No One Likes Google Maps

There's a point we reach where it's not that we make a conscious choice to heal but that it happens on it's own. We can never tell a broken bone to mend or will a paper cut to close; that's impossible unless you're the kid that bent spoons from the Matrix. Our body just knows that it needs to happen, that we can't function as we were meant to with something holding us back.

The same thing can be said for the soul.

I'm always excited for Wednesdays because it's when my churches youth group meets. I have my group of 10th graders who are about to go to 11th grade (sad face), but I found out today that I get to follow them and become an 11th grade youth leader (best news ever!)(happy face). But, beyond my group of guys, I love hanging around with the senior guys and the other leaders that I have created friendships with. Wednesdays are just as exciting as Fridays.

This week, me and another leader started talking about walking our own path instead of walking God's path. We both talk about how much we love speaking and preaching God's word, so we sometimes get on the rant road and never really stop. This is what came out of it.

God can walk ahead of you or behind you, but regardless of where he ends up, you still have no control over where you're walking. Picture coming to a fork in the road with one of those wooden post signs. The sign tells you you need to go left, but your gps ( because your gps still works in places with wooden post signs ) says you need to go right. Now google maps aside, lets say you know that your GPS is correct, but you look to the wooden post and say, what if I should go left? Could my GPS (God's Perfect Sense) be wrong? Think about it! In the movies, people turn those wooden posts around all the time! I just picture an country farmer with gigantic bifocals that don't work, sticking this sign in the ground and trying to just have it point somewhere. Who knows where it's going to lead you, but you go anyway and you stick your GPS in your pocket, ignoring the lady voice saying "re-calculating! Make a U-Turn at creepy axe murderer house!"

Why did we walk that direction? Why did we make that decision? Why did we get distracted? Why did we stay in that relationship? Why did we walk back in the bar? Why did we let someone else convince us of what was important?

Because we are fearfully and wonderfully made to allow God to direct us regardless of our choices.

"This is the word that came down to Jeremiah from the Lord: Go down to the potters house, and there I will give you a message. So I went down to the potters house and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it to what seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me: Oh house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? Declares the Lord. Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel."- Jeremiah 18:1-6

There are two different path's we take when we are presented with this choice.

1. We choose what looks the best to us. What sounds better? Chick-fila or a salad? What sounds better? A plan or an opportunity? When we begin to walk on our own, God does not walk side by side with us. That would mean that He agreed with your choice. That would mean that your decision matched up with His will.

Only 4 people in the Bible were able to successfully argue with God.
- Abraham when he pleaded for Sodom (Genesis 18:16-32)
- Moses asking God to spare the Israelites after worshiping the Golden Calf ( Exodus 32:9-14 )

I know I only listed 2, but those are the most important to this subject.

When our decisions don't match up with God's and we follow something else, I picture God following close behind, a little disappointed, but focused like the potter who is trying to reshape His pottery. In essence, we are walking in the opposite direction of where He intended us to go, but because we are generally always wrong, He follows close behind like a father to his child, reshaping the path we have taken to come to the same outcome.

2: We choose the path He wants. When we spend time in His word, our relationship with Him only gets better. The important relationships in our lives become more visible and we edify others as they do the same for us. We less hold onto relationships that decrease in value and see the purpose behind the ones that are born of love. We hear His voice and accept His plan on blind faith alone and never out of fear.

One of my favorite songs from Caedmon's Call (the one I believe God used to get to move to Dallas) goes like this: "I've done the work, Sisyphus. Thinking that I could get over this hill. But the one thing I can't get over now is the force of your will."

Sisyphus was a King in Greek mythology who tricked his way out of Hell. After being caught in his act, Zeus punished him by making him roll a boulder up a hill for eternity, only to watch the boulder roll back down each time. I also think of Jonah when I think about how we think we can somehow sneak our way past God so we can get to where we think the grass is greener. Funny thing is, when we try to snatch ourselves from that hand, we just as quickly get thrown off the boat and get spit out on dry land.

"Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in the darkness and think, 'Who see's us?' 'Who will know?' You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'He did not make.' Can the pot say to the potter, 'He knows nothing?'" - Isaiah 29:15-16

When we follow God's words and listen to where he wants us to go, God is no longer behind us, He walks in front of us, slowly marking the path to our destination. Wouldn't you prefer this to the 1st option. I remember as a kid when my parents were teaching me how to ride a bike, my Dad used to run behind me, holding the back of my bike seat as I peddled. I still trusted that my Dad was holding onto me, but eventually he would let go and as soon as I turned around and realized what had happened, I suddenly lost my balance and ate it on the sidewalk.

Same goes with where God is in our walk. He will either be in front or behind. Still molding the clay. I will tell you though from prior experience, that the view is so much better when the Savior has the map then when we try and blaze our own trails. The places he can show us are so much more breath-taking and fulfilling than any itinerary we can put together for the next ten years. Remember that. Get in the word and talk with your Father and watch as His plan comes to life. Experience the joy that can only come when we draw close to Jesus.

