Thursday, June 23, 2011

ON A CLEAR DAY

On a clear day, you can see forever…

Great song lyric, great sentiment.

But, life isn't a "clear day" too often, is it?

Most often, it's cloudy with a chance of showers. It's an incoming storm front. It's a gray layer of stratus clouds (impressed with my science knowledge??) that blocks the sun.

Things are most often anything but clear.

And there's the rub, right?

We humans are kinda hard-wired to want certainty, security, and control. We want to know what's coming next, where we're headed, what to expect and when to expect it…

We like clarity.

We don't just want life to unfold – we want to unfold it – in neat little wrapped up packages – packages that once opened, make sense.

This is the challenge for all of us – but it's especially a challenge for the believer.

We think because we know the Master Unfolder, we sorta expect to understand everything about the packages. We kinda think (at least I do) that we have a "right" to insider information. Shouldn't we know what God is up to? I mean, we're following Him, right?

Would it hurt Him to share a little of that omniscience stuff that He has? Could it be a big deal to give us a just a little portion of His foreknowledge?

I was thinking about this – (read: whining and struggling) – and I thought about something I was talking to my son about…

My youngest son loves sailing. In fact, he and his brother and dad just bought an old sailboat. They're going to fix it up, and sail the seven seas (I'm hoping it's just going to be the Pacific Ocean, by the way – and I hope the sea-sailing isn't too far from shore, just sayin'…)

He's telling me all about the sails and the engine and the equipmentall the technical and mechanical "stuff"of boats.

I'm asking him about the navigation system.

Because, you see, my priority is their safety.

I know that the one thing they want to do is sail to Catalina Island – about 26 miles away – and I'm worried about them getting lost.

"So, son, what happens if it's all cloudy and stormy and overcast, and you can't see Catalina? How do you get there? How do you know where you’re going?"

Son #2 laughs at my non-sailor naivety. I can hear his internal voice saying, "She's such a land-lubber…"

"Mom. You don't navigate by what you can see. You steer your course by trusting the compass."

Ding, ding, ding –

Ship's bells are ringing in my head. (Just so you know, three bells would signify 1½ hours into a 4-hour watch…impressed?)

What a spiritual lesson here!

If I could "see" my destination, if life was just one clear day after another, I wouldn't have to rely on anything or anyone else to guide me. But, because I can't see ahead, and life is usually a cloudy mess, I have to rely on the compass…

The Compass – the Lord.

Study His Word and set your course on His direction – make your destination the shores of eternity in His Presence – and then, trust The Compass.

He'll guide you through the cloudy days with showers, through the storm fronts, through the days when you can't see the sun shine…

He'll guide you when you can't see where you're headed.

He's got it covered – trust The Compass – He'll never steer you wrong.


Dear Lord, how often we try to steer our lives in our own directions. And that’s when we get lost. Teach us to not rely on what we can see with our own eyes or understand with our own wisdom. Enable us to let go of our control, and to trust You – our Compass who guides us safely to our destination. For You are the only Instrument that never changes, and Your Word is the only true course. Make Your will abundantly apparent in our lives…

Lord, be clear – and be close when you're not clear.

Here, take the helm of my life…


BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

10 comments:

  1. Oh my...you have stepped into my heart and brain again and pulled out my thoughts and struggles this last few weeks...yes and yes, just follow the compass...that is what I am doing, I have no idea where it is leading, but I am starting to get excited that if He did this much to get me moving than He really must have plans for me when I get there.

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  2. ohhhh AMEN!!!

    Simply wonderful Sharon!

    You navigated this "ship" so beautifully from the cloudy to the "clear day" following the Lord's compass. Great imagery and parallel! Great lesson!

    Yeah, I'm speechless except for saying:

    "On a clear day, I can see FOREVER... and ever and evermore... Rise and look around you..."

    Thank You Lord, for steering us clear and keeping us on course. Bless Sharon for speaking this message and spiritual lesson, guard her sailors when they do set out to sail. And Yes, Lord, take the helm... clear the fog and give us SONshine...

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  3. Oh my goodness Sharon - this spoke to my heart today and what I am struggling with exactly. Thank you. sandie

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  4. Oh Sharon,

    You sure were inside my head with this one.

    Amen to your prayer, how I need that compass. How I need to let Him do all the steering.

    Thank you for this.

    God Bless - Nita.

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  5. how cool they bought a sailboat!! Wonderful adventures lie ahead for them!! maybe you'll get aboard sometime??

    great post Sharon; we need to remember to rely on our compass and again trust his timing and his direction where he wants to lead us!!

    betty

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  6. I'm catching up, and I love this. I am constantly told to have more faith without sight because I don't do so well when it's all so unclear.

    I like being told to trust the compass better.

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  7. Well said! He's not holding the compass. He IS the compass! Blessings friend! Hope you get the opportunity to enjoy the boat as well!

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  8. Janette - I just know that He has great plans for you. It's great how God is working in your heart about this move. It's a real testimony to me - because I usually don't do a very good job of trusting the compass. But of course, I should be trusting the One who calmed the sea, after all!

    Peggy - I loved this that you said: "...guard her sailors when they do set out to sail. And Yes, Lord, take the helm... clear the fog and give us SONshine..." I can't think of a better prayer as we begin each day sailing into the seas He has charted for us.

    Sandie - You're welcome. I'm blessed to know that something I've been struggling with was able to speak to your heart. Letting go of that pesky helm has always been a problem for me. But, trusting is the only steady course...

    Nita - You're welcome. It's funny - I usually think of really strong personalities as being the ones who struggle with control. But, it's also an issue for us quiet ones, too. I am learning, slowly but surely, that God is the ONLY trustworthy Captain of my Soul.

    Betty - It's a great boat. Needs some TLC, which is happening slowly - but I anticipate many adventures in the future. I've been on it where it's docked. It's really cool. Your comment hit on the two most important elements of trust - HIS direction and HIS timing. Working on those - "Yo ho!"

    Debbie - Do people really think they're helping when they *help* us by telling us to have more faith? There couldn't be anyone more aware of my lack of it than myself. So, yes - I'm trying to look at the more positive spin - Trust the Compass. And for those times when the way is stormy or unclear? Just hunker down - He's still steering.

    Melissa - Thanks for your comment. I'll get a chance to sail! And in the meantime, the One who is the Compass is leading all of us to a secure horizon, a distant shore in eternity with Him.

    GOD BLESS!

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  9. Hi Sharon -

    You expressed, "He'll guide you when you can't see where you're headed.

    "He's got it covered – trust The Compass – He'll never steer you wrong."

    ...for where I am now, Sharon, this is medicinal. Thank you for this...it is truly a balm...!

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  10. Sandra - I'm so glad that this was soothing and encouraging to you. I needed to hear it myself - that's often why I write - to hear what God is saying to me.

    Praying for you, dear sister - and I sent an email to you so we can correspond that way, too, if you want to.

    GOD BLESS!

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"So [I] have been greatly encouraged in the midst of [my] troubles and suffering, dear brothers and sisters, because you have remained strong in your faith. It gives [me] new life to know that you are standing firm in the Lord. How [I] thank God for you!" (1 Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Thanks for your comments - it is such a joy to be sharing my journey with friends like YOU!

(NOTE: Anonymous comments will be removed. Thank you for understanding.)