…but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.(Acts 16:7 – ESV)
Paul had a purpose and could have been driven; he knew his mission and was bound and determined to see it through. He was to deliver the Gospel to the whole known world, to the Gentiles. Yet he stayed three years in Ephesus, and he didn’t complain about his purpose and his lack of time, or tell God how he needed to be set free or the Gospel wouldn’t get out when he was imprisoned. He knew that he may be bound but the Word of God was not bound. He had people pray for an open door, but was sensitive to the Spirit when he felt driven to go somewhere but was told not to.
How many times have we started out on a godly, good course, one where God had indeed been taking us to, only to have Him give us a detour, or change our course? Do we cry and complain, or do we give thanks and comply?
Jesus knew where He was going; to Jerusalem and the Cross – yet He didn’t seem to keep track of time and didn’t seem in a hurry. He paid attention to the opportunities that came before Him. He didn’t stumble at interruptions; He used them as a tool. He was hospitable to interruption; He was looking for the “curveballs” that life throws at us all. Learning this secret will help you master your emotional roller coaster, my friend.
Jesus didn’t rush to the deadline for His death, but He still arrived on the scene in Jerusalem in perfect time. We can take the time to thank God through Jesus Christ for all and everything that happens to us, and every situation we find ourselves faced with, because God has everything under control, and His timing is perfect. Thank God through Jesus Christ when you get “interrupted” this week. Stop trying to acquire or avoid and start trying to be faithful wherever you are at. Don’t just move on, but enter in. Amen.
15 comments:
Everything I do I rush through so I can do something else. (Stephen Dobyns)
So I take it you don't endorse that approach to life, JD? Thanks for the reminder that the Lord's timing and purposes do not always align with my own. And, that when this occurs, His ways are best.
Indeed, His timing is not ours, as we see illustrated in so many ways, it makes me wonder why we never seem to get this most basic lesson, something to do with our nature, perhaps, as well as being "in time" itself, and knowing this life is but a vapor, etc., etc...
Yeah, I was looking forward to a ministry in Kawai and now I'm going to Russia!
Bless you, Jonathan...our prayers are with you and yours...
Does this mean you have gotten the word to go, we know you were just over there, but have things now been solidified?
"Learning this secret will help you master your..."
Its a secret? Doh!
It is a secret in that it apparently hasn't been revealed to or repsonded to by many...
Thorough preparation and faith in God’s sovereignty goes a long way to cure the common affliction known as the proverbial chicken with its head cut-off. And yet, I appreciate the times of high-pressure activity, like making a deadline, harvesting a crop (God chooses that timing) or racing the sun to unload a moving truck. We run at top speed, turbocharged with an adrenaline edge, but there is a slippery slope, where we can forget the eternal perspective, and allow frustration to creep in over things that are beyond our control. So here we have yet another thing to look forward to in heaven, eh?
Did I say unload a moving truck? You know don’t mean a rolling 18-wheeler…I’m talking about a stationary U-Haul of course! But now that I think of it, we may have a new idea for extreme sports or reality tv…
Good word, brother. We're looking forward to the book. Thanks!
JD, yes we are working toward being in Samara by next Fall/Winter.
We will be looking for updates over at the Moor...
10/30/06
Man oh man, what a good word for me today.
So after a longer than usual day at work, I go back to the office to drive home, and I have a flat tire. I drive to the nearest corner store on my rim, and the girl won't give me cash back and the ATM doesn't work. A guy gives me 50 cents for the air machine, that ends up not working. I drive to the next store that is able to help, but now I can't go home, I have to get my tire repaired. I goto Wal-mart who says it will be 3 hours, to patch a tire. Needless to say, I am complaining and groaning the whole time. I want to go home!
I should have had my eye out for anything God had for me. Something like, 'Thank you God for my vehicle, and I ask that as it is being repaired you keep my mind and spirit ready to be a witness at all times. I commit myself to your lead in this detour You set up for me today. Show me what You would have me do'.
Oh well. Tomorrow is a new detour.
timely words brother. I had all types of plans for this week, but God , in his wisdom has stymied all of them. Now to develop that fine art of patience while healing......
This post will always be a "timely" one, indeed...we always need reminders about this because we are often being directed by things we could not have forseen...
I feel kind of sheepish because it seems like I'm always trying to rush the kids from one thing to another and we don't even have a schedule. It's so silly. But it's always easier to see the 'curveballs' in hindsight. Case in point, people often ask us why we moved to Westville, OK from Florida. Uh...oh yeah, that's another detour. :) I appreciated today's post. ;)
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