Sometimes it is not who you know, where you went to school, or what you know that qualifies you for a certain job. When we first moved to Durango, the couple we moved with, Mike and Carol were always looking for ways to make money. Since so many heated with wood, and we needed money, we decided to cut wood and make a killing. It appeared so easy, and we would undercut-no pun intended, the competition by $5 per cord, and get rich. So answering an ad for a large resort, The Iron Horse, we made an agreement for $25 per cord-cut, split, stacked, and delivered. We even rented a splitter, figuring it would help things along. And as usual, we had spent the money we would be making many times over.
What we found is there is a reason firewood cost so much. It takes a lot of work! It is heavy, you bend a lot, and use a lot of gas for the trucks and chain saws. And the splitter was more expensive, and worked slower than we thought it should. And to meet our commitment we worked into the dark, never a safe thing to do around chain saws and log splitters. The longer we worked, the money earned stayed the same, just our wages went down-way down. And when we got the check, the amount seemed very small for what we had done to earn it, although it was the amount we had agreed on. And although we would heat with wood for the next six years, we never, ever cut wood for profit again, or lack of it. So it was when we moved to Farmington, with a thermostat on the wall, we vowed never to heat with wood again. Even the romance of a fire in the hearth left for awhile.
Things are different in California, where even though most houses have a fireplace, they use no wood, as they are gas powered, and are used to decorate and are non-functional for heating. So we never use one, as the glow from a gas log somehow doesn't have the same effect as aspen burning, doesn't have the smell of burning pine, and puts out little or no heat. Sadly those who have never heated with wood and are cursed with a gas log just don't get it-they miss the romance-and the sore muscles.
We get upset when the temp gets too warm or too cool, and feel inconvenienced when we must adjust the thermostat. How inconvenient. But sounding ridiculous to those of us who were used to coming home and starting a fire to heat the place, and waking up to the same cold home when the fire burned out the next morning. It may be a bit inconvenient, but if you never felt the warmth of a wood fire, you don't know what you are missing. And if you think all fireplaces are fired by gas-you just won't get it. There is a certain joy as the warmth from the fire fills the room, and you can start taking off layers of clothes. Sipping hot chocolate that was heated from the top of the stove on its hot plate, and sipping it gently so you don't burn your mouth-a much different hot than one that comes out of the microwave. And nothing like huddling in front of the fire with the one you love either!
Being in ministry I get to see how things are at the front sometimes, for we truly are in a battle between good and evil. And because of that, I must trust God for everything. And I feel bad for those of you who don't. Whose biggest problem is when will my new SUV be ready. Is the new Christian CD available. What college will my son go to. How is my 401k doing? What service should I attend? And the list goes on and on. Things that those of us at the front don't get to consider. Some in foreign lands are faced with death every day. Or where is my next meal coming from. Where will my rent money come from? And when doctor bills mount, who will pay them? And for those who minister locally, we may sit next to them in church, listen to the same sermon, but they will never get the true joy that God has for them. They choose the gas log approach, and never get the warmth that comes from the Holy Spirit. Saved yes. Warmed but without the warmth. Blessed yes, but never able or wanting to experience God's fullness by asking Him for a vision, and then following it. Living life based on where the thermostat is set, and never experiencing real warmth after being chilled, or real nourishment after being starved. They never get to see how much God loves them because they have buffers in their life to keep them safe and comfortable.
Only by trusting God and stepping out will you know. The world calls them comfort zones, but are really DIScomfort zones when God calls. For truly only when you are in the spirit will you be comfortable. So be wary when a pastor tells you to get out of your comfort zone. For the most comfortable place to be is where God wants you to be. So be there!
But ask for more, for a better way. A way to share the gospel more. To be a true minister. To get out of your gas log existence, and taste the real thing. Ask God to allow you to be in a situation that unless He guides you, you will fail. And see a side of God you never knew. A confidence in Him you never had. And a comfort you never want to give up.
Jesus Christ changes lives. He did when you got saved. Now let Him change you even more. Be brave, trust God. He has so much more for you than a gas log of life. And yes, you may be tired at the end of the day from cutting wood, but those who cut their own wood warm themselves twice. And tired bodies sleep better.
He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it. Ask God for more. Working for the Kingdom never felt so good. A comfort zone many hear of, but never get to know. If you are never cold you will never know how good heat feels. The best meal is eaten when the hungriest. And the best place to be is following God. A comfort zone that no thermostat can provide. Nod your head yes if you know what I mean. Sleep well, with a full stomach, and a heart at peace with God.
love with compassion,
Mike
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