Simple Trust (Part One)

“Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

I was having a bad day. Anyone who knows me knows that this is a statement I seldom voice; but we all have “bad” days right? As Christians we are not immune from the trials that weigh us down and obscure our vision for the future.

It was just one of those days. I know you have them too. What do you do when the difficulties of the day feel like they are a precursor of what lies ahead? For me, I drive to the park for some quiet time with the One who holds my future. I just needed His assurance that He hadn’t temporarily “forgotten” me, forgotten my calling, and forgotten my dreams. I know that sounds silly, since God can’t forget, won’t forget any of His children; but I guess I was looking for some reassurance. Have you ever been there?

It’s a little bit like when my daughter Lachelle was small and busy playing; sometimes she would stop what she was doing, get up, come close to where I was and just touch me lightly. As if to ask “Even though I have moved away from you, we are still connected, right?” And I wanted to say like the little child that I am; “Papa, You seem to have moved far away from me, please come and touch me lightly and remind me that we are connected.”

So I drove to “our” special place and sat in my car, listening for His voice. I heard nothing, so after a while I turned on the radio, hoping for something that would lift the fog that covered my heart, but nothing helped. Click. No interesting people to watch, no children playing-nothing, nothing but a dog and her master. Back and forth, back and forth; he threw the ball and she retrieved it. I watched the dog and I said to myself “Hmph, look at that, it’s just chasing that ball for no good reason. How useless!” I thought. And the idea slowly crept into my heart that that dog was living out my life; just chasing the same ball for no good cause, which of course did nothing to lift my murky mood.

But how often do we live our lives in the mundane? Clothes get laundered only to get soiled, again. Dishes get scrubbed only to get dirty, again. The work week gets put in and then in a flash it is Monday, again. Sometimes the sameness of our weekly, monthly or even yearly routine can feel like it is sucking the sparkle right out of us! Routine, predictable, tedious are a few of those sparkle sucking words.

But the difference was, I could see that the dog was having a ball (couldn’t resist the pun) and I most certainly was NOT.

It was then that Jesus began to speak to my heart; come join our whispered conversation...
Jesus said “Sandy, even though I have left this earth we ARE still connected, remember? I am as close as your very next breath.. The plan I have for you will come into being because there is NOTHING too hard for Me. The plan is not in question, but your complete trust in Me, perhaps that is...” “Will you trust Me in the mundane and trust in the beauty of My dreams for you little one? Though the plan is veiled, My purposes are sure and steadfast. I can be trusted and relied upon in each and every matter that touches your life”

And I know that what He spoke to me, He longs to whisper to your heart as well. Close your eyes and let Him touch you gently, reminding you that you and He are still connected and that His good plan for your life is not in jeopardy! Next week I’ll share the rest of the story.

Papa God, Please open my eyes to the fact that no matter what I‘m experiencing You haven’t moved away from me and that you are always as close as my next breath. As I relinquish my dreams to You please release Your joy in my heart and life. Amen