The subject of progress is an ongoing saga. What is new today in our ever
changing world, will be obsolete tomorrow. With only two things for sure-it
will be faster, and cost less. OK, three things. We will wish we had waited
for the newer version. I can remember the first cell phones, at over $1200
each, big and unreliable. Now they give them away with your plan, and they can
take pictures, access the internet, and text. But can still drop calls when you
least expect it. So much for progress, but don't despair, within the next few
weeks a newer version will be out, that the ads will remind you that you cannot
live without. And the march of progress goes on...and on...and on...
My grandparents were the first ones I knew to have a color TV. Remember
the NBC peacock? I remember trying to figure out the colors of the cars on My
Three Sons-Pontiacs and hot rods, the Fords on Hazel, and the real colors of the
Ponderosa on Bonanza. Little Joe's painted pony is still my favorite! And even
in color, it was still black and white! But now they were colors, not just
shades of gray. And the colors were bright, vivid, and seemed to not match
anything in any house I had ever been in. No one I knew had bright green walls,
with blue carpet, and gold trim. In brighter colors than I ever saw. But they
showed up great in color, and since it was all about the color, you got,
well...color! And so after all the pinks, mauves, and blues of the fifties-you
had bright colors for the sixties. And I wholeheartedly approved-still due.
And although Joe Friday only wore gray, it even looked better in color. A whole
new world awaited us-color! Just the facts, mam.
But we had to endure black and white to get there, and today as we had
Super HD, and 3D, and other visual enhanced sets, it still is about the
colors-no one watches black and white shows on HD! There is no such thing! No
one wants to return to the past, even though our memories of it can be fond, we
look to the future for things to get better-and again, more progress.
When Father Al went in for new glasses, they told him he had cataracts, and
had one eye done first. He could see things again, and colors were the most
vivid and exciting. But it took awhile for the second eye, he needed the first
to heal, and then his vision was complete. And like he exclaimed to me-"he once
was blind, but now he could see!" And life became exciting again for him, as if
it were ever not exciting-he could see! But what if he didn't get the second
operation? What would his sight have been like? Would he only look out of the
good eye? What would the combination of good eye and bad eye have shown to
him? Fortunately after the first operation God wasn't done with him yet.
Jesus tells us of meeting a man who was blind, and was seeking healing.
Jesus spat in some dirt, and rubbed it on his eyes-giving him sight, or at least
what he thought was sight. The man commented that people looked like trees, or
their outline, and didn't realize he wasn't fully healed. If he had left then,
his blessing would not have been complete. But again Jesus touched his eyes,
and they became clear-fully healed! Jesus had healed him in a two step
process-giving him his sight, but teaching him grace and patience along with
it. But what if the man had taken off thinking he was healed? Do people really
look like trees to anyone except the Sierra Club?
We so often do the same thing. God isn't done, and wants to bless us more,
but we are in a hurry. Life is interfering with our plans, and if God wants
part of our life, He must make an appointment, or fit in where He can. We miss
blessings, and when we encounter others who have patience wonder why them, and
not us? What is so special they get blessed all the time? Perhaps we should
consider the Old Testament advice found in Psalms, "they that WAIT upon the
Lord, shall renew their strength, they shall mount up wings as eagles, they
shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint, teach me Lord to
wait..." And there is the answer-waiting upon God. Babies take a full 36 weeks
to be born, we all know about premies who come early. How many have left with
the score tied in the 7th inning, only to miss the excitement in the ninth? And
how many hurry to get somewhere, only to sit and do what? WAIT! Remember that
when God tells you how He orders your steps! You may be done, but He
isn't!
Try it God's way today. You may be having a Good Friday type of day, no
hope at all, but remember there is no Easter without Good Friday. God knows
what is ahead, and what is a detour for you, may be the right road God has for
you. Be patient, as the bumper sticker says, God isn't done with me yet. It
takes both eyes, along with a willing spirit to see all the grace of God. For
God has great things for us, just like the blind man, and just like He did for
Father Al. Don't leave the game early and miss the ending!
Patience leads to salvation. There may be pain in the night, but joy comes
in the morning. Get some rest, the harvest is great, the workers are few. Keep
both eyes on God, and see things as He does. All the colors of the rainbow
await you if you focus on Jesus. Trust God-now that's progress that anyone and
everyone can benefit from.
And if anyone asks, I still want the 1965 Chevy Super Sport in Marina Blue,
just like the one on Bewitched! And like the one Little Joe drove up the
streets of Virginia City. If you missed that last one, too bad. A special 10
minute Chevrolet commercial on Bonanza for their 1965 car line. A little
patience to this 11 year old's eyes gave me a clear vision 47 years ago! So give
God a chance-for the things which are seen are temporal, the things not seen
eternal. How will you know the difference if you never look?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com