A quote that spurred thoughts

When I returned back to the states in August there were so many questions but one combination I heard so often was, "How was it? Glad to be home?" I could never directly answer that last question because "no" wasn't the answer they were looking for and I didn't want to lie but I didn't feel the need to hurt people either therefore answering "off question" seemed best. There was something underlining all of this though and I wasn't seeing it.

A young wild eyed believer proudly lifts up a slightly wrinkled paper from the several erase marks. This was the final copy and it was great.

Dear God,

school
graduate
job
marriage
house
kids
their schooling
grandkids
eventually retirement
then whatever You wish

sincerely, Your child

[the child's signature] [a line awaiting God's signature here]


The believer stood there in anticipation. hoping that God will sign his life plan, in turn that all will fall into place as he'd hope it would. It seemed like a good plan. Nothing on there was bad and in fact encouraged by his family. Once all his dreams were checked off he was free to the Father's willing. God looked at it then began rewriting and handed down another letter.

Dear my son,








Your Loving Father,

[God's signature] [a line awaiting his signature]


He look at this slightly confused at the new letter. Where was the plan in the middle? There was nothing there how could he think of signing it when he didn't know what was next?

There was another young wild eyed believer watching. She glanced down at the young man's draft then at the one the Father had written. She shook her had at the young man's seeing the order. He was putting such requirements on God and then to only at the end to fully give God his life, how sad. Didn't he remember when God called Abram to leave all and go without direction? (Gen 12) Abram went, by faith trusting the Lord! (Heb 11) Why would one need to know the plan when God is in control? She lifted up the letter the Father had given her and her pen ready to sign when I was pulled back to reality.

I was sitting in chapel listening to a guest speaker. He was telling this story of the first believer. As he was telling the story I wrote my part in my head but was brought out of the story to hear the question, "What would keep you from signing this letter? From saying Lord if You did this I don't know if I could follow You?" He listed off things; fear, not getting married, sending me to a foreign country, being away from family, etc. None of those were triggers for me then the Holy Spirit reminded me of something; I wasn't content. I did not want to stay here.

My sister was updating me the other day on what God was teaching her. She began sharing about being farsighted. The fact that we can only see what is to come. The some day... only when you are farsighted you can't see what is in front of you. For those of you who have bad eyes think about it when you don't have your contacts or glasses on and you literally can't see. You are able to see the general shapes and colors but the details are all a blur. So when I become farsighted in life I'm going to miss the opportunities that God is giving me each day. The sad thing is there are times that I become so farsighted to only see missions that I forget that that is not what I'm living for. I am living for Jesus Christ, that His Name be glorified by all nations therefore I will go to the ends of the earth but the focus is the Christ be glorified. For one day He is returning. Therefore ever single day must be lived for Him I can't wait until all my plans are checked off the list to say, "okay Lord now what do You want me to do?" even if the list isn't bad my life shouldn't have a list it should be blank so that I may always and only say "okay Lord where do you want me to go?" so that it may be a life filled with faith like Abram. Each second living for Him because no one but the Father knows of Christ's return and I don't want to be completing my checklist when He comes but I want to be living in reckless abandonment, all out for Christ no matter where I am. (Mark 13:32-37)

Contentment says, "God has me here for a reason, and if He never does anything different, I'll still serve and praise Him."
- Just Do Something, Kevin DeYoung


thoughts spurred by this quote originally then as I continued to write by my sister, the message from George Murray (guest speaker), and then by a message from Francis Chan.