Our lives seem to travel at the speed of light. We go to bed thinking of what the next day will bring, of our plans and goals. The alarm goes off all too soon, the kids scream, the sun wakes us up and another peaceful waking has eluded us. Another day full of unknowns and things we did not see coming awaits. Nothing ever goes the way we plan - in fact I wonder why I even attempt to plan anything! But we know that the one who does not plan does not have any direction, and without direction we wander and become aimless. So we try to do what we can about what is in front of us and push the rest aside. We must learn to trust God with the rest, but the “rest” becomes quite a bit. It is at the juncture of “the rest” that we need to learn the art of placing our plans and expectations into proper perspective. We need to learn to cast.
My husband and I attempted to “bond” over fly fishing during our courtship and early marriage. I am not sure what some seasoned marriage counselors would say about our “bonding through fishing,” but it seemed to do us some good. One thing that Chris spent a lot of time teaching me was the art of casting. You have to learn to cast far and with the right movements so that you can land your line, hopefully with the fly still attached, in the place that you want it to land, hopefully in the trout filled stream. Fly casting becomes an art to those patient enough to learn it well. It is beautiful. The perfect cast, like a dance over a sunlit stream, is a beauty to behold. We too must learn the art of casting, casting our burdens. Oh the beautiful life that has learned the art of casting one’s burdens onto the Lord!
“Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 This verse is calling, commanding, us to literally throw all, every kind of care, anxiety, and worry on to Christ. Why? His care and concern is for us and for our good. He is looking beyond our inabilities to make something work out. His desire is for us to be exalted above our immediate problem. He wants to take us to another plane, to where He is. And where He is, there is liberty - freedom from the weight of control, from the shackles of joyless law keeping. He desires to lead us into His marvelous grace. He wants us to trust Him with the details and timing of every care. He wants us to walk through the cares of this life at His speed, the speed of Light.
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| "Breaking Through" by Harry Brioche |
We must begin with our expectations, what we want to see happen. Be honest. If you are like me they can be pretty unrealistic. Children who do nothing but obey their parents and love one another. A husband who knows exactly what I need before I even express it, in fact he is omniscient! A home that could be on the cover of the Ikea Christmas catalog. And oh, by the way, I, will make all of these expectations come true! Somewhere in the midst of all of my good intentions I have lost sight of reality. I need to empty, or cast, my expectations onto Christ. He cares for me and He will keep me from setting up an unrealistic life that will only disappoint and tempt me to make control an idol. He has a better way. He wants me to “walk in the light as He is in the light.”1 John 1:7 My expectations change in the light of His Word. He lights a path for my feet to tread where my ankle will not turn and no rotting logs will trip me. His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts. They are far higher than my own. He shows me what He requires. “But to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”Micah 6:8 Do I believe this or do I fight this? I need my faith and trust in Christ to be built up.
I need to reorient my heart and mind to accept and understand how life is truly meant to be lived. Christ summons us to come and then He fills us to go out again. We live our lives as saints on the principle of “coming and going.” Not just any coming and going, by a very purposeful, life giving coming and going. As the Father sent Christ, so Christ is sending us. At the feet of Jesus we await our mission every day. I need to take precious time to sit and be still - to pray and to read and study what is true so that I can “go back out there” and meet the unknown, the not planned for, the “that came out of left field” moments. I need to live a life of prayer in which I “come” and “go” all day long. So, with all of the decisions and things to do and to respond to, I need to remember Who has called me, where I am now, and where I am being led. I can dwell in the light of His Word so that I know what his good, pleasing, and perfect will is for my life. I do not have to just react or let life happen to me - this reactionary lifestyle does not bring joy or peace. I can remember that every thing that is coming to me today is also leading me to where Christ would have me go. It is here that I find purpose in the unexpected. The unexpected fits perfectly into His plan for my day. I can rest and then “go out.” I can remember Whose I am and where I am going and where I am called to be. I can let my light so shine before men and glorify the Father of Lights who is leading me from glory to glory. So, let the light speed come; let the unexpected and unplanned come. Let us pray with Christ throughout the day, “not my will, but yours be done.”Luke 22:42
Remember the blessing that was spoken over one of Jacob’s sons in the wilderness, “as your days so shall your strength be.”Duet. 33:25 The strength we need to do His will comes to us with each new day, like the sweet manna that came down from God the Father to feed and nourish His people. It is His will that we trust and believe Him when we cannot see the outcome. We need Christ’s eyes, His vision, to see clearly. The Lord is our light and our salvation therefore we have nothing to fear. He is the stronghold of our lives and he keeps us in perfect peace. The One who caused you to see aright is leading you to go, knowing that every unplanned thing is completely intended by God. Let us begin each day, joyfully and peacefully waiting with open hands as He fills them with eternal purposes, for we are living at the speed of Light.
~ Your Fellow Sojourner
