Mysterious Journey, Mysterious Guide

I have been reflecting lately about how life is hardly a straight and clear path. The journey we all find ourselves on is unique to us, but it's similar in the aspect that it's relatively mysterious. I suppose that's because God has a mysterious side. Sure, God wants to be known. He invites us to discover who he is. His heartbeat is for us to experience his goodness and enjoy the blessing of relationship with him. One of the greatest invitations in the Bible is to, "Taste and see that the Lord is good." (Psalm 37:4) But, he's mysterious in the sense that we can't fully understand him or his ways. After all, "his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts." (Isaiah 55).

I am trying to become more organized so I recently did something that I have never done before...I bought a planner. As I went to Wal Mart to survey their selection, I was surprised to find that every single planner was either pink or had bright colored flowers on the cover. I thought to myself, "Guys must not buy planners." I eventually found a "manly planner", and I've actually enjoyed the planning process.

Now I'm quick to put my future appointments and plans on paper, but do I really know what is "around the corner" in life? Do I really know what God has planned for the days ahead? I believe God is doing so much more on a daily basis than will ever show up on a calendar. He is secretly aligning things for my benefit, and for his.

As I look at my calendar, my days look pretty ordinary. It's easy for me to fall into the pattern of grouping days together and losing my sense of anticipation for God to do something unexpected. We must not forget that God is an extraordinary God, and he is often working behind the scenes. Similar to a submarine being repositioned below the surface of the waters, God is positioning himself for what he knows is coming--and he wants to show you what he's doing. I have been "leaning in" recently to find out what he is really up to on a daily basis, and now I'm hooked...And intrigued...And excited.

Psalm 127 states, "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain." My prayer lately has been, "God, what are you building today and how can I cooperate?" He loves to answer that simple prayer. He delights when we lift our eyes from the ordinary work before us and find out what he's up to. His passion is to be involved in the details of our lives. Seriously. Try and think of one detail in your life that God is not interested in. He cares about what you care about, and he wants you to care about what he cares about. Eventually, his desire is to merge the two so you share the same heartbeat. Isn't that a beautiful process?

This certainly doesn't happen overnight. It's a daily process of being "alert and aware" (1 Peter 5) of God. Fight the urge to look at today as just another ordinary day. Ask God to surprise you. Actively look for his fingerprints today. Ask him to open your eyes to truly see. Invite him to open your ears so you begin to hear beyond the rackety noise of this world. Trust me, it's good.

Days will continue to come and go. The sun will rise and the sun will set. The path that we all find ourselves on will continue to twist and turn and disappear around the corner. But, aren't you glad? Aren't you thankful that life is not a boring "stroll in the park"? If it were, who would need a guide? If we didn't need a guide we would miss out on our greatest purpose in life--knowing the guide.

"He (Jesus) calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice." John 10:3-4

Bad Idea?

I had a flashback to 1996 tonight. No, I wasn't listening to Vanilla Ice. I was actually on a walk with my wonderful family at a nearby park. It started out like hundreds of other walks we have enjoyed together. Avery was smiling from ear to ear as she ran and played. Ashley was looking as beautiful as ever as the setting sun danced across her face. Sophie was in milk "la-la land" as her two month-old mind tried to take everything in. It was a perfect start to our walk. I didn't think it could get any better...Then, I noticed a wooden structure strategically placed across the pond. Friends, you must understand. I am a man who is constantly outnumbered 3-1 in the female/male ratio at the Jenkins house. I don't even have the luxury of owning a male dog. I wake up to Barney and Dora followed by a play time session with princesses. My wife is literally watching The Notebook for the hundredth time as I type this. I wouldn't trade my life for anything, but perhaps that will help you understand why my man heart smiled at what happened next. We happened to catch it on video.





I couldn't help but to yell across the pond and applaud the "courage" of the kid who just reminded me of the hundreds of bad ideas I entertained when I was his age. I stood there on the bank of that pond and smiled as the memories came rushing back. My mind instantly rewinded to the day I built my own bike ramp and tried to ramp across a large mud pool that my friends helped me dig. It didn't end well.

I had other bad ideas that didn't hurt as bad--at least, not physically. Somehow the idea popped (and stuck) into my head that I would look cool in shorts, high ankle Doc Martin boots, and tall socks for one of my senior picture poses. Ashley still reminds me that my "bowl" hair cut from my senior year in high school was also a bad idea. Ouch.

I thank God for protecting me from many of those testosterone and adventure filled bad ideas. I look back and smile on most of them. I also thank God for protecting me from the bad ideas that carried much heavier consequences. In fact, it was many of those bad ideas that led me to my knees on a January night many years ago as I made a good decision for once, to turn whole-heartedly and follow Jesus Christ. I think it's safe to say that my life took a dramatic turn at that moment. Jesus has a way of doing that.

I have recently been thinking about how the apostle Paul's life took a drastic turn on that dusty road to Damascus nearly two thousand years ago. Up until that moment, Paul (Saul at the time) had been a well-known and well-respected religious leader. He was set up perfectly to live a good life--until Jesus interrupted his plans.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” Acts 9:3-6

At face value it would appear that Paul's life started moving in the wrong direction directly after that brief conversation. Not only was Paul now blind as he struggled back to his feet, but a few verses later Jesus announces, "I will show him (Paul) how much he must suffer for my name."

Wow. Who would want to sign up for that? Paul confirmed in 2 Corinthians 11 that Jesus wasn't lying about the whole suffering thing:

Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 2 Corinthians 11:24-27

A person could easily look at Paul's life and come to the conclusion that it must have been a BAD IDEA for him to follow Jesus! Perhaps he should have returned to Jerusalem and lived the remainder of his life as a blind religious teacher. He would have skipped the lashing sessions. He could have been studying the Old Testament Scriptures instead of being pelted with rocks. He could have been safe and warm in a temple rather than lost at sea. But, he would have missed knowing Jesus. He would have completely missed the true purpose of his life. The greatest day of Paul's life was probably the day he met Jesus on that dirty old road.

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...Philippians 3:7-8

The only thing that could have possibly kept Paul from becoming bitter and disillusioned in those dark and cold prison cells was a real relationship with a real Jesus. Paul knew he was in for a long ride, but all that mattered to him was completing the race that God had set out for him. If he hadn't discovered the real Jesus, he would have never ended well. The joy of Paul's relationship with Jesus drove away the fear of death, and compelled him to endure torture so that others could experience this same Jesus. Paul tasted the goodness of God through Jesus, and it consumed everything in his life. Jesus desires the same for you and for me. That's the good news of the Gospel. We get to participate in the plans of God and experience Him on a deeply personal basis.

Six years ago I left a broadcasting career to pursue a church internship. I remember people looking me in the eye and asking, "Are you sure this is a good idea?" They reminded me that I was leaving a full-time, respectable job for a part-time internship that I was going to have to pay thousands of dollars to participate in. I smiled and reassured them it was a good idea...A much better idea than trying to clear a 12 foot mud hole with the aid of only a two foot ramp. I guess I had been trained well to take risks.

I'm sure it won't be the last time Jesus will lead me into a situation that will cause people to question my logic. I probably won't get any better at convincing them it's a good idea either. All I know is that Jesus is far better than I ever imagined, and following him is better than anything else I've ever known.

What a great idea it was to say "yes" to him. This is actually an idea that will end well.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9