Saturday, December 6, 2008

Where is my security?

Cell phones are a wonderful invention - when they are not lost, ringing at the wrong place and time, or broken. Recently, it was brought to my attention just how strong my love/hate relationship has become with these strange little devices which have so powerfully changed our world.

Mark was due to come home for an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon. At the arts university he attends, classes are held at a variety of hours during the day and night, so his last class before we could leave was scheduled to run until 10pm. Since Mark could not drive with his broken bones, Rob was away on business and David was working, this meant six hundred miles of driving for me until 3 in the morning. Knowing my ability to fall asleep at the drop of a hat, I decided to leave early and catch a few zzz’s in Mark’s room before time to turn around and come back to Virginia. Ah, the best laid plans. . .

When it was time to leave my home, I double checked my purse for the cell phone that had been in it at 6:30 that morning when I took Libby to the bus. Strangely enough, it was not there. I began to look some of the other places I often leave the phone, only to come up empty handed. I used the house phone to call my cell phone, only to remember that I had placed the phone on silent the night before during Libby’s rehearsal and had probably never changed the setting back. So no matter how many times I called the phone and ran around the house listening for even some faint vibrating sound, no electronic buzzing was heard. Slowly, I began to feel a bit of panic rising in my throat. It was time to leave. I needed my phone. After praying and asking God to show me where the phone was, I resumed my search, confident I would soon be successful. That was not the case.

My mind began to rationalize all the reasons it was critical God show me exactly where this cell phone was located in my home. As the mom, I am the central coordinator for our family. Often scattered across the southeastern United States, they usually each call me to figure what out what is going on with everyone else. I knew with my phone out of commission, no one would know exactly where I was and several of them would be trying to contact me. What if my car broke down? How would I get help? When I arrived at NCSA, Mark was going to be out and about campus. I would have no way to get into his room to sleep if I could not locate him. Without a cell phone, we could be missing each other all over campus for quite some time.

When my mind stopping rehearsing all its human reasoning, the still small voice of God began to speak quietly into my heart. “Where is your security? Do you trust that little piece of metal to care for you or do you trust me?” My response was not exactly humble obedience and repentance. This one would not easily let go of me.

“God, it is only a phone. Could you please just show it to me so I don’t have to freak out my family?” It was very quiet. There was no phone to be found. With the clock ticking away, I had to get on the road sans the now seemingly precious piece of metal.

The summary of the story is this. Some of my family did freak out thinking some of the worst possible things could have happened to me. They quickly adapted though and began to help each other without my assistance. Mark left his room unlocked for me and I was able to take a nap before getting back on the road. We made it back home safely where David had found my phone in a pile of clothing I had moved in the early morning hours (a fact which had completely escaped my brain during my search). The phone crisis was over, but I had at least heard a lesson which I knew needed to be addressed.

Where exactly is my security? If I truly believe God is sovereign, that He alone controls my destiny, then why the panic? How dependent have I become on the things of this world for my protection? There is truth that needs to realign my brain with God’s way of thinking.

This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
Jeremiah 29:10 (The Message)

Ultimately, God is in control. He decides my future. He is and should be my security. Whether it be my losing my cell phone, losing my position or many other possible scenarios which are much more serious, my faith and trust can only be safely placed in the arms of my Father. Where is your security today?