My Perfectly-Matched Wife

God couldn't have matched me with anyone more suited for ME.  Since I'm such a , uh, "unique" person (or maybe, difficult, demanding, determined, tunnel-visioned . . .), it took Him 34 years to get it done.

I thank God daily that I was patient.  Speaking of patience, that's not one of my virtues, either, at least not when it comes to the monotonous, daily stuff like traffic, lines, etc.  But with BIG STUFF, I think I've got a pretty good record.  So, I'm a complete failure on the daily side, and a pretty big success on the BIG STUFF side.

I came home from a mission trip with my youth recently and found a jar decorated with pink sitting on my dresser.  I thought Kelley must have put it there accidentally because it sure didn't look like anything I'd want or need.  I checked it out, anyway.  Inside the jar are large popsicle sticks of various colors, each with a "date" written on them.  Not like a calendar date, but a boy/girl date.  One color requires some planning and money.  One color less planning and money, and one color requires little or no planning or money.

I had read several sticks before I thought, "Maybe I'm not supposed to be reading these."  Glad I stopped.  I'm not supposed to know what they are.  They're supposed to be surprises - I just pick one randomly using the color codes based on how much time/money we have to spend.

I only remember one of the dates I read.  It requires planning and money, and fortunately, it's already taken care of for this year - a Clemson away game.  We're going to Boston to see Clemson play Boston College in a few weeks.

I usually work out after work and try to be finished before 6.  I pulled a muscle in my back last week and have had to reduce my workouts this week.  So I finished early a couple days ago and said, "Wow, I don't have anything to do."  The grass was cut.  Clothes were  folded.  Braves didn't come on till 10pm.  I said, "Let's go outside and throw a baseball."  (Kelley doesn't even own a glove.  She's thrown with me MAYBE TWICE in our 5 years of marriage.)  Kelley replied, "No, but that IS one of the things in the date jar!"

No matter what else I find in the date jar, I don't think any of them will make me happier.

"Lord, Keep Us Safe."

 

While on a mission trip with some youth and adults from our church two weeks ago, I told our group one night during our devotional that we need to stop praying for safety all the time.  I confused them, and more than one person talked to me about it privately.

Each morning after breakfast and each night before bed, we met and had Bible study, and primarily, I took us through the last three chapters of Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman.  Those last three chapters are titled, Whenever, Wherever, and Whatever, and Idleman talks about the cost of following Jesus.  

I couldn't recall my source when I talked about this, but I remembered reading something CONVICTING about our constant prayers for safety, as if safety is the greatest thing in life.  Our desire for safety probably keeps us from following God to lots of places He's trying to lead us.  We think, "God doesn't want me to do that!  It's DANGEROUS!"  

If Jesus was primarily concerned about our safety, He never would've sent the Twelve Disciples out.  He didn't promise them physical safety.  Instead, He told them:

Matthew 10:16-21  “Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves. ¹⁷ But beware! For you will be handed over to the courts and will be flogged with whips in the synagogues. ¹⁸ You will stand trial before governors and kings because you are my followers. But this will be your opportunity to tell the rulers and other unbelievers about me.^[e] 19 When you are arrested, don’t worry about how to respond or what to say. God will give you the right words at the right time. ²⁰ For it is not you who will be speaking—it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

When we got back home, I located my source:

From Crazy Love by Francis Chan, p. 133:

"Haven't we all prayed the following prayer? Lord, we pray for safety as we travel.  We ask that no one gets hurt on this trip.  Please keep everyone safe until we return, and bring us back safely.  In Jesus' name we pray, amen.  The exact wording may vary a bit, but that is the standard prayer we recite before leaving on mission trips, retreats, vacations, and business trips."

"We are consumed by safety.  Obsessed with it, actually.  Now, I'm not saying it is wrong to pray for God's protection, but I am questioning how we've made safety our highest priority.  We've elevated safety to the neglect of whatever God's best is, whatever would bring God the most glory, or whatever would accomplish His purposes in our lives and in the world. "

"Would you be willing to pray this prayer?  God, bring me closer to You during this trip, whatever it takes . . ."

People who are obsessed with

 Jesus aren't consumed with their

 personal safety and comfort above

 all else.  Obsessed people care

 more about God's kingdom coming

 to this earth than their own lives

 being shielded from pain or

 distress.

Not that I agree with everything any author says, but Chan's words are powerful and convicting, as are David Platt's in his book, Radical.  If you have the book, see pages 164-165 and 174-175.  Platt also talks about following Jesus in spite of the risks and dangers, in spite of the fact that it might get us hurt or killed.  

John F. Kennedy once said, "Do not pray for easy lives.  Pray to be stronger men."