This morning I was in a rush to get home. I was coming back from walking the dog of a friend of ours and had to switch cars with our daughter at the high school. I still had to get ready for work and had some things at work I wanted to get to as soon as possible. As I turned up the street for the final stop light, before I made it to the school, I saw a car in front of me. I thought if I went a little faster I could maybe pass it in time to get to the light first. If I didn't pass it I would have to wait behind it at the light.
Don't you just hate waiting at stop lights when you have an appointment you are trying to make? I would rather be the first one off the line at a stop light instead of having to wait for the person ahead of me to notice the light has already turned green, then they slowly start forward, and finally they get up to the speed limit. Yet, there are those times when I take a breath and say, "Lord, help me to slow down, be patient, and listen."
This was one of those mornings. As I stopped worrying about passing the car in front of me I realized I was going to get to the light behind them in about five seconds later than if I had passed them. I also noticed they were waiting at the light already. Since they had been at the light for a while the light turned green and by the time I was at the intersection I didn't have to stop or even slow down. By being patient I got through the intersection with less aggravation and no loss of speed.
Sometimes what looks like a potential barrier is only an opportunity for us to breath a little easier and listen a little more carefully to God.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Sometimes God is waiting at the light for us so by the time we get there it will already be green, so we might go forward.
Seeking to breath easier and listen more closely with you,
Pastor Randy
