A Lesson in the Night

In the middle of the night two nights ago, a distant little memory popped into my head. It made me smile, even chuckle a bit.

Joseph was five or so years old, making me roughly ten. We had our squabbles from time to time, but we generally spent a lot of time together. There was one item on his agenda that phased in...and wouldn't phase out. He loved the movie Charlotte's Web. I don't remember if it was a new movie to us or if it just suddenly caught his attention. Whenever he and I had a free afternoon, he would pull that movie out of the drawer in our entertainment center, begging me to watch it with him.

For the first five or so times, I really didn't mind. It was a phase, right? Besides, there are some cute scenes in the movie. Yet, as time went on and the phase didn't fizzle, I started to feel like I was going to go crazy. "Mother Earth and Father Time," "Fine swine, wish he was mine," "The greatest hog in history"--these once catchy lines began playing over and over in my head. I loved my little brother, but could I endure this?

The phase came and stayed, and stayed, and stayed, and phased out. I don't know if Joseph found something to replace Charlotte's Web or if he just actually became tired of it himself. Either way, the result was what thrilled me. My shattered nerves finally had a chance to recover. Other thoughts were able to enter my brain.

This was the memory that came to me as I tossed in my bed that night. What also came to mind was how this story is analogical to a part of our relationship with God.

Sometimes our spiritual focus can get so narrow that we only dwell on one part of our relationship with God. It may be a specific act of service or worship or type of prayer or ministry or gift. God is patient with us. Even though He wants more, He enjoys the one area that we are close to Him in. (Back to the story, I'm not saying Joseph and I weren't close in other ways--just temporarily the focus was primarily on the movie; this is a loose analogy!)

How pleasing it might be to our Father if we didn't just get comfortable with that one area that we enjoy, but branched out to try new things with Him and in Him. Not that He won't love us if we don't change, but there are so many other areas that He wants to teach us about. He didn't die to make us comfortable in our little ruts of good will and good works. His death and then His glorious resurrection was to prod us and push us to grow and mature in Him.

I challenge you (as I am challenging myself) to consider what rut you might be in? Have you become too set in your ways spiritually? Take time to ask the Lord what areas He would like to teach you about.