Yesterday, we accompanied a friend to a new church - all three of us loved it. We were really impressed at the age of the congregation - I mean, over 60% were under 30 years old (I'm guessing) : ) I always say that, if you can get young people to church, then you're doing something right. Needless to say, we plan to go back next week! : )
The sermon was about - having too much, too soon or doing too much, too soon - how many of us have done that? I know I have...and whilst it has all worked out fine for us (thanks to God's grace), it was, at times, a needlessly stressful journey... The pastor spoke about how us young people want to finish uni, get rich, buy a flash car, buy a house, see the entire world in 3 months, buy another house, get married, have kids, start a business and all before we're 30! umm... why? Why are we in such a rush? Why do we want everything now? Why can't we wait? If we have it all by the time we're 30, what's left for the other 50 +? hmmm
The pastor likened the relationship between 'us and God' to that between 'parents and children'. I understood this analogy only too well! I am now officially both a parent and a child : ) I tell my daughter on a daily basis, 'wait', 'soon', 'maybe later', 'perhaps you should hang on a minute'...yet she doesn't understand why she has to 'wait'..why must she 'hang on'... I say these things because, I know better (at least I think I do), and that's why I can make these decisions for her...until she's equipped to make them for herself. If she had her own way, she would indeed eat 100 biscuits for breakfast, ice-cream for lunch, and cake for dinner! I know if she did just that, she'd be sick - and no-one would be happy!
In the case of our relationship with God, we pray and pray and pray - 'God, please let me get into this uni'; 'God, please let me get a good job'; 'God, please let them agree to give me a mortgage' and so on and so on. Sometimes, we think God isn't listening because he hasn't answered our prayers, but really, he's saying 'Not yet, I have a better Uni for you, where you'll meet your best friend for life!' or 'hold on, if you get that job, you'll have the colleague from hell - I don't want that for you' or 'it's not time, the house next door to the one you think you love will be up for sale in 2 years, and it will be £20k cheaper - leaving you money to furnish your house to perfection!'.
It is so true - God's time really is the best time.
Yesterday's sermon really spoke to me. Am I alone, or do all of us young-uns want it all now?
In a world of credit cards and 'buy now, pay later' - how do we re-train our brains to just be content with the many blessings we do have, be glad, and rejoice in them? How do we plan for the future without living in the future instead of today...?
I guess my Mum's advice holds true, plan, pray and play! I we continue to plan, pray and play whilst God is working it all out - surely it'll be smiles all round?
Mrs O
x
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