Obstructed View

As we dive into this new online ministry experience of looking at the world from our front porches and beyond, it would be appropriate to take into consideration what possibly is obstructing our view.

The first thing that comes to my mind is last summer. One day the neighborhood builder began building houses directly across the street and every single day at about 7am the banging and drilling and sawing would start.

This went on for about nine months until they had finally moved down the street enough where it wasn't in my face all the time. During that nine months, however, we had a view of construction dumpsters, porta- potties, lumber and cement trucks parked in front of our house.

At first this was a real nuisance and everyday we would say how we couldn't wait until they were done. After a month or two we were so used to this intrusion that we hardly even noticed it anymore. It was still technically an inaccurate view for us even though we were accustomed to it. These people, workers and trucks were obstructed the beautiful landscape that was previously in it's place and the new houses and neighbors that would follow their completion. It was temporary. At first I was keenly aware that my view was being obstructed and I even disliked sitting on my porch. Who wants to look at a dumpster?

One day while I was still in school and taking Spanish classes I noticed that from my front porch I could hear Mexican music playing from the inside of the houses in mid-construction and I sat down in my rocker and listened to see if I could understand any of what was being sung. I caught a word here or there and was fairly tickled with myself. We decided to take a walk. One step off of that porch and I could see the men who were singing, joyfully I might add, to that music. A quick "hola" as I passed by with my two boys.

I knew that my view had been obstructed, but I chose to look ahead and long for the time for when it would no longer be obstructed rather than step off my porch and work within that obstructed view of which I had no control over. Here God had been equipping me with those Spanish classes and I was so focused on why it was important for me(to graduate), rather than why it was important for him. Who knows how many opportunities I missed during that time when my eyes were focused on me rather than him. This is an example of something so very small, and it still is small because I never gave it to God to let him make it something much bigger.

I would imagine an obstructed view could be just about anything. Maybe a health condition, a hardened heart towards a spouse who isn't living up to your expectations is obstructing your view; maybe you have a lot of trash(baggage, unwanted responsibilities), in your life cluttering your view, or maybe maybe it's dissatisfaction in your life in any number of ways. What is causing you to say no to God or say nothing at all? What things in your life are obstructing your vew of God and makig you trick yourself into believing you are doing all you should be? I am the queen of this one. I can trick myself into thinking just about anything. God knows I'm tired and had a long day. He will understand. He knows I will try harder tomorrow. All those tomorrows start to add up and then I don't even have a starting point any longer. Let this be your starting point.

Maybe you don't have a front porch to sit on and watch the world and you long for a front porch like your neighbor has, and instead of figuring out a way to get a side porch or simply pull up a chair and sit in your driveway, you choose to stay inside out of anger or resentment. Whatever it is it that is obstructing your view is causing you to not even see the people God desires for you to see, or be in the places where you can do his work.

We have to let God clear our view through prayer and living with the intention that our first purpose here, each day, despite all our other responsibilities, is to give ourselves to him daily in complete trust and commitment so that we can be open vessels for him ready to do his tasks for the day.

I have my to-do lists just like everyone else. Mine are very likely also categorized, color-coded and sometimes highlighted(we have already established that I am a dork), but when I look at those long lists of tasks that are so important I can't risk forgetting so I must write them down, do I see any of the tasks that God has for me? Do I even see anything on my to-do list that gives me the channels or opportunity(prayer, Bible study) to be in a position to hear or know what Gods tasks are me for that day?

My first act as a woman of intention is to make out my Monday to-do list and include in there, first, at the top of the list, God's tasks for me, or at least the things that will give me the opportunity to start moving those dumpsters away from my view and see better what my view actually looks like.

He can help me see what my view really looks like and if it still looks obstructed for a time, maybe it is for a very real reason. Even in that obstructed view I can still do good work for God and as long as I desire it he will show me the people he wants me to see. We can't always have a perfectly unobstructed life, but with God leading the way we can have clear sight on how to navigate through those obstructions. He can't show us if we don't ask with intention.

I hope you will challenge yourself this week to figure out the things that are obstructing your view. What is keeping you from seeing more clearly understanding what God wants you to see. I know for me it is a daily challenge. I have to put him at the top of the to-do list and make sure that gets checked off first. Maybe, who knows, the rest of the list would make more sense, get done more efficiently and be far more impactful for his kingdom if I allow myself to surrender to his to-do list first.

I would love your comments on how to include God on your to-do lists. I certainly need suggestions.

I think I will highlight God in pink...it is my favorite color.

Some verses to ponder-

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT
Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

Ecclesiastes 5:16 (Whole Chapter) And this, too, is a very serious problem. People leave this world no better off than when they came. All their hard work is for nothing—like working for the wind.

John 9:4 (Whole Chapter) We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. [ Other manuscripts read I must quickly carry out the tasks assigned me by the one who sent me; still others read We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me.] The night is coming, and then no one can work.

John 10:25 (Whole Chapter)
Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name.

Sweet Blessings!
Laurie