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Crawfish and Spiritual Life
Crawfish season in Louisiana brings joy, celebration, and community. But did you know that crawfish also offer us a powerful picture of spiritual life? In the Bible, crawfish (and other shellfish) were forbidden for the people of Israel under ceremonial law (Leviticus 11:12; Deuteronomy 14:9-10). While strange to modern ears, these dietary rules served as symbolic boundaries that set God’s people apart.
But thankfully, the story doesn’t end there.
From Forbidden to Free
Hebrews 10:1 explains that ceremonial laws were “a shadow of the good things to come.” In Acts 10:15, Peter receives a vision in which God declares, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.” Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are no longer bound to food laws and regulations. We are invited into a new kind of holiness, not based on what we eat but on our relationship with God through faith in Jesus.
So yes—praise God—you can enjoy that crawfish boil with gratitude and freedom! But here’s where it gets personal…
Crawfishing as a Metaphor
Crawfish don’t just taste great—they walk backward when threatened. Sadly, many people do the same thing spiritually. When confronted with hardship, responsibility, or change, we tend to crawfish—retreating, avoiding, and disengaging.
Here are a few ways this shows up in life:
- Avoiding spiritual conversations out of fear or comfort.
- Withdrawing from community when accountability challenges your choices.
- Returning to old habits rather than walking in newness of life.
- Living a roller-coaster faith, based on emotions or circumstances.
This is the story of Peter after Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion. He denied even knowing Jesus (Luke 22:54-62). Then, disoriented and ashamed, he told the others, “I’m going fishing” (John 21:3)—essentially saying, “I’m done.”
A God Who Restores
But the story doesn’t end with Peter’s failure. In Mark 16:7, the angel at the tomb gives this powerful instruction: “Go tell the disciples—and Peter…” Even in his shame, Peter was not forgotten.
In John 21, Jesus finds Peter and gently restores him:
“Do you love me? Feed my sheep.”
Peter isn’t sent back to the fishing boat—he’s called forward into leadership, purpose, and grace.
Jesus doesn’t shame backsliders—He restores them. If you’ve crawfished spiritually, God is not finished with you. There is mercy, forgiveness, and a new mission waiting.
When Do We Backslide?
We tend to crawfish when:
- Our faith is tested (Mark 14:27)
- Life’s worries cloud our priorities
- Fear of people outweighs fear of God
- Sin overtakes us and we stop fighting (Galatians 6:1)
But God’s invitation is clear:
“The one who perseveres to the end will be saved.” – Matthew 24:13
“We are not those who draw back and are destroyed, but those who have faith and are saved.” – Hebrews 10:39
Moving Forward
Jesus is the Good Shepherd. If you’ve crawfished—He’s calling you back.
You’re not alone. You’re not too far gone.
There’s a seat at the table—and maybe even a sack of crawfish waiting—as a symbol of the joy and freedom we’ve been given in Christ.
A Daily Walk
Colossians 2:6: “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him.”
Kicking off this year at our church in Colossians 2, lifting a few commitments to make at the beginning of a new year from verses 6-7.
- Jesus is Lord – Beginning with the overarching confession of the believer’s life: Jesus is Lord!
- A Daily Walk
If the soul is awakened with the confession that Jesus is Lord, the soul is sustained by walking daily in a relationship with Jesus. We walk with Jesus through developing a personal devotional habit and daily practice. We have the promise of his constant presence with us through the person of the Holy Spirit. We have his words, which guide us and show us how to walk in his steps. We have the example of his abiding relationship with the Father through prayer and responsiveness to the needs of others. And we know that he wants a personal relationship with each of us.
God didn’t spell out the perfect formulas for our devotional habits. It never says in the Bible, “Spend 15 minutes a day reading the Bible, pray for 10 minutes, read a daily devotional published by a reputable publisher, then listen to a worship song or two before you go to work.” He’s left that up to us individually to determine the best ways to develop our relationship. And I’m reminded that a checklist of base touches does not produce a deep relationship with anyone and most likely will not with God.
Over 25 years of figuring out how to walk with God myself, here are the rhythms that have worked for me to this point:
- Wake up early. I’m a morning person, so I enjoy the early AM hours. It all goes downhill after 8am to me.
- Journaling. I start my day by writing prayers and commitments of devotion to God. (see my post, Morning Prayers).
