This last time, however, there really was very little discussion amongst the troops about it. I believe I mentioned it once or twice and, lo and behold, rooms were clean. Vacuumed and everything. How refreshing to see them not buck and fight "the system"- to accept what structure I had set up for them. And how pleasant to not be thought of as a horrible monster by the children I love. And this morning's installment of Oswald caused me to stop and ponder my own behavior regarding such situations.
If you believe in Jesus, you are not to spend all your time in the smooth waters just inside the harbour bar, full of delight, but always moored; you have to get out through the harbour bar into the great deeps of God and begin to know for yourself, begin to have spiritual discernment.He referenced Romans 12: 1-2 (and I always take a little extra time on a verse when it starts with the words, "So here's what I want you to do..."). Take my everyday life, embrace it, place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God has done for me is the best thing I can do for Him (paraphrase).
It seems lately that I've been waiting for God to do some sort of miracle around me so I can embrace it. Fix what's going on at my church, at my job, with my health. Then, maybe, I could embrace it, work at being a better member, a better employee, a better wife, mother, friend. (Maybe HE could clean my room!) But that's not what this verse says. It says these are the conditions he's set up for me. Here are the ways I should live my everyday, laundry-toting-spaghetti-cooking- shift-working-imperfect-friend-and-family-life. And if I embrace it whole heartedly, I will no longer see God as someone who doesn't understand me or my needs, but as someone with huge, deep insights into my soul, who knows better than I what would make me happy.
Will bought two fiddler crabs yesterday. We read a little bit and discovered that they prefer "brackish" water over fresh, clean water. They live in the tidal pools, and swampy places near the shore."Nasty," was the first word that floated through my head. The girl at the pet store confirmed my thoughts when she said that the fiddler crabs were the dirtiest critters she had to care for. They could make the water in their tank black within the week. I wouldn't want to live in their environment. And it's not where God wants me to live either. Why stay close to the shore where the tide can't come clean my life? Why stayed moored to shallowness and staleness? Why continue thinking of God as someone who doesn't honestly know what's best for me?
So, yes, I may have to pull up anchor and do a bit of work and I may definitely need a serious attitude change. But somehow, it's easier trusting that this is really what's best for me. And if I roll up my sleeves and actively embrace what He has provided me, I'll get to sail out to deeper waters where I can enjoy Him even more.
Now, if I could only get them to keep their rooms this way...
4 comments:
you've hit upon a metaphor that I think through often, though I'm not sure it was your point here.
These thoughts are from where my defense of self-run and open small groups come. The depths of exploration and experience allow, or even cause diffusion of impurities, waste, pollution, and even poisons.
The tide pools are warm and inviting, but their warmth is caused by their most dangerous thing; their shallowness, regardless of vasts width, allows them to be easily influenced.
It's amazing how many/much can fit into the shallows of a tide pool. Brushing against dirt, suspension, brackishness luke-warm moisture, and slimy goo, convinced that gathering there is what matters and the deposits we find all over ourselves are proof that we are where we should be.
a simple kind of mirror
to reflect upon our own
all the busy little creatures
chasing out their destinies.
Living in their pools
they soon forget about the sea...
You're so insightful. Actually, you just took my thoughts to the next step- and very well, I might add. Here's more... they said that even though we bought a boy and a girl fiddler crab, that we probably wouldn't get babies. The babies are born way out in the deep ocean...
Great blog. Love the way (so often)
your words describe my feelings.
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