Sunday, October 15, 2006

'Beautiful 'Timing

I slept in late today. (9:45.)
I love sleeping in... with the tiny exception of feeling like your day is half gone.

I left the house at 10:30 for a quick run to pick up a shower gift before I started on all I had to do today.
I returned at 4:30 this afternoon......

I happened to run into my mom... which never just happens. We live in the same town, but seriously can manage to not see each other except for a quick hello at church on Sundays every week. We still know we love each other... we're just not big communicators.
So, today, we ran into each other at the $1 store which was having a "Everything's .40 sale". Of course that would draw both of us like magnets from anywhere. So we had lunch... caught up.... and just enjoyed the time. It was really nice. And meaningful. Sometimes I am just way too busy...

What I love about God is that He knows that about us.
I was reading in Acts 3 tonight... Peter and John are headed to the temple for the 'hour of prayer'. At the same time, a man is being carried there to beg. Crippled from birth... this has been his daily tradition too... begging at the temple gate called "Beautiful."

Peter, John, and this man just 'happen' to cross paths at the same time. You may know the story... they look at him, he looks at them expecting a handout, and they give him way more than that. He rises to his feet for the first time... and the picture given is of a man so overwhelmed with joy he can't let go of them.. jumping up and down, praising God, and drawing so much attention... for this crowd now watching the commotion also knows this man as the one who "used to sit begging at the temple gate called 'Beautiful'." Enough attention is drawn, that Peter and John respond to the crowd and direct the credit to God...and spend a night in jail.
They had just started out towards the temple to pray.
He was just being carried to the gate to beg.

The temple gate was called 'Beautiful'.

Do you know what I discovered the word for "Beautiful" here means?
HOORAIN ( from horaios) "belonging to the right hour or season (timely) i.e. (by implication) beautous.

That gate was indeed timely... the right season... and Beautiful. God's timing may not always be our own, but when you see His working in it...the schedule you had laid out for yourself that day pales in comparison to His divine working.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for enlightening us (me!) on 'beautiful'... More than anything, I appreciate the heart of a woman who is hungry to explore and expound on the things of God.

When you and your mom crossed paths, you could've sincerely greeted each other & then just gone on with the day... How many times do we rob the beauty of the moments we're given b/c we're too busy or tunnel-visioned to let go of our agendas and be present where we are?

So, you've given me a great reminder to participate in the things right in front of me! It's all I'm guaranteed anyway, right?

Heather said...

Ang - I love you. Your last line spurred on more thoughts for me...so we feed off of each other. :-)
Thanks for being the encourager you are.
YOUR posts have had my mind working all day. Love you!

Rick L said...

You are so right about enjoying the moment and not being so busy that we miss those opportunities. The last year has made me painfully aware of all the opportunities I missed. Tons of family, especially my parents, all within 100 miles and so many opportunities to visit and share precious moments missed because there was always another job to do or another bill that just had to be paid. Suddenly we discover that time has taken it's toll and minds that used to be clear and sharp and filled with quick wit and silly humor have fallen into an endless cycle of depression and anxiety and fear. Bodies that used to be strong and healthy and ready to climb mountains and ford streams are bent and disabled by the ravages of age. Hands that used to crochet miles and miles of blankets and afgans and tickle great grandchildren shake too bad to hold a spoon. Voices that used to ring out with hymns of praise are now often to weak to even carry on a short conversation. What a shame that we can't see it coming before it's too late. We know it will be here for all of us but for some reason we carry on like it won't. Don't get me wrong. I don't mean for this to be a downer. Life has been good and God is faithful beyond measure. So many opportunities were missed but wonderful memories of fun times together are still there. I only share my regrets with the hope that someone else will not have the same regrets. Kiss your babies every day and tell them you love them so many times that they know what you're going to say before you say it. Never let a husband or wife doubt for even a second that they are loved so deeply that it can't be measured in human terms. Share nothing but loving words at every parting and every meeting. Hug the dad that doesn't really like to hug, so much that it becomes part of his nature. And those lunches with Mom; never pass up a chance. Take the trips together and turn off the television and play those silly little kid games. Housework will get done. Much of the work will wait. But time won't. It will fly by and before you know it you'll be the one wishing that you could turn back the clock. Heather, thanks for sharing your life and your thoughts. I am always lifted up and challenged by what you have to say.

Guy and Nancy said...

hey Heather! Your story about Julia not wanting you to go to hell is soo funny. Guy and I were dying laughing. It is good to read how you are doing. I am 34 weeks pregnant and it is crazy. Get on our website and you can see about our baby! Love you, Nancy
(babystover.blogspot.com)