Landing

I hate landing. Not because I feel in danger. Flying for me is a peaceful endeavor. I don’t have to worry about a thing when I fly. Whether or not I’m late it’s not in my hands. Plus they bring me ginger ale, unless of course you’re on an economy airline. Either way I know the flight will take off even if it is delayed, stay in the air and land. It is exactly the same every time. Some landings are more rough than others, but that is not why I dislike landing. Landing means coming to the end of this period of certainty. I have to step off the plane and into immediate responsibility. Going through customs, finding my bag, then further transportation. Suddenly I am responsible again. I wrote this poem on one of my flights.

Above the clouds there’s new terrain
Above the gloom and pouring rain
Here above it can I stay
No more sorrow and no pain
These powdered pellets begin to fade
As mountains rise into their place
Above the clouds I cannot stay
Into the grey I must engage
With the light I’ve come to know
Darkened skies will illuminate
As brokenness fades away

I hesitate to call it selfishness to get away from it all. After all we are commanded to sabbath, and God desires we seek refuge in Him. Where the selfishness might come in is our heart behind the matter. Are we getting away to hide from our problems or for rest to take on the daily once again. Personally it is hard for me to step away from my problems, I want to fix them so I can stop thinking about them. But I have had to learn to step back, relinquish control and rest. Take the time to allow God to recalibrate me and give me new ideas. The deadline will always be there, whether you rest or not it doesn’t move. It doesn’t make sense in the natural, but I always accomplish more in six days than I could in seven. The trouble comes in using the need to rest as an excuse to ignore responsibility. You have to go back to work. I remember when it shifted for me. I was working week after week longing for the weekend. Then it hit me, I can’t commit my work to the weekend. The weekend ends just like the week. I’ll never be satisfied with the weekend. Instead of working all week in hope of the weekend, what if we spent our weekend in such a way the we look forward to Monday? It never fails to come around, why not go into it joyfully?

I began my summer incredibly hopeful. I was coming in for a landing from a time of rest, yet I was naive enough to think it would go smoothly. Then I began to go through customs, what is your purpose in entering this territory?parenthetical I thought I’d get the girl, business would boom and life would be dandy. Nope, not at all. He stamped my passport, but the territory still needed to be fought for. More so in my heart than in any area of influence. You see, we are the customs agent in our heart. And it is still sometimes a long process for a citizen to enter their own country. But we keep giving visas to lies from the enemy. I began to ask why I was having such a hard time entering my own territory. I was reminded of this.

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the tongue’s answer is from Adonai. All a man’s ways are pure in his own eyes, but Adonai weighs the motives. Commit whatever you do to Adonai, and your plans will succeed. Adonai works everything out for his own purpose even the wicked for a day of disaster. Adonai abhors all the proud in heart. Be assured, they will not go unpunished. By mercy and truth is iniquity atoned, and by the fear of Adonai one avoids evil. When one’s ways are pleasing to Adonai, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him. Better a little with righteousness than much income without justice. The heart of man plans his course, but Adonai directs his steps. Proverbs 16:1-9 TLV

The New Living Translation says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” To often we commit our plans to the Lord, and expect Him to work in our life. I had to repent, I wanted my plans established right then. I had pride in my heart. My plan was flawed, but I couldn’t see that. In the end the Lord determined how my summer has gone, and where it will go. He kept me from some hardships and walked with me through others. I came to the beginning of a project and I prayed this, “Lord I submit my plan to yours and I commit all the work I am about to put into this project to you. This is how I will glorify you and worship you.” There were some frustrations with the project, as with any project. But in the end I spent less hours than I planned, finished on time, and I was able to do additional pieces. In reality His plans are better than mine, so I plan to make His plans for me my own. Purpose is found in giving into what He has for you. As you commit your work to Him, His plans will come into view. Your job is dull not because it’s boring, but because you haven’t invited Him into it. You will begin to see Him working through what you put your hand to. Your purpose is in His plan, and that cannot be established until your work is committed to Him. Faith without works is dead, so is works without faith. God is moving in way unknown to man. If this generation will lay down their idea of purpose and pick up His, we will see mighty moves of God. This requires a commitment to Him. Not just “I’m a christian and I’m in the workforce.”,  but “my life and work are committed to Adonai.”

James 2:20

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