Life has a way of making us look at some shining bauble dangling low instead of looking with a 1,000-yard stare at the future. We focus the wrong way, and we pay attention to the bad things at the wrong time. Why? I’m not sure. Do you remember where you were when terrible times happened?
For me, the list is long since I’ve been around the block a time or two. JFK, MLK, RFK – yes, the ’60s. Apollo 1 and 11, Challenger. Y2K. Vietnam. Iran. Iraq. Afghanistan. 2020. This list is lengthy, but when significant events happen, it seems we are always looking.
But I question if we are watching the right thing.
This morning, while still dark, I was walking Gunny on a leash after his surgery so he could take care of business. We were in the side yard. New neighbors. More lights than you can shake a stick at. I’m not too fond of night lights as it ruins my night vision. What do I do? Plant trees. Block the light.
Anyway. A blinding floodlight came on. It could not possibly be me. I’m too far away. Finally, the time sequence wound down, and they clicked off. Wait. Did I see movement? Yes! The floodlight came back on. I couldn’t tell, but Gunny went into Guard stance. His ears perked up, pushing the Cone toward the back of his head. For nearly 10 minutes, he watched the woods. Alert. Floodlights go off. He’s stock still. They come on, and he’s not alarmed. He knows what I could not possibly know. Something was triggering the lights. Even though he was recovering from surgery, had the warning demanded, he would have charged the dark!
I’ve had dogs that would run from a fight. German Shepherds will not. That’s the dog for me!
However, if I needed any protection other than Gunny, what did I bring with me? Nothing. With my back acting up, there’s not much I could do. The adrenalin flow would not give me superpowers. But it did make me think. If something happens, who do I call? Ghostbusters? Cavalry? 911? My phone was in the house.
Here’s My Thought
I paused and thought. I do this a lot. Where was God looking when my times were full of wrongs? When I cried out to Him, and it seemed, there was no response. David often writes of his dilemma, and when he needed help the most, most of the time, God was there. Or, he kept calling until God showed up.
A Song of Ascents.
In my distress I cried to the LORD, And He heard me.
(Psalms 120:1 NKJV)
This made me stop. Think. Research. I found a nugget!
“When Adam sinned, it was not He who cried, “God, where art Thou?”
It was God who cried, “Adam, where art thou?”
~A.W.Tozer
What do I find in scripture? Too many times, it’s God who comes looking for me when I’m in bad times, or in trouble, instead of me calling out to Him. Jesus talked about the sheep. Ninety-nine and One. He leaves the flock in safety and goes to find the lost wandering sheep. (Luke 15:1-7)
You see. God is where we need Him the most, and he will even challenge the times to recover us.
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
(Psalms 139:8 NKJV)
Where are you? God is reaching out for you. What are you distracted with? There’s nothing more important than returning to Him.