-Wake Up-
My daily routines make me feel safe. Day in and day out I go, thinking mostly about my to do list and accomplishing things. I’m busy. Somehow my busyness makes me feel safe… then the busyness shrinks my world. Stupid things become important, unimportant things stress me out. I sacrifice meaningful moments for meaningless accomplishments.
This week I feel almost slapped out of my delusions, into reality, and into what is really important.
First, I found out that a lady I know, who has been battling cancer all year long, and had had her last round of chemo, surgeries and tests, got her results back that cancer is back in another part of her body. She has to go back onto chemo. Anyone would say that she is a joy and inspiration to be around, and that her hope is in the Lord. Her attitude is inspiring, that even when she’s feeling terrible, she still wants to hear what is going on in your life, and she still smiles.
Then an earthquake hits in Haiti, I see haunting images of deceased and injured people, read large numbers of death tolls, hear of stories of people here in America waiting, clinging to the hope that their loved one will be found in the rubble…. and it wakes me up, it shakes me, and it instantly changes my perspective.
These situations make me want to hug my family tighter, and my perfect ideals looser, because the reality is that I am not in control like I think I am. The reality is that the world is bigger than what I focus on day to day. The reality is that at any moment things can change. The reality is that there is an entire country in rubble right now, and a friend who is still battling cancer, but most importantly that there is our God who is still in control.
January 16th, 2010 at 7:35 pm
Its heartbreaking to see the devastation in Haiti and the people. Our God is in control.
January 16th, 2010 at 7:52 pm
That old argument of why did God let this happen! Why does He let the good people get sick? There are plenty of derelicts out there. Let them have cancer! God hurts for all His children. From the derelict to the wonderful lady next door with cancer. He doesn’t hurt any more or any less for one or the other. Like any parent would for their children. God has that unconditional stuff going on. Life isn’t fair and I don’t like it sometimes! But, in these times, I imagine myself all curled up in a blanket, in the arms of a God who comforts me. And reassures me. And loves me. All without asking for anything in return. Other than to trust in Him. And to love Him. And to be of service to Him. To continue living, even in the face of devastation. And it’s ok to be mad at God once in while. Just like when I was young & got punished & wanted an explanation, in detail, from my parents. I didn’t have to like it. I guess that was the point. To continue learning and trusting that God knows what He’s doing. And to find praise in the light of darkness. Like those Haitians singing in the parks. In the pitch dark. With nothing but each other & the clothes on their backs. We are the lucky ones.
January 17th, 2010 at 2:31 am
Amen to that, Kristin. I am so thankful for the reminders.
Phil preached recently about being spiritually near-sighted. It happens when we focus on “near work” too much, without seeing the big picture enough. I thought it was a really good analogy for getting caught up in the day to day details and putting Kingdom work on the back burner. I fall into that. We all do. That’s why He provides reminders. Phil’s message ended with an encouragement to live with expectancy. Jesus is coming back. Expect Him. Be ready. Get caught doing the right thing: serving others, giving, caring, loving, TRUSTING.
I hope I explained that alright… Your post just reminded me of that sermon.
God bless!
January 17th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
I think this week has slapped us all upside the head and given us a glimpse of how fleeting this life really is. I want to live more purposefully, but man, that takes work! It’s so much easier to just go with the flow of this world system and let it lull us to sleep, but easy is not always best.