As often happens my husband and I found ourselves with time to kill during the kid shuffle. You know that time that isn't really long enough to accomplish anything before you pick up or drop of one kid just so that you can do it again with another kid. We decided to explore a cave that we had driven by at least a dozen times. We did not have enough time to really explore, just long enough to make it to the back of what was easily accessible.
The first thing I realized. We were not prepared. I need to keep the camera with me at all times. Headlamps are much more useful in that situation the cellphone flashlights. Oh dear sweet Jesus I am so out of shape. Also, there is a confidence that I had as a child that I no longer have. There was a time that I had no fear of loose rocks or falling... I wonder where that confidence has gone. My guess is that I lost it about the time I became afraid of getting hurt. My husband says he doesn't think I am afraid of getting hurt as much as I am aware of the amount of pain just walking across the room can case. I think he is probably right.
As we had reached the back of the cave we climbed a few little rocks and then up onto a bolder so that we could see farther into the cave. Again, not prepared appropriately this is where we stopped. It was the step from the last two smaller rocks and onto the bolder that God would use as the object lesson I am about to share with you.
I stepped up onto one rock and took a step to the next. It shook beneath my foot and I became afraid to take the next step up onto the bolder. I had my cellphone in one hand for a light, but could not see anywhere to put my free hand to brace for the next step. I stood there frozen in fear. I was about to fall and brake something, probably me, but my fear was more for my phone. I tried to look around, but the more I moved, the harder it was to keep my balance. Stacy was just a couple of steps in front of me. He looked back and asked what was wrong. "I can't move!" I don't think I shouted it, but I was in a bit of a panic. He always seems calm when I am freaking out. He told me to just take a step. I tried to calmly explain why that wasn't possible. Again, I'm not sure that I expressed my self as calmly as I hoped. Just reach up, he said. The cave ceiling was so close that if I had stood strait up I would have hit my head on it. I didn't know that though. I did what he said, and was able to regain my footing and move forward.
We saw as far as we could see, looked in all the cool little crevices and then headed back to the front of the cave where we had parked. We got in the car and drove off to do the kid shuffle. I thanked him for handling that situation how he did, for not yelling at me for being afraid or treating me like I was dumb. That is not how he has ever handled any situation with me, but I may of some baggage. He simply thanked me for trusting him.
It was easy for me to trust him. Why wouldn't it be? He had gone farther into the cave than I had. He had made it past those two rocks. He could also see what I could not. I had a limited view of my situation. He could see it all.
...and that is where God gave me an object lesson.
For the last few weeks we have been talking about God making a way where there seems to be no way and we have watched Him make a way where there was not. We had been, and if I am honest, I still am struggling to see how some of our hearts desires are going to come to pass. In the natural there seems to be no way. Here is the thing though, God sees our situation, he knows it better than we do. He can see what I can not. My view is limited, His is not. I just have to trust Him, listen to Him, and take the next step.
The first thing I realized. We were not prepared. I need to keep the camera with me at all times. Headlamps are much more useful in that situation the cellphone flashlights. Oh dear sweet Jesus I am so out of shape. Also, there is a confidence that I had as a child that I no longer have. There was a time that I had no fear of loose rocks or falling... I wonder where that confidence has gone. My guess is that I lost it about the time I became afraid of getting hurt. My husband says he doesn't think I am afraid of getting hurt as much as I am aware of the amount of pain just walking across the room can case. I think he is probably right.
As we had reached the back of the cave we climbed a few little rocks and then up onto a bolder so that we could see farther into the cave. Again, not prepared appropriately this is where we stopped. It was the step from the last two smaller rocks and onto the bolder that God would use as the object lesson I am about to share with you.
I stepped up onto one rock and took a step to the next. It shook beneath my foot and I became afraid to take the next step up onto the bolder. I had my cellphone in one hand for a light, but could not see anywhere to put my free hand to brace for the next step. I stood there frozen in fear. I was about to fall and brake something, probably me, but my fear was more for my phone. I tried to look around, but the more I moved, the harder it was to keep my balance. Stacy was just a couple of steps in front of me. He looked back and asked what was wrong. "I can't move!" I don't think I shouted it, but I was in a bit of a panic. He always seems calm when I am freaking out. He told me to just take a step. I tried to calmly explain why that wasn't possible. Again, I'm not sure that I expressed my self as calmly as I hoped. Just reach up, he said. The cave ceiling was so close that if I had stood strait up I would have hit my head on it. I didn't know that though. I did what he said, and was able to regain my footing and move forward.
We saw as far as we could see, looked in all the cool little crevices and then headed back to the front of the cave where we had parked. We got in the car and drove off to do the kid shuffle. I thanked him for handling that situation how he did, for not yelling at me for being afraid or treating me like I was dumb. That is not how he has ever handled any situation with me, but I may of some baggage. He simply thanked me for trusting him.
It was easy for me to trust him. Why wouldn't it be? He had gone farther into the cave than I had. He had made it past those two rocks. He could also see what I could not. I had a limited view of my situation. He could see it all.
...and that is where God gave me an object lesson.
For the last few weeks we have been talking about God making a way where there seems to be no way and we have watched Him make a way where there was not. We had been, and if I am honest, I still am struggling to see how some of our hearts desires are going to come to pass. In the natural there seems to be no way. Here is the thing though, God sees our situation, he knows it better than we do. He can see what I can not. My view is limited, His is not. I just have to trust Him, listen to Him, and take the next step.
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