Spring Leaning

Tuesday, March 11, 2014 Posted by Sara

7:04 a.m. Monday morning. I turn to view my alarm clock and immediately fly out of bed. Didn't I set two alarms?! Jumping out of the house, my 2 a.m. bedtime is hitting hard as I run through the list of things I need to do before the students show up for class. God and I are chatting about the unlikelihood of him replacing my daily dose of 24 hours with 72. I plead with Him - but then I could actually get it all done, Lord, the oil changes, the laundry, the dishes, the bills, the report cards from this weekend. I have choice words for Him concerning Daylight Savings.

7:40 a.m. Could be worse, at least I have a few moments to settle in; students will be at my door in ten minutes. A call from the office requests my presence at the All-School Worship time that started ten minutes ago (That was today?!). The principal would like you to lead a song. Hmm. This will be interesting with my music and my guitar at home.

7:50 a.m. After a desperate search for music, I scrounged up one song and figured the junior high girl who plays guitar for her team wouldn't mind me borrowing hers. Make my way sheepishly to the gym. Imagine large ACME signs surrounding me that say "Teacher who's late", "Teacher who forgot", "Teacher who'd give her right arm for a cup of coffee."

8:00 a.m. Worship team has rendezvous on stage, we have game plan. I try to convince myself I'm awake. Jesus, a little help.

8:05 a.m. Begin our one song selection which the younger kids know. Didn't have music for that one so I'm making chords up as I go, strum is completely off and did not bring a pick. Hang nail catches on strings. Finger now bleeding all over sweet junior high girl's guitar.

Bloody, broken, worship. Sometimes it's all you got.

Been there?

It's funny how sometimes "springing forward" is preceded by what feels like "pulling back." One of our students last week had a picture of a arrow being pulled back in a bow - the arrow appears to be taking steps backward, but in reality it's getting into position to be launched. It's a common Kingdom tale - Joseph went to prison before rising to power, David was a shepherd before he was a King, Abraham and Sarah were barren before God chose them to be His special family, Peter denied, and even Jesus himself was crucified. Bloody, broken worship.

I am reminded again today of God's sweet grace, that takes me at my worst, shows me how to depend on the Father, and then uses my rough moments to prepare me to be a dreamer - one who leans on my beloved and perseveres.

If you are finding yourself tripping up as we spring forward, rest in Christ. He may just be positioning you (an arrow in his quiver) to be launched.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-11