As the Good Book says, "I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." Growth, change, improvement all seem to be associated more with youth or middle age, but to be a life-long learner and open to the Divine Contractor is a daily choice I still need to make after 69 years of life. And the choice implies an inquiring heart and mind regarding what still needs work in my life so I remain a cooperative participant in the renovation project of my life.
One of the growing areas of my life these days is how to converse with God about suffering, whether my own or that experienced by others. Of course we simply want it removed, but when one views it as one of the construction materials, it changes the conversation. I'm somewhat humiliated to see how often in my prayers there has been the presumption that I know what is best and basically ask God to implement it--on His timeline, of course.
I'm learning to pray with a clearer idea of the difference between God's role and mine in this adventure of living, and to find language that replaces my arrogance with the complete trust in God's master craftmanship and His complete goodness both to me and for me. And there is still a place for request in all this. Since I don't have God's view of things, I simply request what I would appreciate, but then submit to His will--not unlike Jesus' example before His crucifixion when He requested that "cup" to be taken from Him, but then submitted Himself to the will of his Father in Heaven. I love the creativity involved in learning about this kind of conversation with my Heavenly Father.
On a less lofty note, but of equal joy to Carol and me, was the arrival of our daughter Barb this morning. She's spending a week with us, and she breathes vibrant life into ours whenever we're with her.
Bob, for your regular reporter Carol
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