Monday, February 7, 2011

The Flexible Blessing

Subtitle: "Hit 'Em With a Flex." Ha!


I confess: I love straws.

I keep straws in my purse and my office desk because I just can't be caught without one. Any straw will do, but I have a favorite: the flexible straw. To me, that is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century. Backward, forward, left or right, high or low....in any position, the liquid continues to flow.

Pure genius, I tell ya.

As a Christian, my faith should resemble that straw. I should be able to understand God's work in my life from every angle, every position....every storm. And yet, we have become a rigid society. With our lips, we tell people God answers prayers in one of three ways. In our hearts, we are expecting one answer in particular.


Can I just keep it real tonight?

You have prayed and prayed for God to make a way in your job situation. After months of seemingly no answer, you get an offer for a job....but it's not the salary you expected. Or it's not the title you wanted.The hours are different than you expected--they had the audacity to ask you to work on Saturday! Maybe, this job even requires you to move to another area of the country altogether. And instead of rolling with the punches, all you can think is:


That's not what I asked for!


May I delve a little deeper? And I'm about to say OUCH, 'cause I'm stepping on my own toes!

You've been talking to God about your relationship situation. You walk around singing that you're "ready for love" like India Arie and you're signing up for every singles conference in the country. And here comes a suitor...but he's two inches shorter than you. He has children, as in more than one and with different mothers. He doesn't have a degree. He doesn't have a six-pack. He uses CONVERSATE as though it's a real word! Touch, Lord!



One more:

You have a loved one who is terminally ill. You have watched them go from vibrant and healthy to (literally) nothing but skin and bones. You have prayed until you've lost your voice, asking God for a miracle. You believe God can do anything but fail--everyone you know is touching and agreeing on their healing.

And they die.

You fall to your knees and literally scream into the sky: "GOD, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!"



Sound familiar?

It should. It's my testimony.

Stay tuned for Part II.

-K.

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