Wait

Wind blew down the alleys, frost stained the windows, and Ruth waited for the train. Just beyond the platform people shuffled along to work, to school, to wherever. It didn't matter to Ruth, all she knew is that they reminded her of sheep. She was content at the station.

8:03. Late. The conductors shouting became audible. "All aboard!"

But this train was late, that couldn't be a good sign. Also it was red. Red made her nervous. Glossy-eyed commuters elbowed and crammed into the car. They must have been late too. She didn't like the look of it. Nothing appeared good. Ruth would wait for another train.

She questioned herself. Maybe that train wasn't even going to where she wanted. That's right. She had been standing on the wrong side of the platform completely. The morning bustle came and went. Ruth remained and headed to the other side of the tracks with a renewed sense of purpose.

Noon on the dot. This one looked promising. It screeched to a halt with a screech that reminded Ruth of the grammar school chalkboard. This caused her to recall how insecure she felt when she was young. Consequently, insecurity had overcome Ruth. The people in the car looked pleasant enough, and it was going in the direction she thought she wanted, but this also was not her train.

Ruth began to notice familiar faces. She had been on the platform long enough to see people start and finish their day. Sulking, she sat on the bench. The once nameless, faceless people began to take on character. To Ruth, each one of them told a story more successful than hers, happier than hers, and more fulfilling than hers. They had it all. "Why" she thought, "do I have nothing?"

A light flickered and died in the lamp post next to her. The night janitor had just begun his shift. As he approached to sweep under Ruth's bench he asked, "Going somewhere tonight miss?" It was then that she realized she had never left the platform.

Read it here on Christian Articles Resource

Always True

I've never heard of this guy, but his book caught my interest. In his book "Always True," pastor James Macdonald provides five of God's major promises in a topical study format. The struggle of mine that seems to tackle me to the ground most frequently is that of focusing on the imperatives while forgetting the indicatives. Focusing on the work and forgetting the grace. I'd like to give it a look.

I looked this guy up to see what he's all about. Because I walk the fine line between judgmental and discerning (usually erring on the side of judgmental), I was tempted to think by looking at the website, "here's another seeker-sensitive church with vague theology." I'm not on a witch hunt, I just want to be careful what I read...because what I ingest gets applied to my life, whether adversely or consciously. Pastor Macdonald founded the Harvest ministry of churches and schools, but not the Harvest I was familiar with [Greg Laurie and the Crusades]. They have a lot of churches in the Midwest and on the East Coast, some even abroad. They've planted hundreds of churches. It seems to me that they have topical preaching, but I don't want to label him seeker-sensitive or emerging...because I just don't know.

Do you?

Is this gonna be forever?

Some days I'm ok. I view my situation and am content in knowing that a sovereign God has put me exactly where He wants me, right now. Then there are the bad days. All it takes is for jealousy or thanklessness to creep in the back door and I'm right back where I started, fighting for my sanity. I am unemployed - and I know I'm not the only one who has ever felt this way.

This morning I woke up thinking, "Why does God seem to be silent?" I not only ask God for contentedness -finding my full worth and satisfaction in belonging to Him- but I also ask that He would provide something for me this summer. I find myself wondering what I did wrong. See, and I know I want to pin it on something I did or didn't do, because this way, I can fix it. I can still control the situation. Am I being a faithful follower of Christ? Am I being responsible? Am I looking hard enough? Ok, now I've reminded myself that I am not in control. Trite, but true. Moving on throughout my day, I then start to wonder if God even hears me. Is there something I'm missing? No, no. God's commandments -His will for my life- are clear. He does not hide Himself. I know those things are true, I'm even pretty sure I believe them. Why then am I still in this situation?

At this point, Job usually comes to mind. I feel petty for even making the comparison. Job's whole family was killed and possessions taken away. Even his health was taken away. While reading Job though, its clear that the principle is the same and applies directly to my situation. "And the Lord said to Job: 'Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it' (Job 40:1)." When I start demanding things from God, I am finding fault in Him. I am, in a sense, saying that He is not doing what He needs to be doing in my life. That's dangerous, and I know it. So when I find myself thinking this way I quickly bound back.

Often when we are trudging through times when we feel as if we have nothing, the answer is to recount God's faithfulness to you. What has He provided? Without a doubt, when I look at my life, the most paramount, direction-changing events have come with no forethought on my part at all. In this I can easily see the sovereign hand of God, swooping down to manifest Himself to me in a way I cannot ignore. The struggle is in seeing every other instance, however mundane (and sometimes apparently awful), in the same way.

The end of the matter, all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

do-done-DID

That there's a red velvet cheesecake! Happy 50th Dad =]