God has a sense of humor, and a funny one at that. His strategic plans are not only well thought out, purposeful, and unique; he tends to add a little bit of flare to his cosmic design that leaves us with stunned facial expression and our feet in the water saying 'What just happened!?!'. This is all just a way for God to get a little chuckle in knowing that something so minuscule doesn't compare to the infinite time that will be spent in the kingdom of Heaven. He looks at us with a glimmer in his eyes and says 'Its funny cause it sucks right now, but I know what glorious things wait around the corner'. Lessons such as this can only be learned on nights such as last.
It was 1:30 am and I had just finished a good shift at the local pizza shop and was currently trekin' er home on Saturday night. Being dark, silent, and still I concluded that now would be a great time to discuss things with my Lord and Savior (Also known as cosmic comedian numero uno). After a bit of reminiscing about how far we've come together, how long we've known each other, and thanking him for all that he has done in my life, I decided to pray for a particular friend who is currently in the wilderness. After much deliberation in prayer and thought, I mustered up the courage to say 'God if this is your current plan for this person, I want and am asking you to change your mind.' ( A very bold statement I might add considering that the Lords way and plan has been created with a far greater structure and intelligence than my own selfish agenda (Note: while writing this I spelled intelligence wrong and proved the point that I was trying to make.)). While I asked this question I entered the parking lot of my neighborhood elementary school. As I walked around the school, in the regular direction that I venture, I approached someones littered Boston Pizza garbage. Rudely and ignorantly I continued to pass the ranch sauce riddled trash and continued in my prayer; however I was then, Very appropriately interrupted by the voice of God which spoke 'Pick up the trash Michael'. Immediately my thoughts flooded with justification and excuses as per usual; then the voice repeated its previous command. To which I said 'Oh but Lord where is a garbage can to place it all in?', can you believe that a 2 year old making an excuse by asking such a question that would be deemed superfluous to accomplish the task at hand. Oops did I say 2 year old? I meant 22 year old, jeez sometimes they are so closely related. Either way my adolescent answer was soon after answered with 'There's a garbage around the other side of the school, but you might get your feet wet.'. I stopped in my tracks and referred my mind to all of the previous engagements with scriptures and teachings on obedience towards God thus inevitably invoking a series of convictions that softened my heart and in turn pushed me to go back and pick up the trash.
Picking up the gooey trash, my heart felt warm and good about the decision I was making and I felt it to do things such as this more often. As I turned around the corner of the building I noticed two large dimly lit metal bins at the end of the parking lot. My mind jumped as I realized Gods beautifully simple design as he provided not only a garbage bin but also a recycle bin for the pizza box. Money can't buy the feeling of accomplishment I felt as I strolled though the parking lot, serving not only my king, but the people in my neighborhood, province, and country. Nor can it buy the love that I felt from my father looking down on me, satisfied at my obedience. Money cant even buy the unnoticeable conveniently placed 30 x 30 ft lake that I went ankle deep in as I made my way to the garbage cans; oh yeah "...But you might get your feet wet". Realizing the humor in what God was doing I held my spirits high but hung my head low as I trudged through the pool of H2O. After my destined journey through the deep wilderness that is, what the french would call: Lac de parking, I emerged unscathed and a better person. As I was completing the final stages of my mission (putting the trash in the bin), the Lord encouraged me with such words of wisdom that could be used till the end of my time; ' Obedience often doesn't come without some regret (regret that is of the flesh obviously and must be completely ignored when looking in retrospect to Gods plan), and hey now you have something to blog about'. My imagination assumes that he gave out a soft tender chuckle after that but one can never be to sure.
So as I said at the beginning of this excerpt God does have an infinite, all knowing, spectacular design for our everyday lives; however these moments of destiny, these true moments of purpose, are often met and made with humility, grace, and a touch of humor and irony.
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