It was going to be an 8.5 hour flight so I purchased a collection of Agatha Christie’s Poirot’s Early Cases. I realize that one of my fav tv detectives, Monk, is a bit of a Poirot model. In both I see myself. I like order and I develop methods. For example, Last night, with my cousin waiting on the curb, I did a bozo no-no. I had been in the US for a few minutes and I’m helping organize the passport people into a faster system. There were three border people processing a few hundred passengers. Baltimore – what’s up? Even TJ Maxx has a green light system. They had two guys walking back and forth telling us where to stand. Things like this make me sad. Do they not see the pained expressions on the tired travelers faces? Mine was one of them and my suggestion was ignored as was I. So what can take order out of our lives is suffering of any magnitude. Waiting is not quite suffering but my cousin on the curb looking for me, maybe, suffered. I have, though, seen some suffering volunteering abroad, and hope to lift up my eyes more. I see people and had discussed how Czechs can be suspicious of too friendly because they are not used to it. I’m going to shift that back now that I’m almost home. I was partially shut down for months. I also dealt with an uncomfortable circumstance that was hard – I suffered. You see, I’m used to being selfish. At first it was new and delightful when I became single about eight years ago, but now it is a habit to not be in second place. I get to choose what keeps me happy. If the Lord was not in most decisions I would be even worse. Paul Pitts III, recently wrote on suffering and Canyon Hills shared the message. Pitts says, “Suffering reorders and recalibrates our affections for Heaven and the Lord of Heaven”. I believe that. I have never begged God to send me home to the familiar. Since January, 2024, I have been asking God to show me where I fit. I am confident that He is sending me home. There is work and service everywhere so, again, go where God is working. The underlying message is that family is our first ministry. Not in any formal sense but I cannot imagine my grandchildren needing me as they move through jr high and high school. I do want to be available now. I don’t need to invent a thing but to accept disorder and apply God’s methods and not my own. Does God’s plan change? I don’t think so but what He reveals to me in each season changes. I know what to do next. Pitts says that, “It is a narrow road to our eternal home in glory”, our final assignment. In the meantime, God is my refuge and my strength. He comforts me so I can comfort others. Finally, Pitts quotes Samuel Rutherford who said, “You will not get to Heaven quietly in Christ’s company without conflict and a cross”. No matter how I order it the order is to follow Jesus even when the method is to just be home. Expect noise, conflict, and the cross but also looking forward to more of this. Steve Herman’s post today:
DAY 5 ADVENT
And in another place Isaiah said, “The heir to David’s throne will come, and he will rule over the Gentiles. They will place their hope on him.” I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:12,13 NLT
Peace over panic, faith over fear, kindness always
