just a thought… – Page 7

A Season of Waiting

Our summer garage sale concluded, my teen helped me drag unsold items back inside the garage. Holding up a heavy winter coat he’d outgrown, my son turned to me with a puzzled look & a shrug. His comical expression said it all. Nearly 90 degree heat had been oppressive that day and before the words “what were you thinking?” could escape his lips, I cut him off.

“Hey, winter is coming. Somebody’s gonna need a warm coat soon.”

Later in the week I was walking and praying for the umpteenth hundred time about a longing of my heart. It was a specific request I’ve repeatedly prayed over the course of several years. I was tempted to fuss at God and ask what was taking so long.

I wanted to tell Him, “If you’re trying to build character in me, I’ve been told by numerous folks that I have PLENTY.”

My request wasn’t a selfish one. It wasn’t even predominantly about me. Furthermore, something in my spirit told me that the Lord had not said “NO” to this petition. I even felt led to continue to present this specific request to Him. Still, I wondered aloud, “Lord, if you’re not saying NO, then what’s up with this lengthy delay? A little clarity would be nice…”

So many other times in my life I have prayed and had either an immediate answer or a definitive closed door. Clearly this was not one of those times. The door was not closed, God was not telling me to move on and forget about it. I didn’t even get a sense God was annoyed with my repetition as if I was pestering Him. In fact He had shown me on other occasions what I am seeking is in accordance with His will and is close to His heart.

I’ve often said that, for me, the most frustrating pairing of two words is “wait patiently”. I suppose no one likes to wait. That morning on my walk I caught an image of the Lord putting my request…and my waiting…into perspective.

My mind wandered back to the garage scene with my son and then it hit me. My petition to God was the equivalent of asking for a coat in the heat of summer. All this time, in the heat of life’s circumstances, I had been ignoring the obvious. This was not the right time for the fulfillment of my heart’s longing.

God wasn’t saying, “No, I’m not going to give you what you are asking for”. He wasn’t even disagreeing with me that I would need an answer someday. Just like asking for a coat in Colorado…anyone who’s ever experienced the Rocky Mountains in December knows it WILL get cold enough here to warrant a coat. Eventually. I wasn’t asking for anything out of the ordinary. But my timing was waaaaay off.

My loving Lord gently whispered to me regarding my petition, This isn’t the right season. He knows a time will come when granting my request will be more appropriate. Until then, God simply says, wait and be patient.

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage. He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord.” Psalm 27:14

“My soul, wait only upon God for my expectation is from Him.” Psalm 62:5

“Turn to God, keep mercy & judgment and wait on God continually.” Hosea 12:6

So often we think we know best what we need, and when we need it. We take our petitions to God and ask him to sanction our desires and grant our requests as if He is some Holy Vending machine. Of course, being deeply spiritual, we would never verbally describe God that way. But our attitude betrays us. We figure if we are following God closely, listening for His voice & obeying His directives, He will be more likely to give us “the desires of our hearts”. That’s Biblical, right?

Not exactly. When God says, “Delight yourself in me and I will give you the desires of your heart,” the translation has more to do with God gifting us with desires than it does granting fulfillment of those desires. In other words, it is God who stirs in us to desire in the first place. We desire peace, in the Middle East, in our home, or in our heart. We desire a promotion at work…or a job just to make ends meet. We desire a runaway child to return home or a wayward spouse to repent. We desire a ministry or good health or someone to love us or any other of a million desires we may have in a lifetime. It isn’t that those desires are bad. It’s simply a matter of asking in due season.

God, the Giver of all good gifts, is not going to give us a coat in the heat of summer. His timing is perfect. He knows that often we need time for life’s circumstances to cool off a bit before we can receive what we are asking of Him. I don’t know about you but if someone presented me a coat in the midst of a heat wave, I’d probably be foolish enough to wear it, then complain about being very uncomfortable. Better to wait for God to move in His time, when the season is right.

“For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” Hebrews 10:36

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined unto me and heard my cry,” Psalm 40:1

“Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him…” Psalm 37:7

Indeed, I am resting in the Lord. Even so, as long as God is not closing the door on my heart’s longings, I will continue to dialog with Him about them, asking in faith. If His reply remains “WAIT” I will wait a bit more patiently than before. After all, winter is just around the corner.

Guided Gliding

Against the majestic backdrop of Colorado’s lush Front Range Foothills, USAFA single engine Piper Cubs hummed over my head. An early morning errand found me on the Air Force Academy at the north end of Colorado Springs. After several chilly overcast June days causing me to debate whether or not to turn the heat back on, sun-kissed blue skies were a welcomed relief.

The familiar sight of small aircraft each towing a glider greets me often on the Academy. Yet today I was particularly captivated by the exercise.

I recalled a recent conversation with a dear friend who earnestly longs to be in the center of God’s will but who, like many Christ followers…myself included…often wonders if he is on the right path. Questions were posed, “How do we ever know for sure which way God is leading? What if we mess it up?”

In this moment of pondering these questions anew, God directed my eyes to the aerial display. I watched in fascination as the planes pulled gliders attached by a very strong but lightweight cable, almost invisible from below, across the Colorado sky.

