Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Winning when you lose

Summer breezes and sunshine, freckles arising on the nose and sunblock aromas wafting amidst lawnmowers buzzing and school books slamming shut:

summer

 



But, more than any other season for me, good memories come tied with less-than-cheery memories.

 It was this time last year that I was getting ready to go to the United States Air Force Academy. When my dreams resided in a uniform worn and boots laces tucked and standing at the perfect position of attention and the seven basic responses of a basic cadet, in packing the standardized underwear and excessive physical training. 

Two summers in a row this was my rock solid. This was my strong tower, my unsinkable, my unmovable, my forevermore.

And two summers in a row the words "medical turnback" would be the sword plunging into my plans, the shaking and the tears, 

and the new beginning that was the best grace-filled shocker God has ever done for me. 

Reminded of this as more minor things in life are revealing their unstable and staggering nature in this last week, I can know these with a heart that is not utterly defeated. Discouraged? Maybe for a time. But brought back blooming with fruit upon fruit of sweet lively truths. 

For this is knowing who is really the solid gain in life. On the very same day, craving encouragement in a tough day at work, flip open the pages and there is the sum of my last three years:

it's all loss. 

all loss compared to the knowing Christ.

 Just knowing Him. That's the only gain, the only rejoicing, the only life. 

Expectations, life plans, goals, 
of course they have light adorned about them, all part of God's plan, the opportunities to follow and be a faithful servant.
but without the one we're serving? 
nothing. mere garbage, squalid emptiness.



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