Ok, so you may be lost, having read my last two posts. What is this guy going off about?
Well, I will tell you.
Last Monday I went with my PE group (the RockWalkers) to a series of caves. Usually our leader lets us walk around whatever site we are at (usually a cavern or gorge or something). In the past I had carried my iPod so that I could listen to music as I appreciated God’s creation. So it was this time. But this time we went on a guided tour. So I was not listening to music.
We went through the entire cave, and came back topside and sat down for lunch, when I noticed something. My iPod was missing. It was not at the picnic tables, nor in the visitor centre. I had no idea when or where or how it became detached from my belt, but the simple fact was that it was not with me.
I registered it with the front desk as lost, and went my way.
Momentarily (ok, for the ride home and that evening) I was distraught in mind. Outwardly, I accepted it. I was cool. I have learned too much to sink into despair. I knew that God gives, and He takes away, blessed be His Name. But I couldn’t quite bring myself to believe.
The next day I wrestled, until I finally realized what it was God wanted. Surrender. Absolute, total, unconditional surrender. So I did. God gave me the way to purchase the iPod. If He wanted to reneg, who was I to question Him? And it wouldn’t be reneging anyway. God has absolute rights over my life.
So I went my way free indeed. I considered buying a new iPod, but have no money. I had a little, so I considered an iPod shuffle, just to get by, but felt not that it was to be done, so I did not. God must not want me to have a way of listening to music, I reasoned.
But yesterday, I got a package slip in my mailbox. I hadn’t ordered anything, and was not expecting anything, so what could this be? A voice in the back of my head whispered that it was my iPod, but I knew better. It was gone, lost forever in a dark corner, or picked up by somebody who thought themselves lucky. I would never see it again.
But today, when I went to acquire my package, the return address label left no doubt.
It was from the cave welcome centre, and inside, nestled gently amidst a bed of packing peanuts, was my iPod.
And I suddenly felt very foolish. And very thankful. And somewhat wildly, uncontainably, indefatigueably happy. It was a weird feeling.
But what God took away, a very week later He returned. I have learned my lesson, at least for now. The sad thing about being human is that we often require reminders of who God really is.
And He really is God.
(not because He returned my insignificant iPod, but because He didn’t have to, but did anyway)
“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire, and He will deliver us out of your hand, O King. But, even if He does not let it be known to you, O King, that we are not going to [deny our God].” – Daniel 3:17-18
may I be like these three, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael
This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 8th, 2006 at 06:45:39 and is filed under Captain\'s Log, Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
