Studying for finals. It is easy to think of how that relates to preparing. But, for some reason I've been picturing preparation to look more like 2 candles burning. One morning before a stressful practical exam I lit my advent log and sat beside it. There was some strength that I could draw from them, and what they meant- so close! So soon! Jesus!Hold on! Don't forget! He's coming!
Sometimes I could do all the preparing in the world for an exam, study everything I possibly could, and still it would be too late to make the information really stick in my head. Sometimes, and especially this week, preparing is about being vigilant. Keeping those two candles in my mind throughout the week...Remembering that there is something coming (or someone rather!) that will make all of this worth it.
And God. Tonight praying, I found myself really comforted by the request that HE goes on and prepares my future. We don't really need to worry about stepping out blindly, or going somewhere totally unknown. God has always gone before us; ahead of us. He is always preparing the right friends, the right home, the right jobs and schools. While I love to dream, my 5 year plans are a total joke. If God will guide me year by year than in most cases I'm able to jump right in, confident in the knowledge that He has already planned it out. He is already hiding, ready to step out and reveal His presence to me throughout my future experiences and days.
He sent Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, but He had already reserved them a room. He had gone waaay ahead to the Sages, and to the Shepherds, and to that messy dirty stable. I'm so confident that He left his fingerprints all over whenever Mary or Joseph felt defeated along the way. He had prepared a place.
I'm so thankful for a God that has way more "beaver" in Him than me, who cares enough about me to prepare and set up wonderful miraculous things in my future. Who is planning things even for my next week, and my tomorrow and my 80th birthday...And for yours too.
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