At one time in my life I thought I was pretty shrewd. I was active in student government, an
officer of my class and several clubs, was best thespian, and because I wasn’t
afraid to do public speaking I did it whenever I had the chance. I was set to take the world by storm and I
plotted a course that I thought would do just that. I loved being an agent for change.
One of the things I wanted to do was to revolutionize the
church. I wanted to be part of a
movement that would help people realize that Jesus was “real” man. (What can I
say, I grew up in the 60’s).
Then just when I was about to take the world by storm, God sent me to the desert (also known as rural
America). I lived in the desert for 20
years. Don’t get me wrong, I met some
pretty cool people in the desert, but not many who wanted to support a
revolution in the church. As a matter of
fact, that concept was unheard of in the desert. After a few years I put away my banners and
picket signs and I started talking to God about change. The latter part of my trek through the desert
was spent talking to God daily – minute by minute about wanting the church to
be relevant to future generations.
Gradually, God sent others who wanted change, too. One in particular. I knew she was sent by God because the first
thing she told me when we met was, “you might need to know I’m a bit of a
revolutionary…” Uhmmm, really? Slowly I
turned growing more interested with every breath. Little did she know I was a card carrying
member just waiting for the wind to blow in the right direction.
After more taming, eventually, the wind did blow in the
right direction and I started to realize why I’d been in the desert, and why I
never did give up the dream to help other people realize Jesus was “real”. At the right time, in the right place, the
taming that took place in the desert took hold and God started to show me the
way. It wasn’t instant and it still
isn’t easy but after talking to God I knew it was the right path for me.
What’s interesting is that in the desert I thought I was
lost. I thought it was a mistake. Truth
is, I was never lost. God knew exactly
where I was all along because He was right beside me, taming and wooing me to
His heart. God also knew exactly where
the path out of the desert was and when I would begin to see it. There was a reason for the taming – it was
necessary – and it was good. Even the
hard parts were good because it was all about the taming and the wooing.
You see, even though there was a taming, it was a gentle
taming; gentle enough to leave the dream and the desire intact. The revolutionary still lives on, still desiring
that others will know Jesus for who He really is – real – knowing – loving. Jesus
is relevant and real for you and for me and that’s what the desert embedded
deep in my heart. God really loves you
and knows you. God is real. Real enough even to tame the shrewd.
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