*Dan is away for a summer sabbatical – a time of rest, rejuvenation and reverence. Please enjoy one of our favorite Friday Fragments. This Fragment was initially published on September 15, 2017.
Kellen is a seven-year-old. He’s the bright and inquisitive grandson of my twin sister.
Last week Kellen, his parents and his two siblings stayed at our home for several days. During the course of his visit, Mary tapped her “grandma resources” and introduced Kellen to our Hidden Picture book collection. These are essentially workbooks that hide pictures within a picture. At the bottom of each page there is a catalog of what hidden pictures exist in the drawing.
We’ve discovered that these inexpensive books provide hours of entertainment for children. Kellen was no exception. He dove into the assignment at hand and thoughtfully surveyed the primary picture in order to discover the hidden images cloaked in obscurity.
While in conversation with Kellen the next day, Mary inquired about his success in sleuthing out the hidden pictures. Kellen happily reported that he had discovered all of the hidden images, but then matter of factly he announced that he only completed the task by drawing in the mushroom and the goose. He simply couldn’t find them otherwise, so he took control. He constructed his own solution.
Kellen’s admission fueled laughter for a number of us. Yet, as the laughter waned, I couldn’t help but draw a less humorous comparison in my own life.
Often life provides difficult and perplexing questions. Hurricanes, illness, suffering, injustice…
Navigating to a soul satisfying answer to questions like these can be difficult, time consuming and faith engaging.
Frankly, sometimes it seems easier to just draw my own answer. I can draw a mushroom here and a goose there, just to alleviate the tension of an undiscovered solution. I’ve got it. I can manage it. It fits for me… but is it true? Is it right and righteous?
If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5 AMP)
Without rebuke. With patience. Generously.
Are you looking diligently for truth in the middle of the clutter and chaos? Faithfulness is enough. Grace upon grace. Always and only anchored in the irrevocable promises of God’s love, His care, His power, His mercy, His justice… the picture comes into focus.
No shortcuts. No personal penmanship. No mushrooms or geese.
Confidence in God.
He’s with you. He knows you. He loves you. Hidden pictures exposed. Waiting. Trusting. Jesus.
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