Something out of whack!

When traveling by air, the first thing is to get into an aircraft that is capable of flying. A qualified pilot would be unnegotiable. Seating would improve the comfort over long distances -- even short for that matter! And as it was, this particular craft was rife with hornets nests.

Last week in northern Mozambique we had the opportunity to check out this "grounded" aircraft. It sits miles from any airport. How it got to where it is parked is anyone's guess.

We thought that it might make a unique restaurant, not that we were hungry for we had just eaten. How about an unusual motel, not that we were looking for one -- we were staying with our field leader in the comfort of her home.

Some things though really seem out of whack at times don't they? This was one of those times. On our way home to Johannesburg, we were in FIVE different airports. We had to deplane at each one climbing down the ladder out of plane just like the one in the picture. OK, not quite "like" this one -- we were in one that worked, had a qualified pilot, and actually took off from a proper runway! There weren't any hornets either.

The Teacher in Ecclesiastes makes an interesting statement. He writes: "Notice the way God does things; then fall into line. Don't fight the ways of God, for who can straighten out what he has made crooked?" (7:13) Sometimes what may seem all out of whack in our lives and experiences are that way because God has been at work. We usually think of God as one who is working at straightening out the crooked paths in our lives, or leveling the mountains we're having difficulty climbing over. But here the Teacher says God actually makes things crooked! I wonder why? Just so we think things are all out of whack? Just to prove to us that we live in a fallen and broken world? Maybe.

For sure though God is a God who knows what he is doing! For whatever the reason or purpose. Our responsibility is to notice God at work, AND then to fall into line. No sense in fighting God, that is for sure, even if what is expected of us seems a little out of whack, or not quite according to our plans, thinking or expectations. God loves to work outside the box! Let's let him do it. And let's be good at noticing God at work. Above all, let's fall into line.

If we do, in all likelihood, at the end of the day things may not seem quite so out of whack after all!

"Hanging" in Jo'burg

Ever seen one of these things? It's the chameleon and they can be found all over southern Africa.
Most Africans don't like them. Apparently they are right up there with snakes and the like!

Why do people run from them? Perhaps it's their "split" feet with the tiny claws (nails) on the end; or perhaps it's the way their eyes wonder simultaneously in different directions always checking things out; their scaly cold feeling skin isn't terribly cuddly; they have a tongue with this sticky "thingy" on the end that shoots out at close to lightning speed for flies or grasshoppers; maybe it's because they move so slow and deliberately as if on a cunning or secret mission; or perhaps it's due to the fact that when they are angry, they change to all black, their throat/chin puffs out and shows a reddish organge and they HISS!

As kids we used to catch the babies and keep them as pets in empty match boxes! It was always fun to put them up to a screen window where flies where trapped and watch them very carefully move both eyes forward and focus for the kill. And if you didn't watch you'd miss the action of a flies demise as it became hamburger!

Chameleons are good at hanging on! Their slow deliberate way exudes patience and determination. They usually get to where they're going, no matter how long it takes. Changing their colors to suit the situation is all part of the package! Great creatures for sure!

The author of Hebrews wrote "Let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish."

This is our prayer, that we will "hang in there" with our eyes fixed (focused) on Him.