Position yourself…

April 21, 2019

Often times when I run in the early morning, around the time of daybreak I find myself chasing a sunrise. I found myself eager to see a sunrise this Easter morning. The weather forecast showed chance of rain, so I figured my chances of a sunrise were slim to none…but if I was going to see one, I knew exactly where I wanted to be.

It was almost 100% cloudy when I headed out but there was a small break in the clouds in the direction the sun would be peaking up. I had decided to head up this big hill just outside of town…kinda steep, but a nice quiet dirt road with a view of the town and a chance to see the sun rise over the opposing mountains. I knew if I was going to catch a sunrise this morning, this was my best chance.

As I was climbing the hill (slow but sure) it made me think of the parallels of life, running, and seeking God. If I wanted to see a sunrise this morning, I had to position myself to do so. Similarly, if I want to see God, feel His presence, hear Him talk to me, etc, I need to position myself to do so. If our previous Pastor Joe taught us anything, it was the need to include daily disciplines into our lives…reading the word, journaling, praise and worship, quiet meditation, etc. By doing these things we are positioning ourselves to hear from God. This Easter morning, I not only wanted to see a sunrise, I also wanted to be in His presence.

To make another comparison, it reminded me of how hunters position themselves to ‘make the kill.’ I have a friend who is one of the most avid hunters and outdoorsman I know; naturally he’s raising his boys to be the same. He was preparing to take them hunting for youth spring gobbler I believe. He wanted the boys to have a great experience and hopefully get a turkey, but he did more than hope it would happen. He did a lot of preparation and positioning himself to help make it happen. His many early mornings of scouting, learning about the sport and the animal, and guiding his boys, helping them to practice their aim, etc. All of that paid off when he got to celebrate their first successful turkey hunt. Point is, he was intentional about positioning himself and it probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise.

I need to be intentional in positioning myself if I want to experience all that God has for me. I feel like I’m better at doing this when there is a rocky road or something I’m struggling with/through. Recently, the last 5-6 weeks have been kind of tough for me. Our newest little guy has been sick…nothing earth shattering, but still enough to feel sad, worried, stressed, helpless..all the feels. I know others have much more serious storms they’re going through but this was my current storm and it was trying.

In these situations I do find myself seeking God, asking for answers or healing or whatever I need. But what about in just my everyday life…when all is pretty smooth sailing…I may not be as focused on God or as intentional about seeking him as I am during life’s storms. (Sounds kinda like I use God for what I need when I need it…🤔😏)

So as I turned around to head back down the hill this morning, I wanted to remember this feeling. Not just the ‘wow this was a great run; the most relaxed I’ve felt in weeks’ feeling; but the little fire I was feeling in my soul, one I believe only God can put inside me. That’s the feeling I wanted to continue to feel, even once I’m off the quiet, beautiful hilltop, back in the traffic and mundane cloudiness that can exist from day to day.

Once I reached the bottom, back to the main road of traffic, I was reminded that God is there with us, peaking through the clouds, today and every day.

I plan to try to be more intentional at seeking God and not just when I need something. I will say though, everytime I went seeking Him or cried out to Him, He gave me reminders he was there… through song, my daily devotional, random devotional, or through a friend or family member saying they’re praying. For this I am thankful…I’m also extremely thankful that my little one seems to have turned a corner and is feeling better. ❤

One more lesson this morning: don’t fall for a decoy 😂

Happy Easter! He is risen!