I was leaving the church after work when I saw a baby rabbit hiding in the flower beds. Since the church grounds were a second home to  the neighborhood dogs and cats, I knew it would be safer in the woods than in the lobelia.  So in suit, stockings, and heels I started to chase the rabbit. Ten minutes later my suit was sweaty, my stockings were snagged, my shoes were filthy, but I held that bunny in my two hands. Walking toward the woods I felt its  heart pounded against my palms.  I remember wishing it could know that I was only trying to do it good – only trying to save it.

Reflecting on my bunny-saving experience, it occurs to me that heart pounding terror is often involved when God wants to do us good – to save us.  God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and God’s ways are not our ways.  Often God’s way of moving us to where we need to be involves jerking us up out of some place where we had learned to be comfortable and putting us into a situation where we are not comfortable and not in control.  Perhaps the very time we feel most abandoned is when the hands of God are holding us most uncomfortably close.

We often think of salvation as something that happens in church accompanied by organ music and stained glass windows or a band and projector screens. But God is in the salvation business 24-7-365.  Most of the time God has to chase us down to do us good. So the next time your life is jerked out of control, try to relax. You couldn’t be in better hands.

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dance dumpster, St. Marys, GA


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