“Ouch . . .” I was caught by the Lord with an “I don’t want people getting in my way” attitude. Again . . . “Ouch . . . “
Many of you know that I enjoy photography. I had the opportunity to take some pictures at a beautiful location in Peggy’s Cove, near Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada last summer . . . you know the “Anne of Green Gables” area.
I heard there was a cool lighthouse there so I took my good equipment. When I arrived, I was surprised that there were so many other people there as well. People tend to ruin beautiful location shots so I was a bit disappointed. But I tried to make the best of it anyway so I walked up pretty close to the lighthouse and tried to frame a shot without people in it.
Every time I thought I had a “people-free” opportunity someone else would walk into the picture. “Aaarg” . . . So I moved over a bit by actually straddling between two boulders to get the best photograph.
Waiting – waiting – waiting . . .
Again, every time one person would step out of view, someone else would stroll over toward the base of the lighthouse . . . and look up . . . and gaze . . . and ponder . . . double “Aaarg” . . .
Finally, after about 10 minutes of increasingly cramping leg muscles, there was about a two second window with not one person in my potentially beautiful photograph of a quaint Canadian lighthouse . . . I took the shot and here it is:
I took a quick look on my camera viewer and I felt that I could work with the photo. “Whew! Such dedication huh?” (Or “Eh?” for my “north of the border” friends)
Then I began walking up the rocks away from the lighthouse and saw another photo opportunity of the lighthouse from a distance. All the folks wandering around seemed to be assembled in an ascetically pleasing manner. So, I took that picture as well . . . and here it is:
As I looked at this picture through the viewer I clearly heard the Lord speaking to me – whispering in my thoughts. You know, that “still small voice” you know is the voice of the Lord. He said:
“Which picture would Jesus rather be in?”
“Ouch . . .”
I was caught by the Lord with an “I don’t want people getting in my way” attitude.
Again . . . “Ouch . . . “
That’s not how Jesus responded to people.
He welcomed energetic little children.
He paid attention to the noisy bling man – and healed him.
He paused His “pushing through a crowd” in order to minister to a suffering woman.
He didn’t send the crowds away as the disciples suggested – He fed them all.
In fact Jesus is so into people that He left His glory in heaven to live among us . . . to become one of us . . .
He loves you because He wants you to have the kind of life – real life – that He died for. Because YOU living the life He destined you for – will ultimately bring Him the glory and honor He deserves!
Don’t forget this when everything seems fantastic, wonderful, and all right.
Please don’t forget that:
“God so loved the world (people) that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Love you guys . . . Merry Christmas!
Steve