I remember being grabbed, picked up, flipped over multiple times and ejected up from the depths in a saltwater-spitting, kneecap-rending, contorted discombobulation. The rogue wave responsible for my ego-bruising arrival onto the beach, obviously pleased to be rid of this intruder, this beachgoing, ice cream-seeking, essay-evading Master’s student, was long gone, and probably smirking to itself, thinking, “That’ll teach him!” I limped away, bleeding, with a sudden rush of brotherhood with Jonah (misery loves company!). There’s nothing like a big fish (or a sneaky wave) to help you see the wisdom of obeying God’s voice sooner, rather than later. With Jonah, I belatedly saw ‘Nineveh’ as a more favorable option. There was, though, another instructive takeaway from this ‘turn’ of events. When the normal, predictable, planned, scheduled details get tossed randomly up into the air, the humbling reality is clarified – our busy-calendar perspective is frequently shrunken into nearsightedness, with our ‘royal’ selves becoming the epicenter of the world’s spin. The incoming clarity is that there is so much more at play than the uninterrupted catering to our self-centered agendas.
Recently listening to, and watching, the Global 2022 Blessing by Hope Without Borders, was another of those ‘corrections’, this time without skinned knees, but with many grateful tears and a heart flooded with a fresh download of Grace. My latest big concern: ‘When will my Amazon order ever get here?’ faded away with all other ‘first world whines’ as the sea of radiant faces, bright, shining eyes, beautiful languages unfolded on the screen. God is up to something and it’s big, really big! The several faces blurred for their safety, but bravely singing anyway, were living testaments to the magnitude of this multi-faceted gifting of Grace from the Father. I’m not alone on the journey. Our local church family is not alone on this journey. God is pouring out Grace upon Grace the world over. In rich, Western countries, as in the poorer countries of our global village. In just a few minutes’ time the truth of God’s meta story is cracked open. The open secret is spread before our eyes. Jubilant believers in Myanmar, in defiance of the brutality of their days, bear testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Seeing and hearing ‘Amen’ in never-before-heard languages spotlighted God’s absolute brilliance. And the dancers! And the costumes! And the natural beauty of mountains and seas and valleys! And the little children! And their message! God is FOR you! ‘We offer up to God all the glorious praise that rises from every church in every generation through Jesus Christ – and all that will yet be manifest through time and eternity. Amen!’ Ephesians 3:21 TPT It’s been said that there’s another Wave coming. I wanna be ready this time! PD
