an accident but there was no one to blame but myself. How I wanted a free replacement phone.

There are times, I don’t heed what God would have me to do or say. OK, let’s say it straight out – I sin. I disobey. Or I rebel. When I come to my senses, I ask God to forgive me. I am sincere. Oh, but how I hope He will just make it all right. No effects felt. Sort of like the “Get out of jail free” card in Monopoly. But life is not a game.

The truth is – God always forgives. But there are times that the effects of that sin, well, He allows us to experience. Yes, there are consequences that are felt. How else would we ever learn? Romans 6:23 says,

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Yes, I know the death spoken of here is eternal. But the wages of sin, in the here & now, can also be felt…

the death of a relationship

       the death of a job

             the death of a position

                   the death of a dream

                          the death of a marriage

                                the death of a bank account.

We are forgiven for the sin, but the effect is felt, experienced. What is the answer?

                           Walk in God’s way. Obey His Word. Guard our hearts.