Sun-soaked
If you were sitting here with me right now, I'd pour you a cuppa and we'd chat. Both kids are napping so it's the perfect time to just sit and be.If you were here, we'd swap stories and enjoy getting to know each other. Oh I love sharing stories with friends. There are some pivotal ones in my life. Stories about moments that were defining. Moments that made me who I am today. I think I'll share them with you over time. Got a coffee to sip?It was a warm July morning and we were on a YWAM Mission Adventures trip. It was training week for our team of 40 Junior & Senior youth and adult leaders. I love training week because it's a selah from the daily grind of life as well as a practical time of preparation for serving the following week. One morning during the "quiet time", I was praying face the sun. The warmth soaked into my skin as I shared my heart with God. Some girls chattering cut into my glorious alone time. As I opened my eyes to see what was going on, I realized the sun on my eyelids had momentarily impaired my vision. I checked in the with girls then returned to my golden spot. This time I turned my face side on so only one side was sunned. It was a choice of wisdom to keep one eye out of the sun so I could keep track of the kids. And God whisper pressed into my heart: "How will you live?"Trusting God fully can leave you blinded to worldly things. Do I trust Him to live that way? Or will I live a life of half-and-half. One part of me soaked in God's presence and the other part holding on to my own vision and wisdom. It was truly a life-altering moment for me.It should be a daily question for me: How will I live? Walking with Him or walking in my own strength?Most days I feel a lot like the man who said "I do believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:24) because I say "I do trust you God, help my un-trust!"This week one of the kids had 24 hours of high fever and was quite sick. I was very conscious that I was living that day in a half-and-half way: worrying that he's not drinking anything, frustrated that I can't get anything done because he wants to be held, feeling guilty that the other kid is getting zero from me. Stop. Breathe.Turning my face toward Him. Closing my eyes and opening my heart. Allowing Him to be God in my life again. Ahhhhh. That's how I want to live.NOT to say that I ignore earthly wisdom. It would be foolish to do so. God gave us intellect and human wisdom is from Him. But it is so easy to let my eyes turn from God and then earthly wisdom exalts itself to the place of god in my life.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. (Proverbs 3:5-7)
How about you? Are there times when the worries of this life take command of your heart? What have you learned about the place of earthly wisdom in God's Lordship?