. . . being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6
Last night I sat at the restaurant table, waiting for our food and across from me was my son. He and my other son were intrigued by the optical illusions printed in the kid’s menu activity sheet. Incessantly they both got my attention to show me how cool it was that you could see this image if you stared at it long enough. I never really enjoyed looking at those things because I’ve always had trouble seeing the smaller shapes for the big picture. I remember once as a teenager gazing upon this little white dot in the middle of a printed American flag because if you did it long enough there would be a cool picture that would appear. I never found out what that picture was, but my eyes stayed blurry for hours!
God is so interested in me that He is telling a story through me! My problem, and it could be one of yours as well, is that I tend to only be interested in today’s paragraph. But He is writing a big story! Within the creation of my story is a conversation. Sometimes it goes something like this . . . “God do this! God, please do that! If I do this, then please give me this other thing!” Me, me, me! Not much of a conversation at all. Prayer is that necessary conversation and my story would be incredibly boring if my prayers were answered like magic. “Mirror, mirror, on the wall!” My first wish would be more wishes! Thank heavens that’s not how God works! But, admittedly, that alone can frustrate me. In turn, however, my faith is strengthened to further trust Him as He writes my story one paragraph at a time!
Prayer changes things — I’ve witnessed that in me and many others. But I’ve also seen prayer go without answer — so it appeared. Like an echo in the canyon I question His whereabouts. I know He’s near, so near He’s there! (That was a little Dr. Seuss-y!) I never doubt His presence, but I don’t get His answers sometimes. This is because I’m staring at today’s dot, waiting to see the big picture and my patience gets weary. Without the conversation of prayer there would be no relationship — and in that relationship comes victory in Jesus!
In my impatience I attempt to make my story go the way I think it should go. I take my eyes off the Author. But when I look and see the works of His hand in my story and engage in prayerful conversation with Him about those things, I begin to develop an eye for Jesus! My tendency, however, is to step off those pages and into my own story line. But my story is not the story He designed for me — so I must stay in His story at all times! This is perhaps the most difficult thing to do, because it seems quiet, uneventful and dormant. But God is moving, writing and binding my story against the will of the Father! I must allow Him to write and speak His voice into the details of my life.
Lord Jesus, the story of me seems like a difficult thing to write. I think you have your hands full with this one! Best seller? Yep! All the stories you write are top of the charts! Mine is no different. I’m living the words you write each day and I am listening for your voice — learning to develop an eye for you — in the details of my journey. I’m staring at the dot still and plan to stay focused on the center of your will — in obedience and faith in knowing you are going to complete this good work!
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Psalms 1:1-3