Driving from the airport to West Maui, you encounter the city of Kahului and all the buildings that a modern city would develop-K-Mart, Krispy Kreme (yes, really) and all the fast food places. However the further you drive, the more wild and untamed the island becomes.
On the ocean side of the very curvy road, there are resorts and condos. Most of these were built after 1970. But on the other side of the road, undeveloped land rises up to one of the extinct volcanoes on Maui. Looking at the volcano, especially at night, you don't feel very safe. The landscaping is not sculpted or manicured like Disney World. It is just the way the volcano left the land.
Lately, I've been impressed how God is like Maui. He is wild. We can not tame Him. We try to put Him in our manicured 'Disney-like' plans but He will not stay where we put Him. We make our own plans and then we try to squeeze this GREAT, WILD GOD into them. And He will not be squeezed.
In Biblical History, the people God put in our paths to study were people that listened to God and did risky things He called them to do. He didn't listen to their plans and fit His Kingdom around their plans. He called them out to take risks and let Him develop the plan.
One of the books I've been reading is In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. He has challenged me to think about my life and the risks I ignore. I'm ashamed of the things God has called me to and I've ignored or pushed into a corner because of my fear. I want to choose the adventure God has for me rather than hold onto my fear.
How about you? How do you handle God? Or does He handle you?
1 comment:
Thanks for the beautiful pictures. Why is it that we quickly acknowledge wild=beautiful in nature, but see mostly caution flags when it comes to wild risks in life? I also know that I pull back because of fear for or doubt of myself. I am not risking all for Christ. Isn't that sin when I am disobedient? I am memorizing and meditating on Matthew 13:44. Am I willing to sell out because of joy in pursuing the Kingdom of God? I pray I will. Thanks for making me think!
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