As it says in Proverbs: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path's straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Thanks for reading and God bless!

Grayson

The Calling Post #2

"What a graceful return" said the man in a car with no air conditioning with 20 minutes until his upcoming flight back to Texas was to be departing. God was gracious to open the 7 lanes of traffic in the suburbs of Los Angeles for just a few hours for me to take a back and a forth to retrieve the one thing that would keep me from boarding the plane....my brand new Los Angeles tank top!

Just kidding, it was my wallet, but i'm still pretty stoked about the tank top.

Funny enough, the day of my departure from the sunny shores of California was the hardest of the trip. Well I take that back and before I explain..I feel that I need that God needs to be the one to lead this post. So please bare with me.

Dear Lord Father,

Thank you so much for giving me the courage and allowing me to suck it up and take a memorable journey that I will tell my future kids about whenever they wonder about taking a risk to do what you have called them to do. Thank you for the calling and speaking in a way that I could understand and thank you for putting people in my path along the way that gave me a roof to sleep under and a church to attend and fellowship and love that I can truly never repay. You are the mover of us and I cannot tell you how excited I am to see where this takes me. Please give me the passion to pray for more that whether I end up in California for this season or if this was just a warm-up for something bigger, I just want to stay in contact with you Father so I can follow you wherever you go. Thank you again for this life and for all the blessings you have shown through this time of uncertainty and showing me again what it means to trust in ALL aspects of my life. In your name I pray, Amen!

Thank you for indulging my bloggers prayer, ya'll. Anyways, here I go. If you haven't read the 1st chapter of this series, let me fill in a few of the blanks for you. A week ago, I bought a plane ticket on a whim to Los Angeles. I didn't know what to expect, all I know is and I am not exaggerating or throwing out some non-sensical superstition that you've seen from the movie "Saved". Trust me, I AM FULL OF CHRIST's LOVE! Quote from the movie FYI.

Anyways, since I have completely wasted the momentum I started for God's amazing work, let me start a new paragraph. God had recently prepared me for this journey with 3 words to my soul: "Are you ready?" Just those 3 words. I had no idea what it could mean, except that I knew something big was about to happen. Since that moment I had begun to feel a pull to California. So I went. Of course, it wasn't as simple as that. I definitely did some pacing and "logical" thinking, and by logical, I mean cynical thinking. How can I do this? This is crazy? What am I even going to accomplish from all this? If you know me at all, you know that as spontaneous as I can be, leaving in Texas has never been on the top of my to do list. I've been out of state and out of the country before and those were great experiences. I definitely still fantasize about taking a trip out to Ireland and living there planting a church for a few months, but I never thought I would actually think about moving out of the Lone Star State. The toughest thing for me at that moment was pressing that little "book flight" button at the bottom of the expedia.com page.

Sure I still had 24 hours to get a full refund, but I forgot all about that after the epic victory dance that ensued after the completed booking. Woot!

Now onto the actual trip! I will admit that the 1st couple of days I spent on the beach and seeing some of the coast. Two words: Blown away. I got to spend some quality bro time with my boy, Mike (AKA Sal), do some climbing and eat some pretty expensive food. Do not be fooled by the outside of California shanty eateries. Once you enter said shack and they lead you to an elevator to a private upstairs area...Run! Regardless, I got a lot of one on one time with God specifically in the 2 books of Peter


"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”


What justification! What joy it was!


For the rest of week, I spent a lot of time in a Starbucks, applying for jobs and just making sure that I couldn't find anything that I could say was not a game breaker for this exodus. Besides the traffic, all I found was pro's. For a second, lets look beyond the city life, the mountainous terrain that eerily looks like El Paso and the beautiful beaches. Best Crepes ever! Homeless people have couches! You can set up a tent wherever you want! I know where to avoid, unlike Dallas where most of the You Will Get Shot area's are all muddled together ( cassie, I will not go to compton ) and street musicians. But, most of all, the 1st church I went to had some serious potential.


There is a revival coming there. Are you ready?


Now that i'm back, there is still some confusion in my heart over a few things. God will definitely be closing some doors or keeping them open and I am just trying to prepare my heart for how this is going to go and oddly enough, i'm okay with it. I know this isn't going to be easy, but I feel like God has set some priorities back into place in only a way that I could understand. He knows my heart and He knows what I need and as Joshua says


"Do not be terrified. Do not be dismayed. For the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."


Lord God, I just pray for anyone who is reading this who is questioning their path or is wondering why you are being silent to their walk. I just ask that your voice be heard in the way they can understand and that you just give them the ears to listen to your word and can see that everything you do is for our good and for your glory and edification. That it is to strengthen us through perseverance and patience to see your love and so we can magnify that love to others. Let it be that we can say that we fought the good fight of faith and that we trusted in you to trust in you with all our hearts and not lean on our own feeble understand. Because, when have our plans ever worked out? If anything Abba, give us all the peace to wait on you and be good obediant children. In your name we pray, Amen!


God Bless, ya'll!