USAFA gliders are structurally identical to Piper Cubs with one distinct exception—gliders have no engine. Only the Piper Cub has power. To become airborne, a glider is totally dependent upon the airplane. Whether a glider rises or falls is within the careful control of the plane’s pilot. Fortunately, because of extensive training completed by the Piper pilot, he is skilled to know precisely what he is doing. A glider pilot may have complete confidence in his instructor’s watchful eye.

The two travel in sync together, aided by constant radio contact back & forth. The plane leads, rises, then levels off while the glider pilot is tasked simply with following and learning. The ultimate goal is to teach new pilots the most basic fundamentals of flight in the most pure and simple method possible. Zoomies, as these cadets will be referred to upon graduation, are learning to maximize the ability to fly without a power source of their own.

The glider pilot may position his hands on his steering yoke or stick, but he accepts that while he is in tow the controls are not significantly at his command. He can steer left or right to some degree but primarily he is there to follow at a designated distance on a predetermined path, trusting in the power and wisdom of the one who leads. He is where he is, high above a mundane concrete runway, soaring to new heights only because he accepts his position of attachment and followership. In submission and following, he is secure.

As soon as a glider detaches from the airplane, it will begin to fall to the earth. Powerless to regain altitude all the pilot can do is glide, trying to keep his vessel steady as he descends. As it moves closer and closer to earth, prevalent winds determine where the glider lands. Typically at USAFA it is to the South.

As followers of Christ we must accept that our power to live a life honoring to Him comes from a source other than self. At the moment of conversion to Jesus, we are gifted with the power of the Holy Spirit.

“You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit comes upon you…” Acts 1:8

The Spirit alone, dwelling in us lifts us to new heights and causes us to follow on the right path.

“Know you not you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you?” I Co 6:19

“I will put my Spirit in you and cause you to walk in my statutes and you shall keep my commandments and live by them.” Ezekiel 36:27

The connection, much like the cable between aircraft, is intensely strong to hold us but not heavy to weigh us down. It never becomes a burden. In our attachment to the Spirit we are given freedom to make adjustments in our positions. Some decisions to dip to the left or curve right are within our purview but they will not significantly alter the course we travel.

More importantly, in a posture of submission under His watchful eye we cannot mess up the journey.

“I will teach you and guide you in the way in which you should go. I will keep you under my eye.” Psalm 32:8 NEB

Only when we detach from the power source do we begin to lose altitude and struggle to keep our lives steady on our own. This is when we risk veering off course and possibly landing South of God’s path for us or worse, we could crash and burn.

When our connection is tight and communication channels are open to hear from our Instructor, we may relax and be at peace. We don’t fret over which way to turn but instead we trust fully in the wisdom of the One who leads. The more we look straight ahead keeping our hands off the controls, the more we are pulled in the right direction.

“You gave your Spirit to instruct them…” Ne. 9:20

We are not abandoned, at the mercy of every wind blowing our way. Rather, we are securely tied by the bonds of transformation as the Spirit moves in our lives to make us more like the One we follow. Whether we rise or whether we fall depends entirely upon our willingness to remain firmly attached to our power source. He leads. He guides. We share in the thrill of the adventure, hanging on for the ride. In so doing, we ascend to heights we could never have accomplished on our own.

Love: It Isn’t in the Cards

I have a confession to make. I felt sorry for myself today. Worse, I almost missed an important message.

I was standing in the greeting card aisle of my favorite Christian bookstore choosing Easter cards for some family members. My eyes ran across a particularly pretty card with, “You Are Loved” in beautiful script across the front. I picked it up, opened it and began to read. Don’t ask me why…I’m not married, not in love with someone special I could have purchased the card for.

Reading that card was like reading someone else’s mail. It wasn’t for me. In the moment, though, I wished it could be. All those intimate words poured out with the intent of speaking to the heart of a loved one were wasted without someone to send them to me. The tenderness of the message purchased to show another how precious she is held no special meaning for me. My heart felt more than a twinge of disappointment as I acknowledged the words were not meant for my eyes, nor for my heart.

For the most part I am at peace about being a single adult. But every once in a while…like when reading that card…I think being single sucks and I begin to feel sorry for myself. I thought, “Nobody is going to tell me he loves me, no one is going to make me feel special or treasured.” Quickly, I took my thoughts captive before a full-fledged pity party ensued. Quietly, I placed the card back in the rack.

Then I looked around. This Christian bookstore was strewn, wall to wall with the message of Easter. HE IS RISEN!

More than some sappy words in a greeting card, the message is one that echoes through the very soul of a true believer…Jesus the Messiah was crucified, died and rose again because He Loved Me. He didn’t purchase a pretty piece of cardstock for me; He purchased my Life and my eternal destiny. The price He paid to show me just how precious and treasured I am cost Him everything. Jesus Christ gave his life so I might know that I am loved.

“Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions…” Ephesians 2:4-5

“I love you with an everlasting love…” Jeremiah 31:3

“How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” 1 John 3:1

“Though the mountains move and the hills shake, my love for you shall be immovable and never fail…” Isaiah 54:10

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life…” John 3:16

To an unbeliever, reading these words can feel like reading someone else’s mail. Don’t miss the opportunity to help someone personalize the message of Christ. Invite a lost friend or family member to join you for an Easter service this weekend.

Beyond this weekend, don’t miss the opportunity to send out the message of Christ everyday by living a life which reflects gratitude for His magnificent sacrifice. It is up to us who know Him to bring His message of hope to those who so desperately long for someone to tell them “You Are Loved.”