Crazy things happen right?? We never know what to expect, and can never guess what lies on the road ahead. Well, September 12. My sisters birthday, she turned 15. For a surprise we took her to eat at an Ethiopian restaurant. It was great to see her enjoying her culture and eating her home food. While we were there we made friends with several of the people who worked and owned the restaurant.
As we were getting ready to leave my dad had to change out the old tire of our van with the new one and plenty of the people joined us outside as we fixed to leave. While we were loading the van. A pizza truck was driving out of the strip mall, and before he could stop a 3 year old boy ran out in front of the car. I wish I could easily say that the pizza truck dodged the young boy and we all went on with our day. But it didn't. Before I could even think of what to do next, I could hear the whaling of the African people. And the screaming from the kids in the back seat. It was happening again.. I couldn't understand why, and I couldn't think of what to do or how to handle the situation all over again.
I never thought I would hear young children cry out to Jesus like that.. My mind raced and all I could do was scream out to God. The same sounds as before filled my ears. The sounds that even now I can hear echoing in my mind. My head was filled with confusion as I sat in the car with all the other children screaming and sobbing. Finally I pulled myself together and went to the kids to help them understand that God was in control and at the same time clammed myself down to understand it as well.
It's hard to understand why God does what does...
As I sat there all I could think was “why?” It’s kind of funny when we question God. We think it’s “okay” to do it. But it’s so hard not to. When a love one dies, or your parent’s divorce, we often look to other things. We don’t look straight to God, and if we do we question him.
Here we go on a rabbit trail, my little brother Christopher, he is quite a fearsome thing to behold, he strange, sometimes gross. But a small trait no one really sees is his faith. About two years ago we had my papa over and the kids where running all over the place. My papa handed my 3 year old sister a mint candy. She was playing tag at the same time a chocked on it. My mom started performing the Heimlich lick maneuver, at the same time I was dialing 911. In all panic and each kid crying, Chris got down and prayed. He didn’t focus on the things of the world around him, he looked to God. Not many people know this about my brother, but it seems almost every time our family gets into a situation like this, (which it happens a lot HAH) he gets down and prays. He doesn’t look to the medics or to my mom doing the Heimlich. He looks to God. Why is it that a child that is 11 can look straight to God, but adults, teens, we just can’t seem to do that?
I am trying to share Christ with one of my friends lets pretend his name is Tim (due to privacy issues) For a long time I have been praying and working with Tim, he even came to a rice night, but at the end of a debate he stated “I’m not ready to believe anything.. Maybe in the future” As teens, and adults we can’t seem to believe what we used to. We obviously know Santa doesn’t come down our chimney. But why can’t we put faith in something that is real?? I think my whole point to these stories is the confusion of why we all look to something else. When we need money, we look to the bank. When a child is sick we look to the doctors. I don’t know how many lessons, or how many people really need to say this until it fully clicks. God is God, why do we sleep in fear?? Why do we look to drugs, alcohol and not God?? These things have bothered me for awhile. A child CAN do it. So can us.
So let me challenge you to something, find several verses on looking to God, Genesis 18:14, Jer 32:27, Luke 1:37 ext. And post them all around, your work place, bathroom, even the banner on your cell phone. And when the tough times come, look to God and know he is in control, as Matthew 10:29 states “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” God is in control, let’s really look to him.
