We are in the thick of it... Leave Jackie in the play pen for a minute to grab something from the other room, drop her off at the church nursery, or hand her over to anyone but mommy and daddy, and she cries as if nothing will ever be right again! While it is nice to know that she's attached to us, it certainly makes life more difficult than before, especially when she's crying in bed instead of napping. I wish I could find a way to communicate in baby speak, so I could tell her I'm really going to be back in just a minute...
In our time of Bible study, Josh and I recently talked about the "separation anxiety" that so much of us experience as Christians between the time when God promises something and the time when His promises are fulfilled. This is when it's the toughest to wait it out and trust God without finding our own solutions to our needs or sinning against God. I think about the Israelites who couldn't wait for Moses to come down from the mountain with the ten commandments and made a golden idol for themselves in the meantime. Or the disciples who hid, terrified, after Jesus was killed, sure their Lord was gone forever, leaving them alone and in mortal danger.
Sometimes we feel we are in the same situation. Let's be honest, we weren't wild about moving to San Antonio....leaving our friends....leaving our house....leaving our church.... But we know that God has promised that He has plans for our lives that are going to be good for us, not harmful. This is when we find out...do I really trust Him? Do I trust Him enough to have a good attitude about this situation? To invest in a new church and in new friendships even though it sometimes feels pointless? To resist clinging to a life in Virginia that I see with rosy glasses now that it is gone? Do I trust my heavenly Daddy to come and rescue me?
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
This was a great post Alison! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis was good for me to read today. I've been thinking lately about letting God accomplish His plans, and not coming up with my own plan and asking him to bring it about. As if He needs my suggestions!
ReplyDeleteIt seems like so many of the things I care about are taking a long time. I'm reading Mark right now and I contrast that with the "instant" miracles Jesus was (is) able to do. The half-formed thought occurred to me this morning that slow-built things are stronger and last longer. There's a lot of power displayed in slow, sustained processes. I don't know how to say everything this made me think yet but it's a start.
So thank you for this post and can't wait to see you at the end of the month!