We may only have a small part in helping that fruit to grow – we only are guaranteed four years with them. We are only a small tool in the Hand of the Gardener. We may never see the fruit. It takes lots of work and lots of people to grow a successful community garden. But everyone and every tool plays a vital role.
When dad calls us, we must discern that call to make sure it is really Him calling. But discernment isn’t enough, once we recognize that it is His voice, we must respond. We have to move. This is why prayer is so important to our everyday lives. It is in prayer that we begin to know the voice of the Father. It’s amazing to me that in a crowded room, full of noisy kids, you’re children recognize your voice when you call. It’s because they know you, and they know your voice.
Before you know, there will be nothing in your life that you are in control of; everything will be in the hands of God. Then, and only then, will He be your parachute. You will have put Him on and He will be guiding your movements. I would imagine you would experience the freedom that a skydiver experiences when they are slowly descending, trusting their life to their parachute.
Trust Him with your life!
You and I most likely will never have a feast day in the Liturgical Calendar of the Church. Thousands of years from now, people may not carry around our prayer card in their Bible, and we may never be declared a patron of anything. But we have everything we need to get to Heaven. Every day, when we wake up, we can renew our answer to Jesus when He asks “come follow me.” And it is in our response to that question, in ordinary ways, that you and I can become Saints – with a little “s.”
In spiritual direction on Friday, God revealed that I am restless. I have gotten caught up in the details and demands. I have chose to more or less lead myself – instead of allowing Him to lead. When life gets busy we (and by “we” I mean me) allow ourselves to go through the motions, instead of letting our Father lead us. We become restless and tired because we aren’t tugging at “daddy’s” leg allowing Him to give us the attention we are desperately in need of.
Last week, one of my favorite ministry opportunities started once again – Friday Night Football. I don’t know what it is about Friday Night Football that I like so much; I’m not even a major sports fan, but there’s something about it! As I stood on the sidelines watching the game, I had a unique perspective.