A Big Sigh

A Big Sigh
Pastor Dave Marnell
December 15, 2017

One of my favorite quotes takes on more and more truthfulness the older I get. It’s a bit on the cheeky side, but full of humorous wisdom. It’s by Roy Rogers: “Never miss a good opportunity to shut up.” In a similar vein, and in line with this devotion, let’s re-word that to “Never miss a good opportunity to let God be God.”

You might smile or laugh at this, just as I am now, but I need to be reminded of this now and again, especially during this frenzied and pull-me-apart time of Christmas expectations. We are already a tired people, already with overloaded schedules. During Advent, when we all know we need to slow down and be still, we cram even more into our lives.

We work ourselves beyond tired to the bone, pouring ourselves out of an all ready empty cup from a sense of love and duty. Our intentions are righteous and pure, but are nonetheless wholly and holy unbiblical.

We need to get out of our own way and let God be God…let Jesus be Jesus…and let the Holy Spirit be the Holy Spirit. While this takes a great deal of humility and dependence, especially for we “pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps” Americans, it is the only cure for what ails us.

We read in the Gospels several stories about casting seeds, with seemingly reckless and wild abandon, knowing some will take root and grow into plants while others won’t. A dear friend of mine once told me, “our job is to do the scattering, let God and God only do the weeding.” What truth! As broken vessels, we scatter, but God grows, produces, tends, and prunes; not us. I think that’s where our confusion and/or stress lies, at least I know it does for me. I try to do the weeding with typically dismal results.

I need to remember that the Kingdom of God relies on God, not me and whatever I do or don’t do. God can take care of God. I would do better to simply lean in more fully, surrender more completely, and scatter wherever and whenever God tells me…and then wait, and in the waiting enjoy being…simply being with God…big sigh!

We are commanded to pick up OUR cross, not everyone’s cross…simply and only OURS. So might I suggest that we drop all other crosses allowing us to never miss a good opportunity to let God be God. Selah.

Dave Marnell