THE LAND OF JUST RIGHT

Goldilocks was hungry, there were three bowls of porridge and the story begins. She tasted Papa Bear’s porridge, but it was too hot, Mama Bear’s turned out to be too cold but Baby Bear’s was JUST RIGHT, so she ate it all gone. Then Goldilocks set in Baby Bear’s JUST RIGHT chair until it broke. Finding herself exhausted from eating and sitting, Goldilocks decided to take a short nap. Papa Bear’s bed was too hard, Mama Bear’s bed was too soft, but Baby Bear’s cozy little bed was JUST RIGHT, so Goldilocks fell asleep. She had settled comfortably into the LAND OF JUST RIGHT.

The Bible speaks of several instances of people who settled into the LAND OF JUST RIGHT. In every instance they failed to fulfill the great plan that God had for them and consequently missed out on all the blessings attached to their purpose. In Genesis 11, we learn of Terah, the father of Abram. We are told he took Abram, Sarai and Lot and left the Land of Ur of the Chaldees to go to the Land of Canaan. They came to the Land of Haran and dwelt there and Terah died in Haran. The Bible doesn’t say why Terah didn’t complete the journey into the Land of Canaan but something about Haran was “just right” and Terah decided this was a place where he could be comfortable and he never left. Is it possible that Terah might have had a covenant with God as did his son Abraham, if only he hadn’t settled in the ‘Land of Just Right.”

Just a few generations later, Moses had led the Children of Israel from Egypt, through the wilderness and to the brink of Canaan. Moses died and Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River and prepared them to possess the land. God had given them the land and promised that He would deliver it into their hands but first they had to drive the heathen inhabitants completely out of the land. Joshua 15:63 tells us of Israel’s failure to obey the command of the Lord; “As for the Jebusites the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out: but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.” Israel decided they were comfortable living along side the heathen Jebusites. Although it was against God’s direct instructions, Israel settled into the “Land of Just Right.” History reveals the consequence of Israel’s disobedience and the result of their becoming comfortable in the “Land of Just Right. To this day, the inhabitants of Jerusalem have been a snare and a trap, a scourge in their side and a thorn in the eyes of Israel, just as they were warned in Joshua 23:12.

The Church of Laodicea in the book of Revelation had become a church that had settled in the Land of Just Right. Revelation 3:15 states in a letter to the Church of Laodicea, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou were cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” This passage of scripture became a little clearer to me recently while visiting with my Mother. My Mom lives in Southern Missouri where it is usually warm in the month of May. The day we arrived it was a sunny, warm 85 degrees. A cold front moved through overnight and the temperature fell to 50 degrees. The cold spurred my Mom to action; on came the furnace and up went the thermostat. Since I am 20 years younger and much warmer natured than my mother, the stifling heat of the furnace caused me to turn the thermostat way down while mom was in the other room. Finally, we compromised on a temperature, Mom added a sweater and I donned a t-shirt. After settling comfortably in the “Land of Just Right”, we continued eating and visiting.

When we become “cold” in our relationship with God, we become uncomfortable. Something is just NOT right. God begins to deal with us and we move closer to the source of heat; the Fire of the Holy Ghost. When we become “hot” in our relationship with God, the Fire spurs us into action to accomplish our purpose in God. If we have settled into the Land of Just Right, however, we are in a “lukewarm” condition. We have become comfortable in feasting on the blessings of God and fellowship without putting forth any effort. Nothing is accomplished when everything is “Just Right,” and God says he will spew you out of His mouth. While it may require that you get out of your comfort zone and life may not seem “quite right” most days, the further you move away from the “Land of Just Right,” the closer you will get to the Fire of the Holy Ghost and God’s purpose and plan for your life will be fulfilled.

The story of Goldilocks ends with the Three Bears returning home to find Goldilocks asleep in Baby Bear’s bed. We tell our children a nice little ending with the bears waking her with a kiss and sending her home. Since bears are not nice furry little creatures, instead of a kiss they probably ate her and that was the end of Goldilocks; all because she became comfortable in the Land of Just Right.