It’s the message that everyone knows the real meaning of and
I can assure you is most dreaded by parents: Can you bring home
ginger ale?
The three of us mamas sat together over ice-cream where no
small hands were trying to steal a bite.
We really covered much in our brief conversation, women have a way of
doing that that’s fit enough for an Olympic sport. We happened to be talking about sickness and
the two others shared how their girls had recently been sick while I was
utterly thankful that so far our kids had skipped out on this. But no sooner did the thought cross my mind
did the text for ginger ale come through.
My husband updated me briefly on the situation at home, our littlest was
the one in need but for the moment everything was under control.
The girls and I continued our evening, but my mama heart was
concerned for my little fella and for Daddy who was holding down our fort. I trusted he would let me know if I needed to
come home right away and I also trusted that he was fully capable of handling
our children, even if one was sick. But
after some time passed I checked in to see how things were and received no
response, then that trust began to waver.
I wondered why I hadn’t heard from him and imagined that if he hadn’t
reassured me everything was okay, then everything clearly could not have been
okay!
I headed home and picked up ginger ale on my way, all while
picturing the scene that might unfold as I walked through the door. I was preparing myself to be scrubbing
floors, juggling buckets and up all night.
I thought for sure there would be a huge sigh of relief when I walked
through the door because help had arrived…
Instead, they were all watching a movie together. They were at-ease and completely under
control.
I was greatly relieved but could hardly believe how
unnecessary all my worrying, anxiousness and preparing had been. I had every reason to trust my husband’s
ability, which I do, but nevertheless my desire to be needed and to intervene
caused my trust to seem faltering.
It didn’t take long for my Heavenly Father to open my eyes
to see my heart reflected in this momentary scene of another day in
parenting. God has never given me any
reason to not fully trust in His ability to work for my good, to come through,
to amaze me…in fact He’s gone above and beyond to reveal Himself in God-size
ways just how much I can trust Him. Yet
I falter.
We tend to pick up the pieces and try to figure out the puzzle
in our own way, create our own picture, do it ourselves. We rush ahead and insist on intervening with
our own help when our Father is completely under control, unphased by the
circumstances that tempt to distract us.
How often do we take the part we
are to do, think it may not be enough and from that point try to make it more elaborate
and complex, more seemingly necessary to building the Kingdom?
In Mark 4:35-40 Jesus asks his disciples to get in the boat
to cross to the other side. Without
question they obediently follow but when the storm hits and waves break over
the boat they panic. They wake Jesus and
accuse him of not caring if they drown, they allow a momentary trouble to
distract them from their destination.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
His Word makes it clear that we are not to worry or be
anxious about anything. We need to trust
Him fully, knowing that our purpose and our position not only matter but make
an eternal difference in the Kingdom of God.
It’s not up to our limited opinion to decide what needs to be done or
how we should do it. It’s up to our minds made up to follow
God’s lead and be alert to the work of God surrounding us as we invest
ourselves in His plan.
So for the heart that feels like the “ginger-ale picker
upper” in the Kingdom: Your part
matters.
It may seem insignificant, unnoticed and unseen but it’s
what the Father has asked and called you to do.
God doesn’t call you to busy you or keep you occupied until
Kingdom come. He calls you in order to equip you to bring the Kingdom here
to earth.
God doesn’t need us to fulfill His plan, He wants us to be a
part of His Story and to help lead others Home. God desires for us
to partner with Him and He will never turn away from a heart crying out to Him
and for the soul pleading to be used by Him.
So don’t count yourself out, because when you feel purposeless you need
to know that is a lie from the enemy who is out to destroy you. You are loved by a God who created you on purpose,
for a purpose and positioned you to live a life that impacts eternity. Take care of the people and the things He has
given you to care for today; love those He has surrounded you with in this
moment; use your gifts, talents and abilities to bring glory to His Name; be
present, be alert to His moving and follow His lead.
“Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know
that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58