Objects in Mirror are Closer than They Appear - Encouragement Café - December 29, 2015
Objects in Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear
Café Menu for Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Today’s Special is: Driving Toward Your Destiny
Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Aj Luck
Main Ingredient:
I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.
Ephesians 1:18 NIV
Entrée:
Whenever someone mentions looking in a rear-view mirror, my mind immediately goes to the scene in Jurassic Park where the main characters are fleeing from an angry T-Rex dinosaur. When they see his reflection in their rearview mirror, they also see the words, “Objects in the mirror are closer than they appear” float over the image. I’m not even in the movie and I start sweating at that scene! YIKES!
As this year starts drawing to an end, it’s a great time for us to look in our proverbial rear-view mirrors. Let’s look back and see how God has answered prayers, moved us, sustained us and even changed us.
For me, some roads that my family and I have had to travel were harder than others. Some consisted of bumps, bends and even detours, yet we kept moving forward.
Some places seemed like paradise, while others seemed like GPS malfunctions. YET, God was there at every turn!
This year I’ve been...
Surprised.
Shocked.
Sad.
Sick.
Stunned.
Scared.
Satisfied.
Selfless.
Selfish.
Sensitive.
Skeptical.
Spiritual.
Shallow.
Saved.
Some of the images in my rear-view mirror scared me to my core, yet God provided courage far beyond myself. (Publishing my memoir, appearing on national television and being pushed into an extrovert life, when I’m really an introvert at heart.)
Some of life’s detours included job loss, illness for not only myself but my family members. Detours that were beyond my control, that required trust far beyond myself. Sometimes, God will allow detours in our lives to deepen our dependence on Him.
We may not be where we want to be, where we originally set out to be or even in the ballpark of where we want to be. However, we can be rest assured that we are exactly where we are supposed to be...
Smack dab in the palm of God's hand… and He’s not going to let us go.
If we look closely, we can see that God was there in the rear-view mirror all along (no matter how scary, or rewarding, this past year has been).
He’s in front of us, guiding us.
He's behind us, protecting us.
He's beside us, encouraging us.
We are never alone.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9 NIV
Take Out:
Give yourself a gift. Go to a local thrift store or big box store and buy a large container with a lid. For me, I purchased a large mason jar with a lid. Purchase some pretty paper, different colors, shapes and sizes. Decorate your container with the upcoming year “2016 Winks.”
Every time God answers a prayer, provides a need, meets you in a way only God can... write it down and put it in the container. Put the container in an area where it can be viewed often. Let it serve as a visual reminder that God is with you in every moment.
This time next year, or any time you feel discouraged, sit down with your family and pour out all of your winks and read them aloud. Allow this to remind you that God is for you and NOT against you.
Dessert:
Dear Jesus, thank You for this past year. Thank You for every moment, good, bad, scary, silly and sacred. Help me to look back over this year, ONLY as a reference to see the progress that You are making in my life. Help me to focus on You and our days ahead together. Thank You for loving me in the midst of difficult times. Thank You for bringing me into the places You have destined for me to be, long before You gave me my first breath. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
© 2015 by Aj Luck. All rights reserved.
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