As I watched two of my wonderful Jr. High girls no longer be Jr. High girls this afternoon, I was thinking of how difficult it is to pour into someone and then watch them grow up, change, and move on. Everyone who works with youth or teaches certainly feels this - parents also feel the pain of loss when their children get married and move away.
Yet I was thinking how amazing it is that God never has this sensation. Nothing in our lives - not graduating from Kindergarten, watching our family home from the rear-view mirror as we drive away to college, saying goodbye to an old friend - none of those things create nostalgia for God. He is using all these things to bring us to where we are finally home and complete. There will never be a time we must wave goodbye to our Heavenly Father and 'go out on our own.' There is only a future moment where we can finally rest in knowing that never again will we mourn, regret, or idealize the past or vest all of our hope in future accomplishments. We will be grown. We will be mature. We will see our goals, dreams, visions, and motivation swallowed up in Christ.
I suppose this all ties into my thankfulness as I've watched my girls becoming more complete in Christ. Oddly enough, the way I've known they're growing is that they are sad, broken, frustrated, angry, and wrestling with things. It has all reminded me that even if I have to let go, God never will, and He delights in using every situation to bring us to maturity and to the point where we will never 'move on' or 'grow up' anymore.
And He is so faithful to sanctify us. To my girls - He's crafting you into the very vase, pot, bowl - vessel - He wants you to be (note: it might not be the one you want to be right now, but it's definitely the best). It all has a purpose. I was blown away at His faithfulness to craft and sanctify us on Friday. I got into a conversation with one of my EvCC students on Evolution. He asked me, "so, you don't believe in Evolution?" And I said, "No!" His response was, "Huh, I always thought you were so objective." (Translation = I thought you were intelligent; I guess I was wrong). Now, I've had this conversation with many people in the past, and it usually leads to 1) elevated blood pressure, 2) the desire to hurt something, and 3) pride that I know more than someone else about what they believe.
And I just sat there, explained to him my position (including the silliness of Intelligent Design) and the foolishness of thinking your itty bitty intellect could subjugate the Universe and its design and origin to your fallen logic...and then smiled and encouraged him to ask questions. I smiled? I didn't hurt him? I didn't begin gnashing teeth? I didn't set fire to the nearest Biology book I could find? No, and then he left, and I prayed for him! I prayed? For him?! The power of the Holy Spirit is AMAZING, and He's working in all of us to bring us home. To see us without ANY spot or blemish and, only because of His work in our lives, say "well done, good and faithful servant."
6 comments:
Well said, and you didn't even hurt anything!
Here Here you sanctified fireball of a godly woman. You're a good example to us all. I love you.
That is absolutely awesome Reira.
I will miss you! Thank you for the words of encouragement, now and all through my JH years. oh, and very good job NOT burning the biology book. Love ya!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Leila! I am alive, graduated, and officially for-shore going to EWU in the fall. I would love to put my gun to use on your pigeon problem :)
I miss you and I'll give you a call Sat, or Monday at the latest so we can catch up. Luv ya!
When we consider our lifes are ordered toward eternity with God and a permanent joyous relationship with Him and we suffer loss when a loved one moves on(e.g. son gets married), we can only begin to comprehend the totallity of agony that Jesus experienced on the cross when He out of Agape for us took our sin upon Himself and the Father had to seperate and severe the oneness that had existed from eternity past to that defining point in time which was for our salvation. No wonder jesus fervently pleaded that this cup might pass but the love and obedience said not my will but Thine Father be and was done.
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