Coon in a Tree

There's a big oak tree, which stands majestically outside my window. It has to be a couple of hundred years old, judging by the size of the tree hollow. It takes about 120 years for a hollow to form, and bigger hollows are found in trees over 200 years.

And this one's got a good size hollow. And I take great delight in watching the old squirrel who lives in that tree hollow, for it is there, in that natural home, in that tree trunk, where that squirrel sleeps and hides his nuts. He frolics happily all over that tree, and at times, chasing and playing with his love mate.

One day, I looked out my balcony window, and the squirrel was gone, and he didn't show up for several days. I soon discovered why. Near dusk, I peered into that hollow, and a fierce face stared back at me.

The face of a big, fat raccoon, who had found himself a comfortable new home, thus running out his smaller opposition. I stood out on the balcony, and I tossed a penny into that hollow, and hit the raccoon, and made him jump, just to let him know he wasn't welcome. And that coon stayed in that tree hollow for several days, and all you could see was his striped tail as it flopped around in that hollow.

Then one day, I looked out my window, and lo and behold, it was my old friend the squirrel, clambering all over the tree limbs again, and playing in the sun. He had possession back of his home. The unwanted trespasser had gone on to better feeding grounds.

Now, friends, I relate that story to you, because that fat raccoon represents the devil, who, when given ground through sin, comes into a place and makes his home there. All joy is gone, for a thief is in the house. All a raccoon does is tear up things.

I had a raccoon get up in my attic once, and there was nothing he could do to drive him out, and no rat trap would catch him. He tore up that attic all to pieces. I eventually had to hire a trained animal rescue person to lay traps, cages, and catch him, and I took a picture of that raccoon, who was forty pounds big in that cage, and boy, was I glad to get rid of that troublemaker out of my house.

And that's all sin is, friend. It's trouble. It will tear up your home and run rampant all over you, and all over your whole deer, and the devil is just a thief and a murderer and a liar who will tear up your home if you let your guard down and lower the hedge through sin.

Sin gives him entry, and he will place a stake in the ground. For any ground given, like that coon in that tree, is ground taken, so we must stand guard against giving the devil any ground in our lives. And I believe Psalm 1 provides a beautiful picture and a powerful example of how to stay on our guard as we live for the Lord.

And in Psalm 1, there are several aspects we can do to strengthen our walk with God. You can turn in your Bibles there now, friends. The title of my message is, A Coon in a Tree.

And in Psalm 1, we can stay on the defense of our enemy and look at these three negatives, and alongside of them is one positive. Well, let's take a look at these now. There are three things in the negative to avoid, and these are found in verse 1. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly.

Let me pause here, friends. The psalmist tells us to avoid bad counselors. I knew a man once who held himself up to be a counselor, but every time I took this man's advice, my family suffered from it.

He just gave bad advice continually, so I had to get rid of that counselor. So we must be careful in who we're going to for counsel and advice. The best counsel you can find, friend, is in the Word of God.

Did you know that? It's true. Now let's look at the second negative to avoid. Nor standeth in the way of sinners.

This is a good illustration of keeping bad company. For if you keep bad company, friends, you will suffer their black eyes. Walking in a known way of sin will let that coon of a devil in your home, friend.

And once inside, he will tear things up for sure. So the psalmist is warning us to be careful where we walk and not in the way of sinners. And lastly, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

This means that if you stumble into a temptation, don't sit down and linger there. If King David had kept on walking when he stumbled across Bathsheba and her tub, he would have been better off. We must be careful how we walk, stand, and sit when it comes to avoiding the devil's devices in our lives.

If you give him an inch, he will take a mile, and through our presumptuous sin, he will come on in, and soon you'll have a coon in your tree. Now those are the negatives of Psalm 1, friends. Let's look at the positives of what we can do positively and how we can benefit from it.

Look at verses 2 and 3. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Let me pause here, friend. The man of Psalm 1 delights in the word of God and spends time reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and applying it to his life.

He chews God's word like a cow chews her cud over and over again until it's digested. Dr. Stephen Offred used to tell me that a man cannot master the word of God until he is mastered by the word of God. And that's true, friends.

We must be like the man of Psalm 1 who delights in his Bible and spends much time in it. Now look at the rewards to the man of Psalm 1. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water that bringeth forth his fruit in season. His leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

I remember a pastor I had years ago who encouraged me to memorize Psalm 1 and apply it to my life. It's a wonderful psalm to memorize, friend. If you haven't already done so, why not try it today? It will help you to keep that old coon out of your tree.

Let us pray.