Your world is too small
Sometimes I feel that my world is very small. As a motivated and creative individual I want to branch out, to capture the world, if you will. And yet, I am invariably consumed by the concerns of my daily life, concerns that often seem mundane and cause frustration and sleepless nights. Once the stress from yet another life crisis is averted, I am then introduced to a new stressing thought: my "grand visions" remain untouched.
Certainly the way most of us are brought up contributes to, if not creates, this situation. We are taught that if we believe it, we can achieve it. We are encouraged to be leaders, to "go out there and make a difference." But most of us don't. We struggle for a while, then realize that it's much easier to settle down in the suburbs and live comfortably while we're still alive. Seems to make sense.
Am I breathing a sigh of resignation at the approaching prospect of old age? Am I adopting a Stoic mentality? Oh my dear readers, that you would abandon me forever if that were ever the case. But at the same time, how many have cried "I won't go quietly into the dark night" into dispair and frustration?
God told Jeremiah, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over kingdoms." But wait a minute. Jeremiah's ministry was simply to the people of Judah, and it was a rather truncated and unsuccessful ministry for the most part. A prophet to the nations? Hardly, or so it seems. But yet, many thousands of years later I seek consolation in the words Jeremiah so obediently carried. Jeremiah announced a new age he would never see, a new convenant far beyond his "world." In fact his world was so very large, he could never imagine. To think that God would not only redeem Israel but the whole human race! From the depths of Jeremiah's laments, we can be sure this vision was beyond his wildest dreams. He carried out his mission, because the words of God were placed in his mouth, not because it made sense at the time. Not because security, consistancy and comfort were ensured.
Perhaps my tiny world is in fact larger than infinite universes...
Certainly the way most of us are brought up contributes to, if not creates, this situation. We are taught that if we believe it, we can achieve it. We are encouraged to be leaders, to "go out there and make a difference." But most of us don't. We struggle for a while, then realize that it's much easier to settle down in the suburbs and live comfortably while we're still alive. Seems to make sense.
Am I breathing a sigh of resignation at the approaching prospect of old age? Am I adopting a Stoic mentality? Oh my dear readers, that you would abandon me forever if that were ever the case. But at the same time, how many have cried "I won't go quietly into the dark night" into dispair and frustration?
God told Jeremiah, "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over kingdoms." But wait a minute. Jeremiah's ministry was simply to the people of Judah, and it was a rather truncated and unsuccessful ministry for the most part. A prophet to the nations? Hardly, or so it seems. But yet, many thousands of years later I seek consolation in the words Jeremiah so obediently carried. Jeremiah announced a new age he would never see, a new convenant far beyond his "world." In fact his world was so very large, he could never imagine. To think that God would not only redeem Israel but the whole human race! From the depths of Jeremiah's laments, we can be sure this vision was beyond his wildest dreams. He carried out his mission, because the words of God were placed in his mouth, not because it made sense at the time. Not because security, consistancy and comfort were ensured.
Perhaps my tiny world is in fact larger than infinite universes...