SPIRIT LAUNCHES
Tonight for the fourth night in the past week, we went out into the backyard to watch the north-eastern sky one minute after the scheduled take-off of the space shuttle. Believe it or not, being a mere 180 miles away is still a good seat for these events. In daytime launches, we can see the vapor trail as it heads into orbit. For night-time launches we can see the light disappearing into the sky.
The first three times over the past seven days, we didn't tune-in to watch the countdown; we just went outside at the appointed time. It wasn't until we'd spent several minutes getting chewed-up by mosquitos that we realized it didn't launch. Tonight we tuned in to CNN and waited until it was 30-seconds-and-counting to go outside. Imagine our surprise when for the first time all week there were too many clouds in SW Florida to have a clear view of the NE sky, the direction of the take-off. One each previous night, while the sky had looked clear here, there were storms at Satellite Beach and they had to scrub the launch.
Isn't that quite the metaphor for some of our dreams and expectations of things that are to be or things that are to come. Sometimes they do not come to pass because there's a problem somewhere else, with something else or someone else. But sometimes our dreams and expectations fail to come to fruition because something much closer to home is blocking the way.
I'm wondering in particular tonight if I dutifully prepare for, wait, anticipate and follow-through on the dreams that the Spirit sprinkles so generously into my life like so many innumerable stars. Do I wait for and anticipate God's speaking into my life, as I did for the chance(s) to see the shuttle this week. Do I make a mental note, call to remind others to join me, listen for updates, schedule my day so that I have the time to grasp the way the Spirit would lead me each day? Do have a clear view from the vantage of my mind and heart to recognize when something in my life is really a launching of Holy Spirit?
Too often I fear, I meet the occurrences of the Holy Spirit's launching of God's intention for my life un-purposefully. And though I'm compelled to I watch for a sound-free sign in the sky of man's conquering of space; I often fail to listen for the whisper of a Holy God as He tries to conquer my will and show me a path here on earth.
Tonight before I sleep, I'm going to take some time to wonder with God about the Spirit launches that have occurred in my life recently. Surely some of them I've let go right by, barely noticing the vapor trail. Others I've seen as a flash in the night sky and was amused for a while, but easily turned away. And yet by God's grace, for a few of them anyway I've jumped on board and allowed God's Spirit to lead me to places I'd never been before. Tonight I'm thankful for Spirit launches -- and those who taught me to look for them -- and a God who provides them. Blessings and joy -- THE CELTIC MONK
The first three times over the past seven days, we didn't tune-in to watch the countdown; we just went outside at the appointed time. It wasn't until we'd spent several minutes getting chewed-up by mosquitos that we realized it didn't launch. Tonight we tuned in to CNN and waited until it was 30-seconds-and-counting to go outside. Imagine our surprise when for the first time all week there were too many clouds in SW Florida to have a clear view of the NE sky, the direction of the take-off. One each previous night, while the sky had looked clear here, there were storms at Satellite Beach and they had to scrub the launch.
Isn't that quite the metaphor for some of our dreams and expectations of things that are to be or things that are to come. Sometimes they do not come to pass because there's a problem somewhere else, with something else or someone else. But sometimes our dreams and expectations fail to come to fruition because something much closer to home is blocking the way.
I'm wondering in particular tonight if I dutifully prepare for, wait, anticipate and follow-through on the dreams that the Spirit sprinkles so generously into my life like so many innumerable stars. Do I wait for and anticipate God's speaking into my life, as I did for the chance(s) to see the shuttle this week. Do I make a mental note, call to remind others to join me, listen for updates, schedule my day so that I have the time to grasp the way the Spirit would lead me each day? Do have a clear view from the vantage of my mind and heart to recognize when something in my life is really a launching of Holy Spirit?
Too often I fear, I meet the occurrences of the Holy Spirit's launching of God's intention for my life un-purposefully. And though I'm compelled to I watch for a sound-free sign in the sky of man's conquering of space; I often fail to listen for the whisper of a Holy God as He tries to conquer my will and show me a path here on earth.
Tonight before I sleep, I'm going to take some time to wonder with God about the Spirit launches that have occurred in my life recently. Surely some of them I've let go right by, barely noticing the vapor trail. Others I've seen as a flash in the night sky and was amused for a while, but easily turned away. And yet by God's grace, for a few of them anyway I've jumped on board and allowed God's Spirit to lead me to places I'd never been before. Tonight I'm thankful for Spirit launches -- and those who taught me to look for them -- and a God who provides them. Blessings and joy -- THE CELTIC MONK
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