I'm not bullet proof!

            As my Father has needed my attention and presence during his health issues I have had some seasonal allergies going on. You know cough, congestion, and runny eyes so I have been “Claritin clear” (not really) every day to keep the symptoms at bay. It never eliminates the source just makes it easier to power through. After all my Dad is counting on me and needs me. A good thing right? The previous weeks have been long days and hectic days driving the bus, doing the preacher thing and going to the hospital daily or doctors keeping up with information etc. A busy season of life to say the least and made a bit more difficult by allergy symptoms. Monday evening it caught up with me.

            I went to coughing and once again saw stars coughing so hard. That is miserable. So off to the Doctor on Tuesday I went. O2 sats down, congestion in my lungs followed by a breathing treatment, shot in the hip and 5 prescriptions I was on my way. Hyped up on steroids for the rest of the afternoon but it was worth it. I had been doing the right thing honoring my Father and Mother by caring for them and trying to be a good employee to the school board and a good shepherd to my sheep. God things, good things but done the right way?

           God is so timely yet living outside of time, Wednesday morning I was reminded of Peter and walking on the water. Jesus comes to the disciples in the midst of a storm and they are afraid. Peter calls to Jesus

 28 “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter answered Him, “command me to come to You on the water.” 29 “Come!” He (Jesus) said. Matthew 14:28-29 HCSB.

            Peter gets out of the boat. No one else did. God has called him and it doesn’t matter if anyone else goes with him. God has called. It’s a God thing. He walks on the water as if on a shelf made of rock. God has called and here he goes. He is doing the right thing surely he is bullet proof. God has him doing this right? “If God is for us who is against us?” (Romans 8:31) It could lead you to think you are bullet proof.

            When we are young or at least think we are young we can recover from anything if it even happens. Put on pads or armor and we can do anything. If I get hit it won’t hurt we think. Add to that the spiritual armor we are promised and we are bullet proof. Right? Armor can give us a false sense of security. One that we can go anywhere and beat anything or withstand any opposition. Make it a God task and we assume… God’s tasks are best when done God’s ways. It’s an easy trap to fall into being blinded by the armor so that we fail to consider the method as well. As the story goes Peter lost sight of Jesus and began to see his surroundings. That’s when he sank. That’s when Jesus reached out and grabbed him. Wet, sputtering and embarrassed Peter gets back into the boat with the others. That’s perhaps the first time that the disciples worshipped Jesus when they got back to the boat.
            God task does not make you bullet proof. In fact it may make you more vulnerable to attack and wounds. However it does make you safe! No, I’m NOT bullet proof. I brought my inhaler today just in case. How we go about God’s tasks IS important. Don’t fail in the basic disciplines of prayer, scripture and meditation. Those keep us doing God’s tasks God’s ways.   

In HIS Service and Yours

Bro G