- Reading Scripture. I follow one of the Bible in a Year Plans in the Bible App, which leads you through the Old Testament and New Testament in a systematic way (See my post How to Get a Grip on the Bible for answers to questions about the Bible & how to get started reading the Bible).
- Journaling. As I read, I write down the verses that jump at me. When I’m done reading, I read back through those verses and write down any Observations, Applications, or Prayers. (See the SOAP method). (Also, check out my post Allowing the Teachings of Jesus to Go Deep, for a plan to Journal through the sermon on the mount. Serves as a great introduction to journaling through the scriptures).
- Bible Memory. I also utilize the Bible Memory App to commit verses that jump out at me to memory. Reviewing memorized verses throughout the day helps me to stay in tune and meditate on God’s word all day long (see Psalm 1, Joshua 1:8). (See my posts on the Habit of Scripture Memory HERE).
- Devotional Reading. Sometimes, I read something extra. A few favorites: A Year with C. S. Lewis: Daily Readings from His Classic Works, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers, Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry Blackaby, 21 Most Powerful Minutes in a Leaders Day by John Maxwell. Lots of great devotionals are available.
- Daily News feed. I also use Feedly.com to follow many authors, pastors, networks, and news sites that inspire and inform me.
- Sharing. As I’m reading, I’m asking if there is anything that I’d like to share with friends or family, with my church, or with my social media networks. I will also tag and file anything that may be helpful for my upcoming speaking and preaching schedule.
- Intercession. I keep a list of people and situations that I want to pray for every day. It includes my family, my church leaders, the team I work with, and others. I’m committed to making time to pray for them. Sometimes, that happens in the mornings during my devotions. Sometimes, it’s later in the day.
Roll with the punches. I wish I could say that this happens every day. Work, sickness, oversleeping, and poor time management happen, so I plan on rolling with the punches. Some tools we have to help with that:
- Technology. When I don’t have time to read in the mornings. I can listen to my Bible plan using the Bible App during my commute. My newsfeed and devotional are also on Kindle, so I can read them during my spare moments.
- Grace. Remember that my salvation is not based upon my ability to read the Bible every day. Only Jesus saves. Devotional habits are tools for our growth in grace. Don’t give up. Our life is ETERNAL, so missing a day occasionally does not mean losing.
- Presence. God is not with me only when reading the Bible and praying. God is with me all the time. I can stay connected with him through prayer all day long.
- Tomorrow. One of my favorite sayings is, “YESTERDAY ENDED LAST NIGHT.” The Bible says, “God’s mercies are new every morning” Lamentations 3:23-24. If you miss a day of devotional habits, put it behind you, celebrate the grace and presence you experienced that day, and let that build anticipation for tomorrow or when you can restore your habits.
Jesus said, “Man cannot live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4. Devotional habits are as crucial to the Christian as food and drink. Work out a plan that works for you, figure out how to do it every day, commit to it for life, and roll with the punches.
Christ Jesus as Lord
Colossians 2:6 “So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord”
Kicking off this year at our church in Colossians 2, lifting a few commitments to make at the beginning of a new year from verses 6-7. Beginning with the overarching confession of the believers life: Jesus is Lord!
The Christian life begins with the confession “Jesus Christ is Lord” (Romans 10:9). This confession serves as the soul awakening by God (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 12:3) and the outset of the new birth and new life in the believer. This confession should also serve as our way of life and motto. To live under his Lordship and authority, allowing him to rule and reign in all our thoughts and actions. Living out Jesus as Lord means forsaking all other rulers, authorities, and priorities, intending that every day will be lived for his glory and pleasure.
Here are a few daily prayers to pray to surrender to his Lordship daily:
- Father in heaven, I exalt you as Lord, master, and King of my life, placing all that I am at your complete 100% disposal.
- Lord, whatever you ask of me today, my answer is yes.
- Lord, use me, teach me, change me according to your perfect will.
- Lord, rule and reign in all my thoughts and actions today.
A Healthy Soul
Our church is wrapping up a Fall study of the New Testament book of 1 Peter. We tackled the book through the lens of Soul Care, exploring what is a healthy soul. Here’s a list of statements gleaned from the series defining a healthy soul.
