On these hang all the law and the prophets
A couple days ago I wrote about driving through the desert in the comfort of our vehicle and that I noticed just how vast the desert surrounding us actually was.
As I thought about Isaiah 43:19 that day, I realized that the “new thing” God is doing is not happening in the place where I am comfortable.
The first Sunday of each year is Vision Sunday at our church. It’s a time to “write the vision and make it plain”. We spend some time writing down what we’re believing God for in the coming year and then we pray over what’s been written. It’s an inspiring service and I am excited to be a part of it.
We’re still on the road. We’re in the middle of nowhere right now, a little over halfway from Tucson to San Diego. Outside each window the views are the same in each direction. Miles of desert, sand, rocks, cactus and small brush, with mountains in the distance and barbed wire fences up close.
We’re sitting here in our own self-contained, safe environment on wheels. We have leather seats, sunglasses, snacks, drinks, air conditioning, music, entertainment, blankets, pillows, and who knows what else. We’re in a bubble of safety in the middle of a vast, harsh desert. We’re confined to around 50 square feet, but as I look around on this mostly clear day, I can probably see more than 50 billion square feet from my spot in the passenger seat.
Right now, we are driving westward through New Mexico in the dark, rapidly distancing ourselves from Deming. The kids are in the back seat watching movies or playing video games or drawing or something. Kelly is on the phone with a friend. And I’m sitting here on my laptop. I should be working, but instead I am thinking about the same stuff that’s been on my mind the last couple days.
So now that I’ve decided that simply being hungry for something is not enough, and that I also need to live life with excitement, anticipation and expectation, I have a challenge: I don’t excite easily.
There are plenty of things I enjoy, or even love, but few excite me. I enjoy steak and potatoes, but they don’t excite me—in fact, answering the question “what do you want for dinner?” is a chore. I love baseball, but I don’t dream about going to games. I really appreciate being able to drive places when I need to, but honestly, most cars look the same to me and I couldn’t answer you if you asked which was my favorite.