Embrace the Obstruction - Day 108 Month 4-18 Week 16-3
Today's Reading (Bible in 1 year)
Numbers 22, Psalm 87, Jeremiah 6:22-30, Luke 17:1-21 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2022%2C%20Psalm%2087%2C%20Jeremiah%206%3A22-30%2C%20Luke%2017%3A1-21&version=NASB1995
Embrace the Obstruction
1. Baalam whacked his donkey with a stick 3 times before the donkey talked to him (I probably would have run if an animal talked to me). The donkey asked him “What have I done to you…?” Considering she had been faithful all these years, why would this time be any different? Of course we were told the donkey saw the angel that Balaam did not. She protected Balaam from sure death if she had continued moving forward.
We hear things like, “If I had left 10 minutes sooner that could have been me,” or “I was supposed to be there that morning but I was ill. I might have met that same fate.” The most common that I remember was hearing stories of people who were normally at the World Trade Centre early each morning but, on the day of 9/11, were held up on transit, or something happened at home that delayed them, or a child was sick, etc. Sometimes when we have a goal, something strangely gets in the way and often we find out later it was for the best.
So what should we do? Embrace the obstruction! There is a very reputable plumber that lives about 5 km from my home. I had asked him to do a small plumbing job for us and it seems every time I asked him about it he had taken another job. He said to me, “I start my morning and often by the time I get to the end of my driveway, a customer calls with a plumbing emergency and my day changes.” Though I don’t believe he is a Jesus Follower, he embraces the changes. Sometimes Sylvia will ask me to do something when I am in the middle of a task. I will do it, often reluctantly, but I will do it and continue the work I was doing afterwards. All of that to say, I believe it is all training for when God puts an obstruction in my way. It will keep me from hitting my donkey (being angry at a course-correcting interruption).
When we put it in the context of people, God has time and time again caused disruptions in people's lives that provide opportunities to serve and love others. Sometimes the disruptions are the opportunities.
2. Towards the end of our Luke reading, Jesus talks about the kingdom of God. He told the Pharisees that “the kingdom of God is in your midst.” When he said that, he made it clear God’s kingdom is not part of a physical country and not part of the political realm of the world. It was in the midst of it all, not separated by physical boundaries. That’s how it is today. Within the entire world as we know it, the kingdom of God represented by Jesus' followers (His church), is present throughout bringing good news to all who will receive it. I wrote this on Sunday (3 days ago). We attended a church close to us because we were delayed in driving to our regular congregation. It didn’t matter really, because we are all part of the kingdom Jesus is talking about!
Have a great day!
Steve
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