“La verdad te hara libre!” “…and the truth shall set you free.” (Ephesians 4:27 NASB)
Have you ever been looking for a quick response to an urgent question from a person or even an organization or an institution? After being patient as you could, did you call that person or a representative of the organization or institution and inquire when you could expect a response? If you are like me, even close to being like me, I’m sure your inquiring words came out in a tone, volume, and speed that communicated a sense of urgency, as your indicated a need for an informative answer. However, this is the response you got, “I already sent it to you.” Being kind the representative tells you that he’d/she’d send it again, right away. You waited a few minutes before checking your email inbox one more time, and it still was not there. So you went through the routine again, calling the person or the organization or the institution. You get the same response, “I already sent it to you.” Frustration fights to rise to the surface and create a confrontation, stress strangles your very last thread of patience or squeezes your proverbial last nerve, and a pinch of anger starts trying to push you off your holy pedestal, just a bit. The response is still not there! Where’s the email!
Finally something tells you to look at the “Junk” mail in your computer. There it was! The statement, “I already sent it to you,” was true. The truth set you free.
I’m writing this in a draft form on Tuesday afternoon. I’m trying to work ahead to expedite the publishing of Thursday’s Mark Writes. I had been searching, pondering, and praying, but I had nothing. Later that Tuesday afternoon, I remembered a response to the meditation I had sent out earlier that morning, yes, real early. The response was from a schoolmate, a fellow minister who lives in the same town where I reside. As I thought about his response, it was like these words were purposely sent to me from above, “I already sent it to you.” It was the words of my friend who was being used as a vessel by the Lord, words that can serve as an extension to the meditation sent on April 4th on “Dealing With Our Imperfections.”
Here is what my friend wrote: “Pastor, so many Christians believe we have arrived because we base our journey on chronology rather than eternity!” Somebody ought to be saying, “I know that’s right!” Look, I am not reluctant to share these words. As I have told you before, one of my T-Shirts says, “I ‘m a writer. Anything you say or do may be used in s story.” And besides that, it was the Lord who urged him to respond. It was the Lord who was really responding as I was pondering about what to write, “I already sent it to you.” Yes, He surely did!
To my friend, I say, “Thank you!” To you, also my friend, I say, let the truth shared with me set you free from complacency and keep you making perfect progress on your Christian journey. The Lord has not forgotten about you. Open your mind and see what He has already sent you. Did He tell you to be patient? Did He tell you to look somewhere else, for you have been looking in the wrong place? Did He already point you to a position where your trust should be enhanced? Are you overlooking the special blessing that you have been asking to receive, a blessing that has already been provided? Is He telling you, “I already sent it to you?” Pause and think for a few minutes. Ponder! Meditate! Think! Wait until you do all that and perhaps you will see that the Lord only appeared to be unresponsive. Have a great Thursday! Be blessed.
“When God brings a time of waiting, and appears to be unresponsive, don’t fill it with busyness, just wait.”— Oswald Chambers
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King