Pastor Dan - September 2019
My wife and I have had a goal that has spanned the time of the last couple of years. The goal has been to reclaim our garage in order that my wife may park her car in the garage. Isn’t that what a garage is designed for? We have been slowly getting things that have been in our garage into the hands they need to be in. The hands may be the hands of our daughter or our son or Paula for the rummage sale or the recycle bin. With the remaining things, we’ve had to go thorough to determine if there are any hands that would like to hold onto and claim such items as their own. The items remaining were then attempted to be organized and shelved. This required additional shelving. Finally, after the long, arduous and emotional journey of reclaiming the garage, we pulled the car into the garage. What a moment!! Too bad that it didn’t fit. With the refrigerator at the far end, the bumper of the car just missed clearing the garage door.
We had to move the shelving to move the refrigerator, which called for moving boxes and repacking some items into new boxes, etc. This was most pleasant because it was only 105 degrees outside with no wind. I think I lost several pounds. But finally, the car came gliding in and fit!!
It's amazing how many things we felt were important enough to hold onto and fill our garage. Some of it was very meaningful. Some of it we wondered, “Do you know where this came from, or “Why were we keeping this?” We would open a box and find surprises. But most of what was being saved really wasn’t all too important after all and it found its way to a proper place outside the garage. We went through two years of this process so that we could fit a car in our garage.
I was thinking about this two year process and it was all too easy to relate it to my faith life. I find myself praying in the morning and figuring out how to shuffle the day and arrange the times in order to have some time to fit Jesus into my day. I’ve spent my life arranging and shuffling my heart to make room for Jesus. I’ve been tossing around mindsets and perspectives and perceptions and giving things over in order to make room for the Holy spirit to move around in my life. I’ve spent too many years telling Jesus, “Just wait a moment and I can move that out and give you a little more room. “Just give me a little more time and I will get to it.”
And Jesus looks at me and shakes His head. It’s at this point I realize that I have this backwards. It is a good thing to try to make room for Jesus in my heart, mind and in my day, but I’m learning it is more appealing to our Lord if I consider how I might fit my life into Jesus’ day. In His eyes is the invitation to fit my life, with all the things I have and bring, into His life. To spend my day in His ways and in His presence rather than try to fit Him into my life.
When you wake up tomorrow morning, immediately ask the Lord, “Gracious Lord, how might I serve you today? I place my life in Your ways and Your care.”
In Christ’s love and service,
Pastor Dan