The message from Travis last night was amazing, and so needed for the Stirring family I think. I for one appreciated the fresh look at singleness and married-ness. One is not better or more than the other, and both are to be valued and sooo needed. I loved the emphasis on playing the “hand” that the Lord has given us each day. Being faithful in whatever season that we are currently in and using it to the best of our ability to serve and expand the Kingdom of the amazing God we love.
There were a couple of big “take home moments” for me last night, one was being challenged to live each day I am given to its absolute capacity. Am I doing that now, in my relationships, in my action? I am not willing to sit and live in the waiting room of life, for life to finally start. It already has, I am in it, and I love every second of it. Thank you Travis for the encouragement to all of us in our various stages of life!
The second and most vivid thing I took away from last night was a picture that I saw during worship second service. The repeating word for the second service seemed to be one of trust. Trust that the Lord knows what he’s doing, knows the desire of you heart and is working you towards something that will blow your mind when you finally see it, but no longer live in the “not yet” live in the right now. Live in the right now with fervent passion, not with an attitude of defeat, or longing for what will be. But this word of trust brought about this picture for me…
If you have ever seen the movie King Kong (the newer one, Jack Black and Naomi Watts) you’ll remember this scene, if not you need to watch it and remember this image… King Kong has just defended Ann Darrow from three huge T-Rex dinosaurs, he’s battered, tired and grumpy, rightfully so. The next shot is of Kong sitting tired on this huge cliff and Ann standing back from him, still unsure of how safe she ought to feel with this beast. They watch each other for a while, careful not to let one catch the other looking. Finally Kong, lays his massive hand on the ground, palm up and looks away from her, she sits a while longer before deciding she can trust this massive creature that just fought to save her and climbs up into his gigantic open waiting hand, Kong glances back with a warm look as she curls up in this palm to rest. She rests peaceful, calm and knowing that while in this other worldly jungle she is without doubt safe in his hand.
As the night went on, this picture changed for me from the large furry hand of Kong to the hand of God, and from Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow to me as the leading lady in my own story. In a fantastic way, I was confirmed that I do rest in the palm of a huge, powerful, sometime terrifying, but oh so loving Lord who has only my best interest in mind. He has over time in my life protected me from the various forms of T-Rex that I have faced, sometimes even unknowingly. He is the protector of my heart, my life, of all that I am and who I will continue to become. So I woke today and walked out my door to face what would normally be “just another manic Monday” knowing, and fully owning the confidence that I sit today in the palm of an almighty Lord in whom I can place all of my trust and have nothing to fear.
So whether it be relationship, leadership, work, life in general… I give my all, every fiber of my heart, the core of who I am and I say do with it as you see fit, I trust you.
