I haven't seen this side of the 3rd watch of the night for quite some time. It is just after 5 as I write this. This weekend, a guy named Jonny Wheeler came to stay with us. He is a friend of Don and Travis's, and lives in Florida. It was great to have him come. He is a brother who really hungers for the Lord, and wants to talk about Jesus 24/7. I love it. It was his spring break this week, and he felt like flying up and hang out for a few days. Don and Jonny had a 7 am flight to catch this morning, so last night I was asked if I wanted to wake up early with them and see them off. I set my alarm for 4:30, but to my pleasant surprise, I awoke without the obnoxious sound of an alarm, at 4:26.
Its a little after 5 now, and the house is still. For a brief 4 hours of the day, there is not a soul awake in the Off The Wall ministry house. Except me today. And I am glad to enjoy it. Travis is upstairs. He is always the first one up... He is usually up around 5:30 or 6, but today he said he was going to wake up at 4:30 and see Don and Jonny off. I guess the comfort of his covers got the best of him. They tend to do that to me as well. But it's good. I enjoy the morning. I have my three best friends too keep me company. :). Jamaican coffee tastes so refreshing at 5 am. And Fernando Ortega's voice is just so soothing. And I think God made something special about being in his the Word before the sun comes up.
I am in Psalm 5. "In the morning O Lord, I lay my requests before you, and wait in expectation."
In Lamentations 3, verse 22 through 24, it says "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning. Great is thy faithfulness."
It is so funny. God is teaching me so much right now. Don loves to tell me "Josh, if you go on a trip today, don't miss the journey." That is probably the second most popular phrase he uses with me. It is second to "What are you thinkin' Joshy?"
But I need to hear it. Every day. The funny thing is, I have been known as a pretty adventurous person. People have told me that they think I am crazy. But honestly, most of the time, I am unhealthily analyzing everything, and I miss the journey. I try to figure everything out about where I am in life, where I will be, why I am not there yet. I have an awesome experience with God, and instead of sitting back and enjoying it, I try and figure God out. I try to figure God out! How stupid is that! God is unfathomable, incomprehensible, and so far unlike anything any human has ever experienced (apart from His revelation to us of Himself)! There is a verse in Isaiah that says that as high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are God's thoughts above ours, and His plans above hours. He compares us to grasshoppers later in the passage, which I think is a generous comparison. I feel more like a mosquito or a no-see-um.
So last night I was out at Denny's after midnight with Jonny, Don, Seth, and Mikey. God has been in the business of rearranging my life recently. He tends to do that. I don't like it. If you read my last blog, you know that I have struggled in the past with making my life all about "the next thing, or the next experience". So this past month, after God had clearly told me not to go to Colorado for college and Costa Rica for the summer (I have known this was His will for some time, but have been to stubborn to unharden my heart to listen His voice and trust Him), and stay in Ohio and go to school here for who knows how long, God tested me last night with another "the next thing" experience.
Seth is from Alaska. In the summer he commercial fishes. He spends all summer on a boat off the shores of Alaska fishing, which I think is freaking sweet. So, naturally, last night when he asked me if I would fish with him next summer, I jumped like a fish out of water (no pun intended). My mind completely disregarded everything the Lord has been clearly giving clarity to me about. Thankfully, Don was there. Don loves to ask penetrating questions. And I thank him so much for that. He sees that my eyes are widened, my mouth is salivating, my mind is racing, and my heart is pumping. He looks at me, and calmly asked, "Josh, how much discipleship will happen on that boat this summer?"
I looked at him, and realized the truthful answer. "Zero", I said.
I wonder what God was doing at that moment. Was he laughing at my impulsiveness? Was he smiling with gentle love shaking his head and thinking "Joshua, when are you going to get it. Just trust me".
Following Jesus is an adventure. I don't need to try and create one. I don't need to live in Colorado for 2 years or commercial fish in Alaska to have an adventure. I needd to just give my heart to my Maker and open up the pages of Scripture. His adventure is far better than any that I could come up with. I bet he is amused by adrenaline junkies. People jump off of planes and buildings to get a rush. Jesus would say the same thing to Evil Knievel as He did to those teenage fisherman as he walked along the Sea of Galilee almost 2000 years ago, "Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men".
Life is an adventure. If we go on a trip, never miss the journey.
"At once, they left their nets and followed him"
May that be our response to the call of the Savior. And may we enjoy every minute of it.
a fellow journeyer and fisher of the things that truley matter,
JN
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