Friday, July 31, 2009

Crash Landing

Once, while standing at a congested Los Angeles intersection, to my right came a buzzing noise and then a voice entered my consciousness--"Lady, it may have sounded like we crashed landed, but the engine is still running, the engine is still running." The light having turned green, I quickly moved on, leaving the speaker and his grocery cart of possessions in my wake.

It wasn't the first time that some outrageous comment had been uttered within my hearing but what has stuck with me is that the comment may not have been that "crazy" after all. As I hurried down the street it suddenly occurred to me that, when reading the news or listening to world events, we may think that it "sounds" like we, as a creation, have crashed landed. All the evidence is there--war, famine, unrest, genocide, land destruction.

But, if I believe that God is in control, that makes the Engine still running. As Jesus followers we cannot buy a ticket to the End Times Revue and then scramble for a front row seat to watch the destruction. If the Engine is still running our work is not over and we have a responsibility to be a part of repairing what has been destroyed or broken.

When God says we won't know when He will return, we might want to take him at his word. We will be surprised. God calls us to be diligent workers to the very end. Jesus instructs us, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of people." The Holy Spirit points us in the right direction.

Since hearing the street person's wisdom I have had to ask myself--If the engine is still running what am I doing to help restore what God created?How am I reaching out to broken hearts and giving them the promise, "it may feel like you've crashed landed, but God is in control, Jesus loves you and the Holy Spirit is with you because, you see, the Engine is still running."

Is my heart and spirit open each day to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit guiding and directing me? I pray that it is because, it may sound like we've crashed landed, but praise the Lord, the Engine is still running!

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