Things I Think
by
Dan Amos
If you choose to read this, you will get a
glimpse in to the odd ways my mind works. I doubt you'll find
anything profound, but when things happen in my life, I tend to
relate them to something else. Often I find myself learning a lesson
of application of the things I've learned over the years about what
God has revealed to us. The little vignettes of my life become
object lessons that I ought to apply.
I recently returned to getting up and getting ready to leave for the
day before everyone else in the house gets up. After I get dressed,
I stop all movement, control my breathing and whisper "bye." This is
so I can be sure I don't drown out my whisper with rustling, but
even more to hear the faint reply if there is one. I was told on
Monday to not bother with the whisper, just kiss her and she'll go
back to sleep. But, doesn't that sound like what we have to do to
hear God talking to us? All the noise and busyness of life makes it
difficult to distinguish His voice when he is trying to communicate
His love for us.
My new job was advertised needing knowledge of a database that I was
sure I was one of the best in the company with. When I started, I
found out there were parts of it I didn't know existed. I am
learning to use that part of it, but I had no idea it was even
there. It reminded me of Paul's lament that the more mature he
became in his faith, the more he considered himself the greatest of
sinners. That thought has never made more sense to me than now.
Last Saturday, Mark McCullough and I were winning at Hand and Foot
over Fran and Barb. (There you go Mark, it's on the Internet now, so
it must be true!) I was laughing and joking and Barb commented that
she could see the stress of the last year was not evident that night
to which I quipped I didn't realize I internalized so much! But,
this was an eye-opening statement for me and it really hit home the
next morning listening to Keith Ferrin speaking on Philippians. If I
was filled with so much stress over our predicament, was I really
conducting myself in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ?
Lastly, there were a number of young and young-ish (!) men walking
around the icy parking lot Sunday morning. We were trying to meet
people as they got out of their cars and show them the paths we knew
from our experience would get them into the church safely. In some
instances we would say, "Follow me, walk in my footsteps because it
is safe." Again, we heard the same message from Paul in Philippians
who told them he knew the way to Christ and he was leading them
surely to His safety. Just like in response to the Gospel, some in
the parking lot listened, some did not, and some insisted on
following their own path, dangerously skirting risky areas.
So those are a few snapshots in to my thought processes. Maybe God
teaches you in similar ways. If you have kids and ever disciplined
them and heard the words coming out of your mouth sounding exactly
like what God would be telling you, then you know what I'm talking
about.
Oh, and about the kiss...when you know the right thing to do because
you've already been told, quit asking if you should do it. Just do
it.
