A Second Call from the Lord Jesus

Many people between the ages of thirty and sixty - no matter their place in the community and no matter their personal achievements - undergo what can truly be called a second journey.

In his book, The Ragamuffin Gospel, Brennan Manning describes this second journey.

A person gets to this stage in life and looks at all he or she has done and asks, "Is it all worth it?"

A dear friend of ours realized this with a health scare that brought him face to face with the possibility of meeting his Creator sooner rather than later.  It does not have to always be a life threatening event.  It can be good or bad.  A mom turns into Grandma and celebrates this gift. A thirty-five year old teacher gets smashed in a car wreck.  A fifty year old man decides to choose a church position over the offered, coveted CEO position. After retirement, a sixty year old woman finds herself living with a man she loves yet never had to spend this much time with.

Brennan Manning sums this up, "These people are dragged away from chosen and cherished patterns to face strange crises.  This is their second journey."

He goes on to describe the wisdom that comes from a person expereiencning the second journey,
"It is a wisdom that gives some things up, lets some things die, and accepts human limitations."

And for Christians, this journey can often start with a second call from the Lord.  In the examples above, our friend found saving grace in the love of his Savior.  The fifty year old man was my father who gave up that CEO position in order to be the Church Chairman of the Board.  These second calls summoned both of these men to a deeper commitment of faith.  And I love this part of Manning's description:

      "The call asks,

Do you really accept the message that God is head over heels in love with you?"

That is what the second call is asking me now.  DO I really accept that message of love and grace?
Oh, I can say it and even tell people about it, but do I believe it? Do I embrace that love?
The confidence that the same God who raised Jesus can raise me?

Manning says that Faith means you want God and want to want nothing else.

And with a faith like that, every day will be new because God will show me in amazing ways his love for me and I in turn will desire to live out this crazy love for Him in order to bring Him the glory He intends for us to give Him!

I will have more joy filled MOMents as a mom because I will radically love my children.  I will let go of the little things (like the Mickey Mouse Lego set we lost) and focus on the big thing of God.

I will rest in these sweet times when my children are home and trust in the times when they are away from me.  Without fear.  Without despair.

I am starting to hear this call.  Oh, I plead with Him to allow me to hear and follow.  May I feel His love penetrate to every part of my soul so that with every breath, I know that God can scarcely be without me his love is so great!

Are you hearing the second call? 

When you were a child, did you see in color?

"Mama, when you were younger, did you see color like all of this?" my son asked as he waved his arm motioning towards the outside of the car towards the setting sun against the backdrop off the Lutheran Home.

"Do you mean, did I see color when I looked outside?" I asked, wondering where this question stemmed from in his sweet mind.

"Yes," he said simply. No more. No less.

And then it dawned on me.  There are photos of days long ago, years past, farmers who stood tall and men who dressed up for church.

Photos of great Grandmas and Grandpas on refrigerators.  He knows they are old and they are in black and white, and he has not seen many pictures of me when I was a child, so he is wondering, did I see color.

"Do you mean did I see color because some old photos are in black and white so you think they only saw in black and white?" I ask with a smile looking back at him now looking out the window of the car.

"Yes, because the black and white," he nods his head smiling because he is understood.

"Yes, I saw color..." and I go on to explain the best I could how photos were developed with only black and white at first.

"Because they had no ink?" he asks innocently, most likely thinking how often our printer is out of ink these days.

"Well, is was different back then," and I want to go on to explain the advances in photography, transportation, technology, and medicine, but all I can focus on is the question of color.

We might have those advances from generations past, but the fact is with each of those major breakthroughs came a price.

A price of less time to be outside in order to take photos, less freedom to just walk with a friend, less  words because of the chopping down of real communication, and more stress ebbing the life away from every day.

Did I see color?  My room was a bright yellow. Mac, our dog, was a brown, golden brown, white mix. Cissy, our cat, was grey and black.  Our first van was maroon with a yellow stripe.  My parents'  bedroom carpet was blue. The water I had swimming lessons in was blue from the high dive. The fire when we went camping was red and yellow. The pebbles at Pebble Beach were white and grey.

Yes, my child, I saw color.  But sadly, with the hurry of my life, I tend to not see it as much anymore.

I rush my kids in the car and not see the sunlight hitting their hair.  I gulp the smoothie down and not see the specks of God's creation in the mix of strawberries, bananas and spinach. I jog down the sidewalk without noticing the many shades of green found around me.

Oh Lord, may you help me to slow down and really see color today!  Your color.  Your gifts of life, grace, and love.

Compassion Blogger - Peru

Sweet smiles.

Hopeful hugs.

Dusty days.

Dark nights.

Tired legs.

Rough hands.

God's grace fills the place.

 Oh, how I wish I was there...


Check out more stories of amazing grace from some of the Compassion bloggers who went to Peru to share time and love with the children in Peru :


Click here for Grace in Peru

Five Minute Friday

A weekly challenge by Lisa-Jo Baker. We all write about 1 word for five minutes.

Today's word is:  STAY



GO

A Papa's hand.  A boy's sweet smile.
 
Looking into the eyes that he finds hope comfort, delight, and most importantly love.

The whisper of wisdom of a Grandfather's love.

"Stay young."

Stay young, my son.  Keep looking for frogs in the lake up north. 

Stay innocent, my son.  Keep believing in magic and dreams. 

Stay sweet, my son.  When you asked me today, "Has anyone told you that you are beautiful today?  You are," I knew once again that you took after your Papa. 

My Daddy who told me I was beautiful just as my Heavenly Father tells me in His love for me.

STOP


  To write your own whispers...Click here.