This will surprise few of you who know me or read this blog. I'm kind of a controlling type person. (KIND OF?!?! I can hear many of you yell!) I like to know what's up, where what is headed, and keep things within my sphere of influence. I recognize this is both a strength and weakness (anxiety issues being one of the great downsides to control!)
I saw this trait (quirk?) in me a week ago. I was at Disneyland and decided to try out the newly refurbished Space Mountain. I hadn't been on it in years. For those of you unfamiliar with the ride, it is a roller coaster in the dark. It's great fun.
As always, I asked to sit in the front car. Two reasons--it's the fastest (or at least seems to be the fastest) car in the ride. Second--though it's dark, sitting in the front I am able to barely make out the track, which gives me the chance to see into the future and prepare for it, rather than letting it happen. This way I can anticipate the curves and the little drops. In other words, I'm able to control the ride to a certain extent rather than simply surrendering my life to it.
Some of you would much rather simply let go and let the ride take you on an adventure. Me--I prefer to know where the adventure is headed.
Following Jesus is a bit of both. On the one hand, if we seriously follow Jesus we're never quite sure where he's going to take us. There is no path. He is the path. That kind of following continues to stretch me.
On the other hand, if we seriously follow Jesus, we do get to see, at least a bit, the future coming toward us. He's always a step or two ahead of us which means he's already headed into the future preparing it for us.
For those like me who don't like surprises, who like to know what's up ahead, the good news is that Jesus is up ahead. And for those who simply like to shut their eyes and let the future carry them away, the good news is that the future-shaper, Jesus, goes ahead of you to keep you in his will.
I'm off to control something.
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4 comments:
There is great abandonment and exhilaration and recklessness in having a freefall, knowing that His outstretched hand is there to catch us!
So what does Jesus continue to say to you as he gently "breaks" you and creates new facets on the reflecting prism that is your life?
You must be one of those people who likes to close your eyes and go where the ride will take you! :)
Most likely what Jesus is saying to me during this time will come out in a variety of ways, one of them being this blog.
However, I do pride myself on not breaking easily (not that I want to control what Jesus does in my life! :)) So perhaps we can start with some easy bend and stretch exercises first.
Didn't you mean Space Mountain, not Magic Mountain?
Oops--sorry. Good catch. I fixed it.
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