Page 31 - Messenher

Beyond the Open Door

again. I joked, “When I walk off this airplane, not know what God was doing to prepare
you’re not going to close the door on me me for it, and maybe even preparing this
It is an indescribable feeling when you walk and take off, are you?” assignment for me. In recent years, I’ve
through doors that only the Spirit can open. been surprised on a regular basis by the
When God nudges you into an opportunity, God is not going to shut the door on you doors God has opened. One time, I walked
He’s the one who knows every cell of your and leave you to face the unknown by yourself. through a scene right out of a postcard and
body and what you are equipped and not He is preparing you for whatever you encounter texted my wife, “What am I doing here?”
equipped to do. He has a vested interest in and preparing whatever you encounter for
the success of your mission. your arrival. You may go where “no man Where do you see yourself in five years?
has ever gone before,” but you will never go I’ve learned to relax with that question.
Growing older is not necessarily a fun endeavor, anywhere God hasn’t been or even designed. Business gurus might balk at not having a
but the silver lining is that you continue to step-by-step five-year plan, but I know the
see the faithfulness of God in times when In my years of travel, I prefer having an itinerary, Man who holds the itinerary. I want to stay
He has ordered your steps. Young people an hour-by-hour schedule of where we’re in communication with Him and let Him
have a lesser awareness of their own mortality going, and what we’re doing. We expect give me instructions. “Where He leads me,
while at the same time a growing fear of that with God’s direction. We don’t want to I will follow. I’ll go with Him all the way.”
how their life will turn out. I’ve found that see the next step, we want to see two steps
formula changes over time, with a greater ahead and the big picture. But where’s the “Have I not commanded you? Be strong
awareness of mortality and a security in divine fun in that? More importantly, where’s the and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not
direction. trust? be discouraged, for the LORD your God will
be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9
On a recent plane ride, I fretted over the You don’t really want to know what’s two NIV).
shrinking time of a connection. There was steps ahead, because you are still being
no way I’d make it from my gate to another. molded into the person designed for that
It was the last flight of the evening and I moment. When someone first mentioned
was preparing myself for the sad reality of the possibility of being the White Wing
being stranded in that city. Soon, however, Messenger editor to me, I laughed. I didn’t
I was elated to discover that the plane I laugh because I thought it was a joke or
was on was headed for my final destination. because I didn’t want it. I laughed because
The pilot said I’d have to deplane and board I could not see myself in that role. I did DeWayne Hamby
Editor

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