Prepared and Expectant…but Still Surprised

Sunday morning retuning: The challenges for personalization of our Lord’s prayer over the last two weekends has been stirring.  As you cry out to Abba, do you expect him to answer?  You should, even though you will likely be surprised by how He does.

I enjoyed a few days at Stony Glen Camp last week with each of my two middle sons individually doing all sorts of outdoor, boy-centered, projectile launching activities.  One of which was shooting 22 caliber rifles on their range.  Last year was my first experience doing this and I had forgotten much of what I learned, but appreciated the refresher, and the opportunity to share this experience with Isaac and Josiah respectively.

I want to share some insights I gleaned and have been reflecting on since then.  Most importantly is the issue of safety.  You always want respect your gun by treating your weapon as if it is loaded.  One way you do that is always having the safety engaged so as to prevent accidents.  Our faith is like a loaded weapon and we should treat it with the same kind of respect, always respecting its latent power.  2 Timothy 1:7

If you are hoping to shoot something, you must first take aim.  Our peep sight guns offered a series of concentric circles that needed to be lined up in order to hit the target.  Putting the target in the middle of those circles insured a greater degree of success, though there are several other factors.  We must set out sights on the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus if we desire to be successful in this walk with Christ. Philippians 3:13-15

One of the things that I had never thought of was the need to hold your breath when you shoot.  If you do not, your changing body position can greater effect your shot.  You must inhale, take the shot, then slowly exhale to ensure the most accurate aim.  The patience and focus this required was more demanding than I would have at first imagined, but made a huge difference in the overall accuracy of the shot.  It required a diligence of my entire being.  Psalm 130:5

I think the instruction that surprised me most was the need to slowly pull trigger to the point where you are surprised when the shot finally fires.  The reason for this is that pulling quickly can effect result.  When you pull slowly the shot is again more accurate.  This had some of the most profound implications on my spiritual life.  We have to be focused, prepared, expectant, even pulling the trigger on what God has called us to do, and yet we will still be surprised when it happens.

And when the shot finally fires, it is essential not to move.  Any small movement can change the path of the bullet as it goes down the barrel.  Our instructor encouraged us to wait two seconds after the shot fired before we moved.  I was amazed how much more focus that required as well.  Again, it is important not to move on too quickly even after God has moved, but to stay focused on what He has just down so as to savor it and soak it in, and not effect its direction.

Probably the most aggravating thing was waiting to see how you shot.  You had to wait until everyone was done, and the range was clear, before you could retrieve your targets.  That was agonizing to have to wait to see if you were successful in your attempts to hit the target.  How much this correlates to our Christian life!  Only when we get to heaven will we truly see how well we have lived according to the perspective of our Gracious Father.   Matthew 25:21

Keep your eyes open for the things Christ may want to show you about Himself and His purposes in your everyday life.

Jesus, teach us how to take aim, wait expectantly, and trust you for the results of the life I am living for the glory of Your name.  I want to be prepared and expectant, but surprised when You do Your work in my life each day.  My eyes are on You!  In Jesus name. Amen.

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy