About the only way to know it’s summer in South Dakota this year is the road construction.
Not so long ago on my two-mile commute to work, I noticed signs like this spaced along the roadway.
Detour signs lying horizontally on the grass could only mean one thing.
There would be road work.
Delays. Altered routes. More traffic at my back yard.
::
The signs lay in road ditches for the better part of two weeks. I passed them by at least twice a day, each time reminding myself that soon Highway 12 would be inaccessible.
Fair warning of the changes to come.
Yet, the day the signs stood upright, I was unprepared. I attempted to access the highway that had closed earlier that day.
There I was, at the intersection, poised to go the wrong way against the posted detour.
How many times had I been warned of this?
Now too many to count.
::
Even after the detour was in operation, I found myself on my favorite road to cut through town, stuck again at the same dead end.
I’d prefer not to disclose how many times.
Driving along, driving along, driving along.
Bam! Stupid detour.
I had fair warning.
::
I have this detour coming, you know. The one where my career path gets rerouted again.
Every time I drove past a sign lying in the ditch, waiting to be put to use, I reminded myself that while my signs are still lying down, soon they will go up too. The detour will be operational. I’ve been given fair warning.
I know the change is coming.
Mentally, I prepare. I keep a calendar in my head, anticipated dates circled. I keep a bank record in my head, penciling in adjustments for the potential economic impact.
Practically, I prepare. I have an updated resume. I’ve talked to a recruiter. I’ve sent out feelers. I’ve worked my network. I visit CareerBuilder.com often.
Spiritually, I prepare. Before the signs were even carted off trucks and dropped in the ditch, I knew they were coming. I knew God was up to something. So I seek, and wait, and wish He’d be more forthright about His intentions. He sends me back ’round to seek and wait. (I find He likes that part better than when I tell Him how He might improve His performance.)
I just don’t know if I’m preparing enough.
::
I know myself so well. Just as I steer my car down well traveled roads, failing to recall they are closed, I fret that I might just ignore the signs. That I might find myself at the roadblock repeatedly, smacking myself on the forehead that I forgot . . . again.
More than anything, I want to be ready for what He’s doing. I don’t want to miss what He’s up to.
But I fret that I might be like the silly girls, burning down their lamps, ignoring the signs.
1-5 “God’s kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
6“In the middle of the night someone yelled out, ‘He’s here! The bridegroom’s here! Go out and greet him!’
7-8“The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, ‘Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.’
9“They answered, ‘There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.’
10“They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
11“Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, ‘Master, we’re here. Let us in.’
12“He answered, ‘Do I know you? I don’t think I know you.’
13“So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive. (Matthew 25:1-13, The Message)
::
The detour is coming.
The signs are ready to post.
Watchful and waiting, I need to be.
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4 responses so far ↓
Jennifer // 2009/06/13 at 3:20 PM |
Just found you through Jennifer at Getting Down With Jesus and have enjoyed reading several of your thought-inspiring posts. This recent one, I understand your feelings about whether you’re “preparing enough”.
I’ve found that I can be prayed-up, steeped in His Word, and even know a God-inspired detour is coming; yet, still, sometimes those detours throw me for a loop–they go in a little different direction than I’d anticipated or my humanity has a problem with change. I think we can prepare only so much “before” the change (like preparing for motherhood before the baby arrives). But during those times after the detour, this just makes us trust God even more (and maybe have Him carry us through the worst times).
Lyla Lindquist // 2009/06/14 at 5:54 PM |
Jennifer, thanks for taking the time to come by and for your thoughts. Preparation is good . . . gotta do it . . . but you’re right, it only takes us so far. Eventually we just have to be in the middle of it and seek how God works.
Patty // 2009/06/15 at 12:22 PM |
As I read your post, I thought about going to the mountains. From far away, we see one range looming ahead; but we have no idea until we start traveling into the mountains what terrain, twists, turns, plateaus, valleys and peaks lie ahead. Thank you for sharing…your faithfulness & single heartedness is evident!
Thanks also for visiting my site & commenting. Hope to “see” you again
Lyla Lindquist // 2009/06/15 at 10:12 PM |
Patty, what a great picture! We take it one step, one piece, one twist and turn at a time. I’ve always figured if I knew exactly what was coming I’d never go along with Him. He has to keep me in the not-knowing realm enough to need to trust Him fully.