There is the joy of having someone save a place for us. We walk into a crowded room at church or at a dinner party and someone across the way waves us over, pointing to a chair he's held on to especially for us. For a moment we feel a sense of relief, a taste of being on the inside. Now consider Jesus' words in John 14:2-"I am going . . . to prepare a place for you." Christ promises that he is saving a place in heaven especially for each of us. When we walk into the crowded excitement of the wedding feast of the Lamb, with the sound of a thousand conversations, laughter and music, the clinking of glasses, and one more time our heart leaps with the hope that we might be let into the sacred circle, we will not be disappointed. We'll be welcomed to the table by our Lover himself. No one will have to scramble to find another chair, to make room for us at the end of the table, or rustle up a place setting. There will be a seat with our name on it, held open at Jesus' command for us and no other.

(The Sacred Romance , 182-83)

We love a wild God who loves us more deeply that we could ever imagine this side of heaven!

When my kids were young we took trips where only I knew the destination. I'd let them take turns telling me to turn right, turn left or go straight. It was a lot of fun taking detours all along the way to the destination. We got to see a lot of new places, countryside we'd never been to before.

                                                                            

Now I'm older and looking back I can see how my heavenly Father has done the same thing to me. He has destinations in mind for me, sometimes He tells me, sometimes not. Sometimes He has a very specific route we need to take, sometimes He just lets me decide to   go right, or go left. But He knows all along where we will end up.                                                                                                     Where are you in your five year and ten year life plans? You had the destination in mind and started off with good intentions on how you were going to get there. Did it work for you? Are you still "on track"? Or have you had unexpected detours, breakdowns or just run out of gas? Or maybe as you look back right now, you realize you made it, but forgot to celebrate. You've accomplished your goals and have just kept on going and going and going... Its just seems natural, its what you've been doing and seems like you should just keep at it.

Seasons of life. We all have them. Judy and I are in a "Kids are out of the house" season, so whats next? God put us in Tucson, AZ for Jim to manage a Wycliffe Retirement facility and Judy to be a Wycliffe Recruiter, for a season. Now He has given us a house here in Tucson. A fixer-upper we are in the middle of redoing. (Y'all come on over, if you want to help.) But this isn't our final destination. Its a location we need to be in for a while. God has some work for us to do here. Some work He is doing in us, while He has us here. But there is more...