- A healthy soul doesn’t get too attached to this world. 1 Peter 1:1-2
- A healthy soul has experienced the new birth. 1 Peter 1:3-12
- A healthy soul is fixated on God’s grace. 1 Peter 1:13-25
- A healthy soul grows healthier by feeding on God’s Word. 1 Peter 2:1-10
- A healthy soul trusts Christ to deal with sin. 1 Peter 2:11-25
- A healthy soul is a ready witness of God’s goodness. 1 Peter 3:1-17
- A healthy soul is friends with God. 1 Peter 3:18-22
- A healthy soul serves others through the power of God. 1 Peter 4:1-11
- A healthy soul trusts God to deal with the injustice of Christian suffering. 1 Peter 4:12-19
- A healthy soul is a gracious, humble soul. 1 Peter 5:1-7
- A healthy soul overcomes this world. 1 Peter 5:8-14
I’m grateful for our Preaching and Teaching Collaborative at Bridge Church, which works together to deliver messages to our congregation: Adam Bourne, Chris Guillott, Larry Johnson, Evan McGinty, and myself. We’ve been using a team approach for a few years now, and I love it, especially with a bi-vocational staff. You can listen to these sermons at Bridge Northshore on iTunes or here.
The Promises of Parental Discipline
Discipline: The Bible’s answer to Three Deep Questions every parent is asking.
This weekend, our church continued studying through the Old Testament book of Proverbs. Specifically, we looked at a couple of dozen verses for parents. Proverbs offers great encouragement and direction for Parents. Some interesting notes that generated some great discussion, were on the topic of discipline.
Three questions every parent is asking in their heart are answered by being a diligent disciplinarian according to Proverbs:
1. How do I show my love to my children?
- Proverbs 3:12 – for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
- Proverbs 13:24 – Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
2. How do I assure the success of my children?
- Proverbs 19:18 – Discipline your son, for there is hope; do not set your heart on putting him to death.
- Proverbs 22:15 – Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
3. How do I assure a peaceful relationship with my children?
- Proverbs 29:17 – Discipline your son, and he will give you rest; he will give delight to your heart.
Discipline is a parent’s duty. A duty best administered by a parent, because no one loves and graces a child like a parent can (when they are healthy). Parents must give up the desire to be liked and overlook behavior in a child for peace. Behavior comes from the heart. If unaddressed, the behavior could bring about future harm to the one you love. Parenting means committing to do the hard thing: Discipline our children because we love them, want them to be successful, and want them to know peace and delight us. It’s not easy, but it does produce what we desire for our kids.
- Hebrews 12:11 – No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Understanding Proverbs
Our church started a summer study of the book of Proverbs this week. It’s one of my favorite books of the Bible. I read it every day. This book is worth a lifetime of study and reading. It’s a lot like hard candy. Takes a while to digest. Many people have suggested reading one chapter a day. With 31 chapters, you can finish the book in one month. Billy Graham suggested reading five chapters of Psalms and one chapter of Proverbs daily. He said Psalms will help you prepare to relate with God. Proverbs will help you prepare to relate to man.
Three things I love about Proverbs:
1) Wisdom Literature
Proverbs is part of a genre in scripture we call Wisdom Literature. The books of the Bible in this category are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. These books call us to righteousness, justice, godliness, and true worship of God, and give us tons of wise sayings to live by.
A proverb is defined as a general observation about how things are or how to live in God’s will. Wisdom literature and especially the book of Proverbs are full of wise, memorable sayings. They are worth memorizing and meditating on every day.
2) A Letter from Dad
Two words started jumping off the pages at me when reading Proverbs as an adult – “My son…” This book is a letter from a Dad to his sons. Knowing this makes it a very personal book. It can serve as an important tool in the toolbox for any parents seeking to raise wise and godly children.
3) Listening to the Wisest Wealthiest Man Who Ever Lived
What would you get if you crossed a Saudi Arabian prince, the President of the United States, Socrates, and Mickey Mouse? The wealthiest, most politically powerful, wisest, and most famous person in the world. That describes King Solomon. Proverbs and Ecclesiastes allow us to listen to this God-given wisdom as he seeks to guide his future generations and share lessons learned from a life building the greatest kingdom on earth in his time.
Unfortunately, Solomon didn’t always live wisely. He pursued pleasure, treasure, selfishness, and other things. His life serves as a parable as well as provides the wisdom of Proverbs. Get to know Solomon through 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
Follow along with Bridge Church’s trek through Proverbs this summer HERE.
Lane Corley 