March 8, 2006
-
The Place that Never Was
Today I read a book called “The Traveler’s Gift.” I was most struck by the last place the traveler went. It was “the place that never was” – a place where Heaven keeps all the things that were about to be delivered but weren’t because the person stopped working and praying for them. Things that almost were but never were because someone stopped believing. The contents of the warehouse were filled with the dreams and goals (and answers and cures) of the less courageous –those who weren’t courageous enough to take the steps of faith forward into the unknown or to keep persevering in prayer for their heart’s desires.
It caused me to wonder whatif there was a place that held all the things that are deemed ”impossible” by the world - all those dreams and ideas — which are just waiting to be claimed if only we’d be courageous and tenacious enough to dream, pray, push and believe. And if we quit, those things that could’ve been will never be ours.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand: did you ever realize that even as those 10,000 people sat down for the meal and even as Jesus gave thanks to the Father “for the food they were about to receive”, there really wasn’t enough food for all of them? They gave thanks to the Father on faith for food that wasn’t theirs yet. It’s kind of odd when you think about it. But, for most of us, it’s just reality that we don’t want to sit down for a meal and give thanks for it unless there’s actually a meal set before us. We don’t want to apply for a missions trip, go into ministry, start a new career, plan for a wedding banquet (oh, how relevant!) – unless we have the money in our banks and all the plans laid out and all our ducks lined up in a row. And yet I don’t ever remember anything great happening through anybody who didn’t (in a metaphorical sense) sit down and give thanks for a meal that they still couldn’t see or smell. That seems to be the pattern of all the great ones of faith, and I want to be one of those rather than being one of the ones filling up the Place that Never Was with more and more of things that could’ve been…
Comments (13)
Hi. My sister sent me the link to your xanga a while ago, but I didn’t really get a chance to come to your site until today. I’ve only read this entry, actually. Perhaps I’ll read more of your entries another day. But what you’ve said here struck me quite deeply because of some of the decisions I’m going to have to make in the near future, with graduation and all. The intersection of faith and reality, of hopeful dreams and practical facts… I’m still trying to figure it all out.
I hope you don’t mind if I subscribe?
ryc: heh. i dunno. a year ago, God told me to use my little corner of the internet to be a change agent for Him, to reflect His light through my xanga. since then, my readership has exploded. i blog to change the world. foolish? perhaps. but that’s okay
WOW, thanks for sharing!! speaking of great ones of the faith, your post reminded me of a cobbler-turned-”father of modern missions” named William Carey:
Attempt great things for God. Expect great things from God.
also reminds me of phil. 4:6-7 and how when we recite these verses and when we try to live it out, usually we forget the words with thanksgiving.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
This entry really blessed me. Too often I would figure that someone was “too far gone” and that “there was nothing I could possibly do.” Lies are often so easy to believe. And last night I was able to share what I’ve learned with a really good friend of mine who really needed to hear it. I love that when God speaks to someone’s heart, the message can’t help but travel and touch others as well. Thanks for sharing. =]
Thanks Mary Ann, for being a cutting edge to so many, including me.
Debbie
i saw ur name on jeeves site.. talk about referral but ur story is sooo inspiring. It’s one of those which can turn into a book! So beautiful! May God bless you two!
u mind if a subscribe to u?
Oh my.. speaking of a book… i just realized that you ARE writing a book! WOW!!!
:]
To add to this storyline… It seems that George Mueller did the same thing that Jesus did:
“The children are dressed and ready for school. But there is no food for them to eat,” the housemother of the orphanage informed George Mueller. George asked her to take the 300 children into the dining room and have them sit at the tables. He thanked God for the food and waited. George knew God would provide food for the children as he always did. Within minutes, a baker knocked on the door. “Mr. Mueller,” he said, “last night I could not sleep. Somehow I knew that you would need bread this morning. I got up and baked three batches for you. I will bring it in.”
Soon, there was another knock at the door. It was the milkman. His cart had broken down in front of the orphanage. The milk would spoil by the time the wheel was fixed. He asked George if he could use some free milk. George smiled as the milkman brought in ten large cans of milk. It was just enough for the 300 thirsty children.
excellent!!
I have heard another story about God miraculously multiplying a bowl of stew at a gathering in Africa.