The Roundabouts of Life

We are experiencing an outbreak of roundabouts in our area.  They are popping up at intersections here and there, like chicken pox on a child – and they can be perplexing.

My friend Susie and I were talking about these crazy circles this week, and she shared a story with me.

The father of her friend was driving along with her friend in the car.  They approached a roundabout and he, not aware of the crazy (but beneficial) concept of the roundabout, made an immediate left turn, heading the wrong way.

“Dad!  Watch out! You are supposed to go right and then turn off on the street that you need, once you come around to it.”

“What do you mean?” the older gentleman said, a bit confused and fed up, “Why in the world would I have to go right if I want to go left?”

I can relate to that at roundabouts (they are tricky!)  and I can relate on the roundabouts of life.

“Why in the world would I have to go right if I want to go left?”  Would you agree? 

Sometimes, it’s hard to understand why we have to go one way in order to get to the opposite direction. The path most obvious to me usually makes sense. I can see where I want to go, why not just go there? 

The problem is – I’m not the only one on the road. If I choose to go my way – instead of the Right way – I am likely to put myself in danger, my passengers in danger, and the other people around me in danger.  When we turn one way – opposite of the way God is calling – well, an accident is inevitable.  Going God’s way is the only way.

He has His reasons. Sometimes, we catch a glimpse.  Most times, we scratch our heads and wonder what in the world He’s up to. I think He’s OK with that.  It pushes us to ask questions about Him – to Him – and He’s all about having a relationship with us.

So, next time I am thinking I should be there and God turns me in the other direction, I’m going to go with God. He knows the right way for me. He knows what I need to see or hear or learn along the circular route that He takes me.  He knows what is best for those on board with me and those on the road with me. His timing is perfect, and His path is perfect, too.  One thing I know for sure -- He’ll keep me going in the right direction.

In retrospect, there are lots of times, indeed, when I thought I knew what was best, but God DID know what was best, and I'm so thankful for that.  What about you?

Can you remember a time when you wanted to go left, but God took you right first? Can you see His hand in it?

We Never Know What God May Be Preparing Us For

I’m in the throes of training for an unusual race; actually, any race is unusual for me.  Although I do work-out for my health and for the sake of my arthritis, I usually do not compete in any races. I was a sprinter in high school, and needless to say, there are not any 200 meter dash events for a forty-six year old woman.  Distances longer than a couple of miles stress my back and I’m convinced that I am not built for endurance.

However, my trainer Dave had another idea, and I now find myself scratching my head and wondering what I got myself in to – a relay team member for  the 2010 Urbanathlon Chicago. 

The race includes both running and traversing obstacles – urban obstacles – like buses, cars and police barriers and the stairs at Soldier Field. There are monkey bars to swing across, tires to shuffle through and nets to crawl under. It is a nine mile race, broken up by six obstacle courses. I’ll be doing one-third of it.   I’m not sure what “leg” of the race I am competing in – but I either way – it is outside of the box for me. Way outside the box.

I’m preparing for the event under Dave’s guidance. He determines the workout, I am trying to follow his direction.  I’m not always crazy about what he asks of me, however, I do trust his expertise and deep down inside I know if I’m going to get stronger and finish the race, I need to prepare for it, and he knows what he is doing.

Training does not come easy for me. I tend to put up a fight. For instance, when I am weight training I always want to know what is next, asking Dave, “How much do I have to lift?  Did you add any more weight?  How many repetitions do I have to do? How far do I have to go?”

Recently, Dave responded to my barrage of repetitive questions, “Does it matter, Andrea? Does it matter whether I added more weight to the bar? Does that mean you’re not going to try?”

I’m sure I rolled my eyes as I stepped up to the bar, ducked under it and brought my shoulders up into the bar, lifting it off the rack.

 “Keep your mind focused on the muscle that is working.  Don’t think about how heavy it is.  If you focus on the weight, it is harder. Focus on what you have to do,” Dave reminded me.

