Thoughts from Talk at FPEA--"When Jesus Waits...What Can We Learn From His Silence?"

My secret desire in speaking at homeschool conventions is to be able to get up and share the secret of my "success", or give the talk that starts with "How to...". That certainly didn't happen this past weekend in Florida. Rather, I distinctly felt God tugging on my heart by His Spirit, to speak openly and honestly about some of our challenges, so great at times, it really does seem that Jesus is silent.

Luke 24 reminds us, though, that while Jesus' death prevailed in the minds of His followers and He was kept from being recognized by them on the road to Emmaus, it didn't change the reality that Jesus was right there with them. He had triumphed over the grave, and at just the right moment, He chose to reveal Himself to His followers as the risen, victorious Lord.

Over the years, the Lord has had a different plan for me when speaking to homeschoolers at the state conventions I've been at. Instead of showing homeschooling moms how to do it all, He's asked me to be a model of brokenness and dependency on Him.

This is a good place to be, mind you, for I firmly believe that God receives glory when we make much of Him, rather than much of ourselves. His trustworthiness is so great that I can't help but glory in Him. That doesn't mean, however, that the path He leads us on is going to be easy. Rather, He often chooses to build our trust in His trustworthiness by letting us feel our inadequacy, our need, our desperation for His help and sustaining power at times to show us just how much He truly can be depended upon.

I would rather be tossed about in a small boat in the midst of a storm if Jesus is with me there, than bask in the summer sunshine by the side of a refreshing pool on my recliner while sipping cold lemonade.

That takes courage for me to say, because there are days when I say, "O Lord, I sure would love the latter right about now." Help me not to believe for a single moment that there is any better place to be than with You--Your love, Your grace, Your presence mean more to me than ANY other place without You!