If not now, WHEN?

We jump into our days, shower, maybe shave, grab something to eat and off to work we go. Got to go, got to go. Sound familiar?

“When I had nothing to lose, I had everything. When I stopped chasing things to become somebody, I found myself.“
– Paulo Coelho

And if we just run fast enough and hard enough we’re pretty sure that we can get caught up and maybe, just maybe – get a ahead. We don’t have time right “now” but maybe later. Whether it is dealing with our struggling children our jobs, our marriage, whatever our ailment, we self medicate our way through our lives. We diagnose and prescribe and in doing so we bypass the consultation with the greatest physician, God. We get lost in the illusion that we ourselves create that tells us that we can become whole and heal ourselves and others if we just try a bit harder - It is a lie. And the medications of choice are many and varied from alcohol and drugs to an all consuming drive for “success” in our jobs & lives, to simply our own guilt and pride that keeps us from truly admitting that we are broken.

“For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return, and I would heal them.”
Matthew 13-15

Small children it seems always have more questions than answers. They have such energy and a sense awe of life but can not meet their own need and depend on other for protection and wisdom. For a small child to become a healthy adult they rely on those above them to accept them, to forgive them and to love them. But somewhere in our “maturing” we lose sight of the only path to true restoration and healing which begins and ends on our knees.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me”
Rev 3-20

In the midst of our “not now, maybe later” world, we are paid the almost intolerable compliment of Christ requesting our permission to heal us. We are asked - Will you let Him heal you? And patiently, He waits for me and for you to open the door…..

If not now, WHEN?

Wax on….. Wax off…..

I’ve had several conversations recently around “Why”? Why me, why them, why not me, why, why, why? Back in the 80’s there was a wonderful movie called the Karate Kid. In it there are 2 main characters, Ralph Macchio is Daniel, the teenager that is always getting bullied at his new school. Pat Morita is Mr. Myagi who is an apartment maintenance man that befriends Macchio and becomes his karate teacher and so much more. There is one scene in the movie where Myagi is finally going to get down to the business of teaching Karate and that scene goes something like

Miyagi: Wax on… wax off. Wax on… wax off.
Miyagi: First, wash all car. Then wax. Wax on…
Daniel: Hey, why do I have to…?
Miyagi: Ah ah! Remember deal! No questions!
Daniel: Yeah, but…
Miyagi: Hai! [making circular gestures with each hand]

Miyagi: Wax on, right hand. Wax off, left hand. Wax on, wax off. Breathe in through nose, out the mouth. Wax on, wax off. Don’t forget to breathe, very important….

Miyagi: Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off…..

Daniel’s ‘training’ also includes painting Myagi’s fence, his house and sanding his decks, all with proper form. When Daniel challenges his teacher, his teacher again reminds him “Remember Deal! No Questions”. At one point Daniel explains how his teacher clearly does not understand the problem. His teacher answers that he understand Daniel’s problem perfectly. Finally Daniel, just can’t stand it anymore and yells at this “teacher” that he was supposed to teach him and instead he’s been busting his but for days and he hasn’t learned a single thing. And while the entire movie is good the next scene is why I like this movie so much. His teacher then shows him that he has indeed learned plenty. The boring and painful wax on, wax off, the up and down painting movements, the sanding of the deck, it all replicates basic Karate moves. Much to Daniel’s surprise, he has not only learned much he is now even stronger. Through his suffering and his doubt and his burning desire to know the plan, Daniel is delivered but it looked nothing like he expected.

And so it is with God and our lives. If we are going to “learn”, if we are going to be made useful for God and to fully live our lives it will often mean suffering and not knowing why God is taking us this way. It will mean giving up our shared illusion that we are in control and putting aside our burning desire for a micro-waved, don’t want it to hurt, fast path through life. It will mean answering the question - His will? Or ours? It will mean going through it without understanding to suddenly arrive at a place of enlightenment to realize that God has sharpened us, He has taught us, He has strengthened us and we did not even know…..

His plan or our plan….. wax on… wax off….