 Wise words for me to focus on in life, too. Sometimes, I think the load in life is too heavy, as well. I weary of too many repetitions.  “Are you sure, Lord, that You know what You are doing?” I’ve asked Him a few thousand times. And yet, deep down inside I know that He does know the burdens that I can handle (with His help) and He knows how many times I need to lift it to get stronger – for in life, we are always preparing for something. God is always preparing us for something.

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately, as I move through my day, making choices and watching for what God may be doing in my life. He takes everything in our day and uses it to prepare us for what He has next. 

We may never know what God may be preparing us for – physically, emotionally or spiritually; perhaps it is even something out side of our comfort zone -- out of our box. He may be preparing us for an opportunity to serve Him, an opportunity to love someone and encourage them or an opportunity to trust Him during a trial. He may be training us for something little or it may be something big. It may be for our good or it may be for the good of others.

Ours is to follow His direction as He prepares us in every aspect of our day, keeping our eyes fixed on Him, the Author and Perfector of our faith, trusting Him in all things. Not always easy to do,  but He is the one with the ultimate expertise and knows just what He is doing. We can count on that.

*  What is God doing in your life today?
*  Are you willing to trust Him that what He is doing is making you stronger and more like Jesus?

A Large Stone in the Way

It was early in morning when the women made their way to the tomb. As they wiped sleep from their eyes, they shuffled through the garden, whispering to one another in hushed tones. So much had transpired over the past days; it felt like a bad dream. Oh! How they missed their Jesus, but now was their last chance to show Him honor. But an obstacle stood in the way. A large stone.

“… and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away” (Mark 16:3-4).

The women had a choice as they went out to serve their crucified Lord. They could have slept in. They could have decided that the task to roll away the stone would be too overwhelming, and just given up. They could have stayed back in fear of what they would have to contend with, perhaps confrontational Roman soldiers. But they went out. They knew that there was an obstacle in the way of their ministering to Jesus, but that did not stop their love for Him.

As we set out to seek and honor Jesus, do you ever feel like there is a “large stone” in the way? An obstacle -- something big in your life that seems to be standing in the way of you moving forward in your relationship or service to the King. Perhaps you can’t imagine that you will ever be able to serve and love Him, in view of what is standing in the way. It is too big. Too hard to move on your own. Impossible. Maybe it is a health issue. Maybe a marriage that is under duress or has ended. Maybe it is a wayward child, an abusive spouse, lies about you or difficult relationships. Maybe it is the loss of a ministry, the loss of a dream, or the loss of a job.

And we think to ourselves, “How in the world are we going to get past this large stone?” I’ve had a number of large stones in my life, and I’ll be honest with you, some have moved, and others have not. I’ve turned the corner, with sleep in my eyes, on more than one occasion, and there it is – still trying to obscure my view of the Savior. The thing with “large stones” is that we have no control over them. Only God is in control. We are called to get up, step out and trust that He will provide us with what we need, when we need it. He may move the large stone right away (although I rarely find this to be true). He may move it in a different way than we expect, or He may not move it at all, but rather move our heart (which can be like a rather large stone, at times).

Regardless, nothing can hold us back from our Jesus. There is no obstacle too large to keep us from Him. He rose from the dead, conquered the grave, and He lives for you and for me. As you celebrate this Easter and reflect on the power and beauty of the resurrection in its every detail, remember that there is nothing too large for God in your life. He is in control of all things and loves you with an unfailing love.

Blessed Easter, dear readers!

For Whom?

Sometimes, most humbly, I find myself heading down the road of wondering, hoping that I am going to get something out of all the pain, the brokenness, the sacrifice, the service. I keep on saying, “Your will be done, Lord,” and trusting Him for the outcome – but sometimes, unbearably selfishly, I wonder if and what I’ll get out of it in the end. Surely, there must be something that I will see or experience as a “reward” for my faith and perseverance! I am not proud of this thinking – my desire is not to be so selfish. Maybe you struggle, too.

