Do you see that one stack of paper being held together by the large black clip? Most people would call this a dossier. I call it Lucifer.
I don't mean to be derogatory, it's just that we don't get along.
My problem is not the documents themselves, but rather, that every piece of information on these documents must be absolutely perfect and fit the ever changing requirements of the Russian courts.
It's times like these when I am so frustrated with the process and can't see straight, that I believe perspective is in order. And God, in His abundant grace, delivers me a plateful of it. Through these experiences I have learned that God is not above using humor to get His point across.
A few weeks ago, one pastor in our church started a blog called Project 1189, and invited the church to take part. His aim is to read through the bible - all 1,189 chapters of it - in two years, offering his daily input into the passages and allowing others to comment and add any insights they receive as well.
This week, we are reading through Genesis chapters 12 - 24 which focus on the life of a seemingly ordinary man. A man who, against all reasoning, left the familiarity and safety of his home, culture and everything that he knew, because God said "go".
At the age of 75 (he was no spring chick!), Abraham left his homeland and lived the life of a nomad, wandering through the wilderness, tending his flocks, breaking up fights, making mistakes, but all the while, remembering God's promise to him that his descendants will inherit the very land that Abraham walked as a foreigner.
25 years after receiving that first promise, Abraham was given another shocking piece of news: His wife Sarah would give birth to a son. Abraham, of course, laughed saying "how can this be? She is 90 years old and barren!" But again, against all reasoning, Abraham believed God and continued to walk out his faith.
I can't think of a better way to describe Abraham's faith than what was written by our pastor in today's post:
"Real faith does not consist in the refining and affirming of propositions, but in the courageous act of the imagination that is able to “suspend incredulity and believe the impossible” – even though to all outward appearances it seems pure folly."
Talk about perspective!
Genesis 12-24 shows that when an ordinary man dances with Almighty God, extraordinary happens.
I have to wonder though...Would things have turned out differently if Abraham was forced to carry with him a file cabinet full of pesky paperwork?
I'm just saying!
0 comments:
Post a Comment