...where the grace of God cannot keep you.
That's what is engraved on a little boat next the picture of my beautiful wife. They are both sitting on my desk right in front me to remind me of what things are most important to me: Following the will of God and loving my wife.
You know, a lot of times it can be difficult to know what God is leading you to do. There are so many options, and sometimes it feels overwhelming. "Will I make the right choice? What if I'm wrong? Can I even go somewhere that God doesn't want me to go? What if I make a choice that has terrible repercussions? How can I really know what I need to do?"
It can be terrifying, right!? We can freeze and not even know how to make a decision!
So many variables, so many choices, so many possible ways to fail!
When my wife and I were in our final stages of deciding whether or not to move 4 hours north from Minneapolis to Grand Forks, ND., it was a huge life stage decision. We were moving to enable me to officially take a pastoral position that would change our lives...big time. Carica (my wife) would have to change schools in her senior year of college, she would have to find a job and internship, I would have to change to distance education rather than traditional day school for seminary, we would have to move far away from family, far away from all our closest friends...
So we got counseling from one of my long-time mentors, Pastor Abe Cardosa. Carica and I met with Pastor Abe and poured out our hearts and concerns. Almost without hesitation, he grabbed that shiny ship off his bookshelf and thrust it into my hands.
"The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you," he said.
That's what was engraved on the ship, and now that's what is engraved on my heart.
Wherever the seemingly random winds sail your ship, you can be sure that it is the breath of God blowing you on your course. It's not just a coincidence that in Greek "pneuma" means both "wind" and "Spirit". The Spirit of God will lead you in a variety of ways, and you may not even see it, but he will both lead and sustain you.
I'm reminded of the DC Talk song, "Mind's Eye." There are a couple sets of lyrics that seem completely pertinent to this blog post.
"Can you catch the wind?
See a breeze?
Its presence is revealed by the leaves on a tree
An image of my faith in the unseen"
And later...
"Can you catch the wind?
Can you see God? Have you ever seen him?
I've never seen the wind
I've seen the effects of the wind."
Remember, wherever you are, no matter what circumstances you are in, and no matter what decisions you have to make, keep that phrase in your mind. God will never lead you anywhere that his grace cannot keep you.
Question: How does that little sailboat help you with your decisions right now?
That's what is engraved on a little boat next the picture of my beautiful wife. They are both sitting on my desk right in front me to remind me of what things are most important to me: Following the will of God and loving my wife.
You know, a lot of times it can be difficult to know what God is leading you to do. There are so many options, and sometimes it feels overwhelming. "Will I make the right choice? What if I'm wrong? Can I even go somewhere that God doesn't want me to go? What if I make a choice that has terrible repercussions? How can I really know what I need to do?"
It can be terrifying, right!? We can freeze and not even know how to make a decision!
So many variables, so many choices, so many possible ways to fail!
When my wife and I were in our final stages of deciding whether or not to move 4 hours north from Minneapolis to Grand Forks, ND., it was a huge life stage decision. We were moving to enable me to officially take a pastoral position that would change our lives...big time. Carica (my wife) would have to change schools in her senior year of college, she would have to find a job and internship, I would have to change to distance education rather than traditional day school for seminary, we would have to move far away from family, far away from all our closest friends...
So we got counseling from one of my long-time mentors, Pastor Abe Cardosa. Carica and I met with Pastor Abe and poured out our hearts and concerns. Almost without hesitation, he grabbed that shiny ship off his bookshelf and thrust it into my hands.
"The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you," he said.
That's what was engraved on the ship, and now that's what is engraved on my heart.
Wherever the seemingly random winds sail your ship, you can be sure that it is the breath of God blowing you on your course. It's not just a coincidence that in Greek "pneuma" means both "wind" and "Spirit". The Spirit of God will lead you in a variety of ways, and you may not even see it, but he will both lead and sustain you.
I'm reminded of the DC Talk song, "Mind's Eye." There are a couple sets of lyrics that seem completely pertinent to this blog post.
"Can you catch the wind?
See a breeze?
Its presence is revealed by the leaves on a tree
An image of my faith in the unseen"
And later...
"Can you catch the wind?
Can you see God? Have you ever seen him?
I've never seen the wind
I've seen the effects of the wind."
Remember, wherever you are, no matter what circumstances you are in, and no matter what decisions you have to make, keep that phrase in your mind. God will never lead you anywhere that his grace cannot keep you.
Question: How does that little sailboat help you with your decisions right now?
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