I love roller coasters; the sudden acceleration, the sharp fast turns, the press of gravity in a loop, and free floating over an unexpected rise. All these elements make for a great adrenaline pumping ride, but in my daily life I to look for something more sedate, more planned, more predictable. It's not happening; God loves roller coasters too. He created them to illustrate the ride he wants to take us on.
I was certain I knew where God was heading. A nice straight track lay ahead all the way to the vision He placed in my heart four years ago. He asked me to remain at the coalition to demonstrate my willingness to submit to authority. He made me an integral part of our communities cold night shelter. He gave me free access to Belle View Middle School, a large empty facility which fit the "think big" part of the vision. He turned enemies into allies and introduced me to people at the school district who understand my vision. Beginning our mission at Belle View was only a matter of time.
Whooa! Where did that turn come from? We didn't get Belle View. It appears Belle View is going to someone else who can afford to lease it for a very long time. Did I miss something? Should I have done something different? Did I stay too long? What's up God?
After every unexpected turn, God reminds me He is in control. Predicting His next move is foolish. The Bible clearly indicates God is unpredictable. Abraham knew God blessed him with Isaac; he wasn't expecting God to ask him to sacrifice his son. Moses thought God was going to anoint him Pharaoh to free his people; he wasn't expecting to be chased out of town for 40 years. Gideon wanted a safe quiet life; he wasn't expecting God to chose him to rescue Israel. Samuel was certain he knew what a king looked like; he wasn't expecting God to choose a young shepherd boy. The Jews were expecting the King of Kings; they weren't expecting a child born in a feed bin.
Why does God love surprises? There are many reasons, here's two. First, If we knew God's complete plan would we continue to rely on Him? While walking with my parents as a child I often wanted to express my independence by striding out ahead of them. However, as the distance between my parents grew, I would stop and make sure we were together. God allows us to make strides on our own, but he wants us to stop occasionally to make sure we are together.
Second, our perspective is very limited. I am fortunate to keep the details of my workplace and home in order. God's plan requires coordinating the lives of every individual ever born. His plan is much greater than ours; from our perspective the subtle changes he make to accomplish his plan may seem sudden and erratic. God's plan from the very beginning was for our salvation. When unexpected turns occur in our lives, we must trust the change was made to accomplish this goal. We are called to live by faith. Which loosely translated means; hang on tight, this is going to be an amazing ride!
God does not leave us or forsake us. Within an hour of finding out Belle View was not in the plan, God opened four new options. One involves continuing to work with the contacts he created at the school board. One involves free office space in the neighborhood where we would like to plant our church. One involves collaborating with another Christian ministry to build an outreach center. The last one is an old contact renewed, which may find a building for our entire ministry. Please keep your hands and arms inside at all times; the ride isn't over.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. (Genesis 22:2-4, New International Version, ©2011)
12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”
14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. (Exodus 2:12-16, New International Version, ©2011)
I was certain I knew where God was heading. A nice straight track lay ahead all the way to the vision He placed in my heart four years ago. He asked me to remain at the coalition to demonstrate my willingness to submit to authority. He made me an integral part of our communities cold night shelter. He gave me free access to Belle View Middle School, a large empty facility which fit the "think big" part of the vision. He turned enemies into allies and introduced me to people at the school district who understand my vision. Beginning our mission at Belle View was only a matter of time.
Whooa! Where did that turn come from? We didn't get Belle View. It appears Belle View is going to someone else who can afford to lease it for a very long time. Did I miss something? Should I have done something different? Did I stay too long? What's up God?
After every unexpected turn, God reminds me He is in control. Predicting His next move is foolish. The Bible clearly indicates God is unpredictable. Abraham knew God blessed him with Isaac; he wasn't expecting God to ask him to sacrifice his son. Moses thought God was going to anoint him Pharaoh to free his people; he wasn't expecting to be chased out of town for 40 years. Gideon wanted a safe quiet life; he wasn't expecting God to chose him to rescue Israel. Samuel was certain he knew what a king looked like; he wasn't expecting God to choose a young shepherd boy. The Jews were expecting the King of Kings; they weren't expecting a child born in a feed bin.
Why does God love surprises? There are many reasons, here's two. First, If we knew God's complete plan would we continue to rely on Him? While walking with my parents as a child I often wanted to express my independence by striding out ahead of them. However, as the distance between my parents grew, I would stop and make sure we were together. God allows us to make strides on our own, but he wants us to stop occasionally to make sure we are together.
Second, our perspective is very limited. I am fortunate to keep the details of my workplace and home in order. God's plan requires coordinating the lives of every individual ever born. His plan is much greater than ours; from our perspective the subtle changes he make to accomplish his plan may seem sudden and erratic. God's plan from the very beginning was for our salvation. When unexpected turns occur in our lives, we must trust the change was made to accomplish this goal. We are called to live by faith. Which loosely translated means; hang on tight, this is going to be an amazing ride!
God does not leave us or forsake us. Within an hour of finding out Belle View was not in the plan, God opened four new options. One involves continuing to work with the contacts he created at the school board. One involves free office space in the neighborhood where we would like to plant our church. One involves collaborating with another Christian ministry to build an outreach center. The last one is an old contact renewed, which may find a building for our entire ministry. Please keep your hands and arms inside at all times; the ride isn't over.
2 Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. (Genesis 22:2-4, New International Version, ©2011)
12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”
14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came to draw water and fill the troughs to water their father’s flock. (Exodus 2:12-16, New International Version, ©2011)
11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.”
13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”
14 The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?” (Judges 6:11-14, New International Version, ©2011)
7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” 9 Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the LORD chosen this one.” 10 Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11 So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
12 So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.” (1 Samuel 16:6-12, New International Version, ©2011)
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. (Luke 2:1-7, New International Version, ©2011)
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9, New International Version, ©2011)
A Tandem Ride With God
I used to think of God as my observer, my judge, keeping track of the things I did wrong, so as to know whether I merited heaven or hell when I die. He was out there, sort of like a president. I recognized His picture when I saw it, but I didn't really know Him.
But later on, when I met Jesus, it seemed as though life was rather like a bike, but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed that Jesus was in the back helping me pedal. I didn't know just when it was He suggested we change, but life has not been the same since I took the back-seat to Jesus, my Lord. He makes life exciting. When I had control, I thought I knew the way. It was rather boring, but predictable. It was the shortest distance between two points.
But when He took the lead, He knew delightful long cuts, up mountains, and through rocky places and at break-through speeds; it was all I could do to hang on! Even though it often looked like madness, He said, "Pedal!" I was worried and anxious and asked, "Where are you taking me?" He laughed and didn't answer and I started to learn to trust. I forgot my boring life and entered into adventure. And when I'd say, "I'm scared", He'd lean back and touch my hand.
He took me to people with gifts that I needed, gifts of healing, acceptance and joy. They gave me their gifts to take on my journey, our journey, my Lord's and mine. And we were off again. He said, "Give the gifts away; they're extra baggage, too much weight." So I did, to the people we met, and I found in giving I received, and still our burden was light.
I did not trust Him, at first, in control of my life. I thought He'd wreck it, but He knows bike secrets, knows how to make it bend to take sharp corners, jump to clear high rocks, fly to shorten scary passages. And I am learning to shut up and pedal in the strangest places, and I'm beginning to enjoy the view and the cool breeze on my face with my delightful constant companion, Jesus.
And when I'm sure I just can't do any more, He just smiles and says... "Pedal."
(Author unknown)
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