Can I have a little bit of heaven on earth when I love a prodigal?
Matt 6:10 “Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heaven…”
We really enjoyed our trip to the Grand Canyon and then to Seattle for our
son’s wedding. It’s exciting to see things we haven’t seen before, to see old
and new friends, and to spend time with family. However, most people who travel
would agree that the best part of any trip is coming home. As much as we loved
seeing new things and spending time with family and friends, it was wonderful
to come home, to sleep in our own bed, and to be surrounded by the things that
are familiar to us…things that seem more under our control.
Change isn’t easy at any time; at least it isn’t easy for me. I like to know
exactly what’s going to happen today, next week, and even next year. Knowing
the details of any situation gives me the illusion of control. And it really is an illusion because I know in my heart
I can’t control people or circumstances. The only thing I can really control is
myself, and I often don’t do a very good job of that. So why do I make myself
crazy trying to control everything and everyone around me, especially when I
can’t see the future? In fact, with my limited vision, I often can’t even see
the present clearly.
It might be a better plan for me to start each day by surrendering my own will
for God’s will. His plan for me is certainly going to be better than any plan I
could come up with for myself. He sees the entire situation, whatever that
might be, while my vision is limited even when I’m at my best. And when I’m
feeling overwhelmed by things I can’t control, I’m hardly at my best.
Our flight from Washington DC to Atlanta last night was on a smaller plane.
From my seat I could see the cockpit, the pilot, and the instrument panel. I
found all those lights and controls extremely overwhelming, and I felt uneasy
as we were preparing to take off. When the door to the cockpit was closed, I
felt a great sense of relief, and I able to just sit back and enjoy the ride
with my grandson. It was an adventure for him, and sharing it with him was an
adventure for me once I stopped worrying about how to “drive” the plane.
My life would probably seem less frightening too if I could stop trying to
control every part of it and turn it over to God, who really does know how to
manage that flight control panel. It isn’t easy for me to hand the people I
love or the situations that are breaking my heart over to God. However, it
helps when I remember that He has a plan for me, and that plan is to prosper me
and give me hope and a future. (Jer. 29:11) Part of the Lord’s Prayer asks for
God’s will on earth just as it is in Heaven. If I can start each morning by
surrendering my own will and praying for God’s will, my day might really be a
“little bit of Heaven” right here on earth.
Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, trust that God knows what
He is doing? Can you pray, “Not my will, but Thine be done?
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