Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of the steps,
we tried to carry this message to others and to practice
these principles in all our affairs.
December 11
Recommended reading: 2 Thessalonians 1, 2, 3
I love the mountains and adore my children. So once in awhile when I need a break, I combine two of my favorite things and head out west to Blacksburg, VA to visit my son. During one of my youngest son’s days off from school, we piled into the car for a road trip. Michael and I stopped in Charlottesville and enjoyed lunch at The Corner (a favorite haunt for University of Virginia grads). We rummaged in a music store, got some yummy yogurt, and continued on our way. Dinner out, a good movie, and a quick stop to buy something sports related, and my boys headed off to Scott’s apartment while I went to my hotel room for the night.
The next morning, after a lovely quiet time and a long walk, I went to pick up the guys for breakfast, and got lost in my son’s apartment parking lot. I drove around and around and around, and couldn’t find his building. There are a lot of buildings in his complex, but don’t feel any sympathy for me; I had driven right up to that building countless times before with no problem. Isn’t that crazy? After twenty minutes of driving in circles, I stopped and called, “Son, I can’t find your building. I know this sounds crazy, and it is, but I’m driving around like a mad woman. The grounds keepers are beginning to look at me suspiciously. Tell me how to find your building.”
“Mom,” he said in that calm voice that adult children use on their parents in times of deep distress, “I can see your car from my bedroom window.” It’s true. I was stopped right in front of his apartment. Isn’t that silly? I had gotten so frustrated and agitated by not driving right up to the building that I kept missing the fact that there were two sets of numbers on the place, and I was seeing the first set and my eyes skipped right over the second set of numbers—to his apartment.
Thought for today: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,”{ declares the lord, “and will bring you back from captivity” Jeremiah 29:13-14 (NIV)
Thought for tomorrow: Although you may feel pretty superior and smug right now, knowing this will never happen to you, I want you to stop and think. I suspect it happens to all of us. I think we spend a lot of our days driving around and around and around, wondering where to find our grand epic adventure and how to carry God’s message of hope. We get confused and disoriented; we doubt and despair of ever finding our place in God’s story. Because we don’t have a place? No. As a result of our history of “less than” living? No. I think it’s because our eyes keep skipping right over the obvious: the fact that each day provides opportunities for us to live large. Step twelve reminds us that God has plans for us, so be alert!
December 11
Teresa McBean
Previous devotionals
Other links: www.crosswalk.com & NACR Online
|