Then, this week , this story came back to me that I recall Elisabeth Elliot sharing. It is an African legend about Jesus. It is not in the bible – it is only a legend, but it relays a strong, visual message. And so, I paraphrase …

Once upon a time, Jesus was walking along the road with His disciples and He asked them to pick up a stone to carry for Him. They all picked up a stone – one man a rather small one, another a large one. After some distance, and climbing to the top of a mountain, Jesus commanded that the stones be turned to bread. The man with the large stone had a lot of bread to eat and was satisfied. The man with the small stone had little.

Later, Jesus asked the disciples to again pick up a stone and carry it for Him. This time the disciple who had picked up the small stone the first time, thought he was wise. He picked up a large stone. They walked for a long ways and came to a river bank. Jesus asked them to throw the stones in to the river, which they did at once, obeying Him. They looked at Him, expecting something to happen.

Nothing happened. There was no bread – no reward. The disciples were disappointed and confused. Jesus looked at them with love and said, “For whom did you carry the stone?”

I love this story – and time and time again I have heard the gentle voice of God whisper in my ears this week, “For whom are you carrying this burden, Andrea? I have asked you to carry it, carry it for me, not for what you will see.”

It is humbling, isn’t it? God wants our whole-hearted devotion. He is working all things out; we may not see the result that it may be for the benefit of others and most importantly, for His glory. Sometimes, our motivation gets mixed up and we begin to lose a view of Him. Dear reader, perhaps this is a timely reminder for you as well. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, mind and soul and follow Him, not for what you will see or receive but out of a heart that loves Him deeply.

Consequences

“Now what do you have?” I muttered to the dog from the other room, as if he understood, and as if I actually expected an answer. I stomped around the corner in to the living room, where the dog sat, crouched over chewing on something small. His “dietary indiscretion” (as the Vet calls it) had gone too far. Socks, candy wrappers and children’s toys were one thing, but blue food coloring – he had crossed the line for me.

Ugh. I could have screamed. Actually, I think I did. Splattered in an uneven display on my tan patterned area rug were bright blue blotches of color. The dog, responding to my "not so happy" tone of voice, sprinted for the kennel. I followed close on his heals, and dislodged the vessel from his mouth, leaving a dog with a very blue tongue and a look of bewilderment on his face.

My friend Pat came to the rescue. Pat knows every trick and can clean everything. She sprayed stain remover, and patted, and scrubbed, and patted, and sprayed. Most of it came up, but one rather large spot remained, lighter in color, but noticeably present, smack in the middle of the rug.

Throughout the day I saw remnants of the blue food coloring on my hands, and on my rug, and I began to think. Sometimes when the sin of someone else touches our lives in a significant way, consequences occur, and sometimes they remain, like a stain. It can be forgiven (and needs to be in good time) but it may not be forgotten. There may be long term consequences that we are faced to deal with, and it is hard and a great amount of grief may be experienced in the process.

Perhaps, dear reader, you have experienced this in your life. I don’t like having to suffer the consequences of someone else’s sin (my own is difficult enough to deal with). Our lives can forever be marked by some of these circumstances. Nor totally ruined by it, but changed by it.

It feels unfair – it is unfair. So, what do we do? How do we respond when we are reaping the consequences of another person’s sin? Galatians 6:7-9 says, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

In the process of living in this stained life we can make choices to continue to sow love, obedience and trust in the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit which dwells in us. He will give us the grace and strength to “do good.” Action by action, word by word, thought by thought, we can sow the seeds of seeking God and pleasing Him in all things, amidst the pain. The truth is, we may still grieve the effects of sin, but we choose to walk in the light of His love.

The stains in our lives may change the landscape of our lives. Sometimes, they are big, and sometimes they are small. Either way, God has it all under control. He will not be mocked; no one makes a fool of God. Dear reader, love, obey and trust God. Let the Spirit do the work in you, to grow you. Choose to “do good” and do not give up. Do not shrink back in fear, but step out in faith and allow God to use the stain to transform you. Who knows the blessings that may be harvested?

Jesus' Tender and Merciful Hand

"Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. 'You of little of faith,'" he said, 'why did you doubt?'" (Matthew 14:31).

