Acorns

“But You, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand.

The victim commits himself to You; You are the helper of the fatherless.”  

Psalm 10:14

ACORNS-
I have two days before I get on the plane to Cambodia.  From a very global perspective, I think I'm ready.  The big picture looks great and I am a big picture sort of gal.  I have to admit, panic sets in every time I stop and turn my attention to the million little things that need to be done before I get on that plane - copy my passport, visa, travel insurance,  oh yes, and don't forget that plug thingy that keeps me from blowing up my blow dryer ...again!  Depending on which lens I am looking through I am moving from excitement to sheer panic by the minute.   Big picture, little details, big picture... for me, big picture pretty much always wins.

 I like to say I am a global thinker.  That sounds incredibly intelligent and it works if you are ever being accused of forgetting a small random detail like where you parked your car in the Target shopping center.  I am finding more and more that I see God perfectly well from a global perspective but lately He has been speaking to me about seeing the hidden things that I have been missing.

 There is a tree that hangs over the path at the lake where I run and it provides just the right amount of shade for me to stretch and cool down after I am finished.  I have been stopping at this tree to stretch for over a year.  I love the shade it provides and hadn't thought much about it.  I'm global!  On one particular day as I was stretching, my eyes focused in on a tiny something hanging from one of the branches.  It was an acorn.  A small green acorn.  I thought it was funny that I hadn't noticed this before but then again...I am global.  Just at this moment, I heard the Lord say, "Look closer."   And, as I did, I saw hundreds of these tiny acorns.  The tree was full of them.  One by one, I noticed them and the beauty of this tree became so much more evident.   I got out my camera and took a picture.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like this tree"

I took a step back and as I did, I noticed that the acorns began to fade into the background of the tree.  I took another picture and another step back.  Now, all of the acorns disappeared from my sight.  I took one final picture knowing that one day I would know the deeper meaning of the moment. Since that day, I look for those acorns every time I run because now, I have seen them.  I know they are there.  

My "global" perspective has been invaded by a tiny acorn.

This mission trip has evolved in much the same way.  I had heard about human trafficking on a global scale and it saddened my heart but, as long as I was able to see the picture from a distance I was never compelled to act.  And then one day, in just the right season, truth invaded my global perspective.   God asked me to look closer as he showed me the face of one little child, and then another, and then another until I could no longer think about this from a distance.   I have seen them.

Yes, the kingdom of Heaven is like this tree.  There is so much more I need to see so God has asked me to step a little closer. 

I know I will never be the same.

Looking forward,

Julie