NO CONVENIENT TIMES

 

My times are in your hands…  Psalm 31:15 (NIV)

 

When I was newly-returned to university, I struggled to balance parenting, two jobs, and college requirements.  It took all the energy and grace I had to address each responsibility in a fairly adequate manner and still ensure my own spiritual and mental health.

 

And then one of my children had a minor crisis in school – just as I was preparing for a mid-term exam.  I worked with elementary teachers to resolve the issue, and then I spoke to my university professor.  I wanted to see if my mid-term could be delayed a while so that I could take these challenges one at a time.  That made perfect sense to me.

 

She said something I’ve never forgotten.  “Marthe, you will find that life doesn’t stop to make allowances for crises.  There are no convenient times for problems.  It all flows together.  It’s up to you to handle everything as it comes.”  She didn’t tell me how to do it, but essentially she was saying that I couldn’t postpone the exam until I was ready, and that I wouldn’t be able to slow down time for my convenience.

 

This was possibly one of the best lessons I learned in that Early Childhood Development class.  Life comes at you fast, and the only way we can stay poised and at peace with the stresses that make up every single day is to invite Christ into every situation.  We ask for his guidance, wisdom, and grace.  We ask for help in prioritizing the issues.  And it works.  We can’t manage or control the circumstances that intrude into our lives, but with Christ’s help, we can manage ourselves with regards to the circumstances. It works.

 

Thank you very much, Dr. Waldron.

 

Sweet Lord, you see the end from the beginning, and nothing ever takes you by surprise.  Help us to remember that if we’ve asked you to be Lord, we must act accordingly. Forgive us if we complain about the overload.  You know exactly what we can bear and are there to carry the load when we can’t.  Thank you.  AMEN.

COMPLAINING

And [when] the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard [it]; and his anger was kindled… Numbers 11:1
Casey and his wife have a large glass container in which they put stones representing blessings. Each time God does something, they add a stone of remembrance. Casey says he can’t remember what each stone represents, but those stones are reminders of God’s provisions.

This morning Casey talked about the Children of Israel and their experience with the snakes (Numbers 21). Since there weren’t any markets in the desert and the food had long since run out, God provided manna – after the Israelites began complaining. And then they wanted meat, so God provided quail – after the Israelites complained. But God’s blessings were never enough.

Apparently, the Israelites had a bad case of “poormease,” and finally, God got really tired of their endless ingratitude. They’d been delivered from an abusive Pharaoh; rescued from the Egyptian army; given food, meat, water, and clothes that didn’t wear out; and yet it was never enough. So God got their attention.

Venomous snakes invaded the camp and bit the people. No one had to point out the fault of the Israelites. Immediately, they rushed to Moses saying they had sinned. They were well aware of their ingratitude and complaining not only against Moses but also against God who had provided everything they needed.

God’s remedy: Put a replica of those nasty snakes on a pole to remind the Israelites of what life would be like without God’s gracious provisions. Just one look cured them. We may not like the same-ness of the manna, but it nourishes us. We may get tired of quail, but it is an unexpected gift of love. We may be annoyed that the water comes from the rock rather than a pristine spring, but it quenches our thirst. Gripe, gripe, gripe.

I like Casey’s idea of the stone reminders. Lent is a good time to cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Yes, I like that a lot better than venomous snakes.

Father, I have a choice between gratitude and griping. Help me always to remember that your blessings far exceed any trials that will ever come my way. In Jesus our Lord. AMEN.