Have you heard the story of a guy who's town is flooding? Probably. There are some different variations but the one I pulled off a Christian jokes page goes like this:
The flood was coming and word was sent to evacuate. One farmer sat on his porch and told the rescue team. "I'm waiting for God, He'll save me." Soon the water rose and the farmer was forced to the second story of his house. The rescue boat came but he told them. "I'm waiting for God He'll save me." Soon the farmer was forced to the top of his roof. The rescue helicopter came but he told them. "I'm waiting for God, He'll save me." The water rose and the farmer drowned. On his arrival in heaven he asked God, "Why didn't you save me? I waited for you but you never came." God replied. "I came three times."
I'll get back to the story in a minute. In our lifegroup at church, we're going through a book called "Walking with God" by John Eldredge. We're only a few sections in but the gist of it is that you can talk to God and hear from God on a day to day basis. I'm liking it and really trying out some of the principles and ideas he talks about.
So back to the story. Was it really wrong of the guy to wait for God and expect big things? Bigger miracles than a boat and a helicopter? Lately (as in, just this past day and a half or so) I've been feeling like I'm trying to rely too much on my own devices in the midst of our own little "crisis". OK, so maybe a better analogy would be if the guy in the story tried to build his own boat to save himself. I feel like that's what I'm doing. Trying to build my own boat. By trying to sell more baby leggings and diapers and really putting some time and effort into my Usana business and picking up extra hours at the stable. I'm not relying on God. This is where the book we're reading ties in. I really feel like God is telling me to stop trying to do it on my own and rest in him. To let him provide.
But that brings me right back to the guy on the roof in the flood. Maybe God is providing for us by these other means. I mean, my Etsy sales have never been so good. My Usana business is growing. The barn owner has been so gracious in giving me more hours even though she knows it's only until Jay finds work. I don't want to be an idiot and miss the provision God already is giving. So where is the balance? Is one mind set correct and the other wrong? Do I listen to the little voice in my head (that I think is God) telling me to rest? Or do I rest in knowing that God already is providing? Am I waiting for some sort of big miracle or can I be confident and content in where we are now? Maybe these seemingly conflicting thoughts can actually cohabitate in my mind - one is not wrong nor the other right. Maybe I need to stop and ask God, "exactly what is this 'rest' you keep mentioning?"
