I dont remember learning the expression as the crow flies but I find it applies to my walk with Christ. The inexorable path of Jesus is linear in nature. Everything has a beginning and everything, besides Him, has an end. So there goes Jesus flying over this amazing mountain range full of ominous peaks and depthless valleys and here we are on our feet trying to follow Him! We climb that mountain of pride only to be swept back down by an avalanche. We stumble and fall off the mountain of fleshly desire to find ourselves in the darkest depths of the valley of death. We attack the mountain of self denial with reckless abandon and find ourselves on an endless cliff face smooth as glass. Funny thing is we were only following our guide. You know, the one Jesus gave us when He went to be with the Father? Now why would the best guide to ever exist lead us to the most difficult, even impossible routs in our journey for salvation? Why would He lead us way above tree line, deep in the wilderness, right when a lightning storm strikes? I have guided people into deep wilderness and I have to say this is anathema to good guiding protocol. But there we are, hail the size of golf balls threatening concussion, lightning striking so close you can smell the sulfur, and completely exposed! Then as your huddling under your backpack trying desperately to avoid hail the Holy Spirit whispers, This is for your benefit. Your carnal being cries in abject disgust, What!? From somewhere deep within words come to mind.
Jas 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Jas 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Jas 1:4 and let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Our all knowing guide is not testing our capabilities. He guides us into the wilderness and allows storms to threaten us to test our faith. So now were exhausted, sure the next bolt of lightning will hit us, and that backpack just isnt big enough to cover our legs. In the midst of the storm that mountain still looms above obscured by fast moving clouds and ostensibly mocking our weakness. Again, from somewhere deep inside words come to mind.
Mat 8:26 and he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
We twist our lips in a grimace of determination and just as we are about to throw our backpacks aside in faith to rebuke the storm in Jesus name the winds die down, the lightning ceases, and the last hail ball bounces down the slope below us. A sigh of relief escapes us just in time to see the clouds roll back like a scroll revealing that same mountain we had been lead to before the storm started! We scream in frustration, Why God? We writhe in anger, and just as we feel our hearts breaking more words come from deep within.
Mat 17:20 He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."
May you know the joy of tribulation and experience His strength in your weakness.
Snowfloater
Jas 1:2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
Jas 1:3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Jas 1:4 and let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Our all knowing guide is not testing our capabilities. He guides us into the wilderness and allows storms to threaten us to test our faith. So now were exhausted, sure the next bolt of lightning will hit us, and that backpack just isnt big enough to cover our legs. In the midst of the storm that mountain still looms above obscured by fast moving clouds and ostensibly mocking our weakness. Again, from somewhere deep inside words come to mind.
Mat 8:26 and he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
We twist our lips in a grimace of determination and just as we are about to throw our backpacks aside in faith to rebuke the storm in Jesus name the winds die down, the lightning ceases, and the last hail ball bounces down the slope below us. A sigh of relief escapes us just in time to see the clouds roll back like a scroll revealing that same mountain we had been lead to before the storm started! We scream in frustration, Why God? We writhe in anger, and just as we feel our hearts breaking more words come from deep within.
Mat 17:20 He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."
May you know the joy of tribulation and experience His strength in your weakness.
Snowfloater
