Merge

Is there anything more frustrating than to pull in behind a driver who has no earthly clue what the "merge lane" is designed for? He'll come to a complete stop, waiting to pull out into the fast lane of traffic, totally ignoring the wide open merge lane in front of him, thus causing traffic to back up behind him.

Many of us Christians live our lives the same way - we want immediate access into the normal flow of life, and when it's not there we freeze and simply do nothing until the opportunity presents itself for full-speed ministry, and people back up behind us, themselves unable to proceed because of our inaction.

God graciously gives us "merge lanes" in life. We're not always ready for life at full speed and God gives us the time, space, and momentum to get up to speed. How does He do it? Typically in ways that involve some pain, discomfort, inconvenience, suffering, and humiliation. (No wonder we stop and want to simply jump into the flow of traffic!)

I think of folks like the Jennings and Donahoos who are at various stages in their quest to get on the mission field. Of course they'd love to be there today . . . but God has given them some time to prepare. Can He be trusted? Yes!

Truthfully, the Gospel itself is our merge lane. Only in the Gospel can we find Christ to be sufficient enough to give us the patience and power to "wait upon the Lord." Only the Gospel provides the momentum that can propel us into a fast paced life that demands sacrifice, forgiveness, and love. Only the Gospel allows us to continue in ministry even when we're not sure about the future and what it holds. Only the Gospel enables us to care about the other folks around us and their various ministries.

merging into the fast lane of life,
Burt