Uncle!

There is an old saying, which I think may be Buddhist in origin:

When the student is ready…the teacher appears.

I have found this to be true in life.  In similar fashion, I have found that when I am willing to admit I can’t handle X, Y, Z, or the whole pile, and I am willing to ask for help…help usually arrives.  And it often arrives quickly.  I believe this is a reflection of the loving response of God, with whom we can have most intimate relationship through His Son.  Consider the story of good ole Peter.  Out there doing the unthinkable.  Walking on water.  And then…

But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink.  “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him.            (Matthew 14:30-31a)

Or, how about the story of the foolish, wayward son, who finally “came to his senses,” and was met by the loving and gracious arms of a father all too eager to embrace him, forgive him, and restore his life?  These stories, and countless others, reflect the loving gracious heart of our God.  He is so eager to reach out, embrace, forgive, and restore each one of us wayward, foolish kids.

But He waits.  He waits for us to “cry uncle,” admit we desperately need His help, and humble ourselves enough to cry out to Him for it.  He knows that if we don’t get to this point first, we are likely to interpret His help as unwanted meddling or controlling efforts to dominate our lives and maybe even steal our joy or freedom.

So He waits.  He waits to save us.  To save us from ourselves.  So that when we finally ask Him for His help, we will be ready to receive it and surrender to His loving perfect will.

As for me, it has been another one of those – “What am I doing in this self-imposed pigpen, when I could be back where I belong with my Father?” – kind of days.  I give up.  I need HIM to rule my messy life, not me.

I know what He has been waiting for.

What are YOU waiting for?