Jesus sent His disciples to the other side of the lake, while He stayed back to pray. While the disciples were out on the open water, a storm blew up and the disciples were likely confused, if not scared. Jesus met them in the storm, by walking on the water. When they saw Him, they were frightened, and Jesus tried to reassure them of Who He was. Peter, in his boldness, asked Jesus to show Himself to be truly Himself, by having Peter walk out on the water. Jesus replied, "Come," and Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water.

But when Peter saw his surroundings, he became afraid, began to sink and cried out to Jesus, "Lord, save me!"

Jesus, tenderly and mercifully, reached out His hand, caught Peter and said to Him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

I do not hear condemnation from Jesus, but gentleness, from a Saviour Who wants to reassure and comfort. It is such a personal touch on Jesus part. He could have just put Himself and Peter back in the boat at that instant, but instead, He grabs hold of His hand and catches him.

Storms occur in life, dear reader, don't they? Sometimes they are quick to pass, and other times they seem to last and last. You may see Jesus in your storm, and your desire may be to step out in obedience and walk closer towards Him. At first, you are amazed at what you are able to walk on or through. It almost defies understanding. Oftentimes, though, fear stirs up and we take our eyes off of Jesus and focus on our circumstances.

In the storm Jesus is there and He invites us to "Come." If you are walking out in obedience to Jesus in a difficult situation, trust Him to support and sustain you in the most unimaginable way, as you keep your eyes focused on Him and not on your circumstances.

Sometimes, in the midst of walking out in obedience, though, our faith can be tossed about and washed with worry. We may become fearful and cry out, like Peter, "Lord, save me!" We may feel as if we are sinking, but it is here that Jesus reaches out and grabs our hand, catches us and reassures us of His love. I received this small picture in the mail this past week from a sweet friend. I am reminded that when life gets hard and I feel as if I am beginning to lose my footing, that Jesus immediately is present to catch me and hold my hand. And I am confident, too, that He is faithful to deliver and calm the storm, some day, in His way.

Children of the Son

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14

This is the verse that is written on the bottom of the painting that graces my kitchen and is shared with you in the header at the top of this page. Titled Children of the Son, it is very special to me, as my 75 year old friend, Mary, an impressionist painter, created it for me. The oil painting is very large, set in an ornate antique gold frame. It is of my five children, walking on the narrow path through a field of sunflowers (my favorite!), making their way to a church, that represents the Lord Jesus.

Mary is truly a remarkable woman of God. The Lord has used the suffering in Mary's life that He has asked her to bear, to create beautiful pieces of art. All of them are given a scripture verse, and are painted in prayer and an awareness of what God would want her to do, to glorify Him best. Mary has walked through many valleys. Her 4 month old son died in a car accident, and then years later, her only remaining child, a daughter, died of cancer. This summer, Mary was widowed. She knows what it is to suffer and struggle, but she shines with the love of the Lord and encourages me daily by praying for me and reminding me of God's truth.

As I mentioned, it represents my five children and their walk with the Lord. As a mom, it reminds me to encourage my children, to walk with the Lord, along the narrow path, trusting Him alone. As a woman, it reminds me also, of the same, during times of prosperity and times of adversity. I think that we sometimes forget, that in fact, it is a narrow road, with a small gate, that we must walk on. In the painting, the road is broad and the gate wide, that leads to where we do not want to go. But the narrow road is the one that we must stay on to experience the fullness of life that we have in Jesus. It is not easy to stay on the narrow road. It is less defined to the naked eye, and we must pray and trust the Lord to reveal each step to us. We know that it is difficult, because if it was easy, many would find it, but God's Word tells us that only a few find it.

To stay on the narrow road requires alot of faith, perseverance, endurance, wisdom and prayer. We must seek the Lord daily, accept the paths that He is asking us to walk in, and then trust Him for the direction and the end point.

As we come in to the New Year, my hope for all of us is that we would persevere in seeking the narrow road, and not give up and walk without hope and purpose on the wide road. I know that Jesus will meet us on the road that He has asked us to walk, no matter how weak or weary we may be.

"You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." Acts 2:28. May you experience joy in the Lord Jesus this New Year, as you walk closely with Him, in all circumstances, even the darkest and most painful.