We’re told Jesus rose up a great while before day to pray to seek God’s will. Then late one night while praying he struggled against doing what God wanted praying, “if it is possible please let this cup pass from me.” He finally yielded saying,  “nevertheless your will not mine be done.”

 

Jesus knew that, just like at creation, the only day that could end with the words “it is good,” is the day that flowed from God’s creative, all-knowing hand.

 

If Jesus, so in tune with God, could desire things not in God’s will, how much more am I likely to be willfully wrong, headed in the wrong direction, wandering off the path? How many days have I not even sought God’s will for my day?

 

Each day is a story and each day’s story will be written by me, or written by God. My life will be the compilation of these daily stories and the overall story will be richer and better if God’s handiwork is seen each day.

 

Jesus taught the disciples to pray each day, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Whoa…how often do I pray “thy will be done,” but then spend exactly zero time contemplating what God’s will might be this very day in this so-called life of mine?

 

 “Look for God. Look for God like a man with his head on fire looks for water,” so said Elizabeth Gilbert.

 

Great advise, but do I even know my head is on fire?

 

George MacDonald knew what it meant for his will to be at odds with God’s. “Afresh I seek thee. Lead me–once more I pray – even should it be against my will, thy way. Let me not feel thee foreign any hour, or shrink from thee as an estranged power. Through doubt, through faith, through bliss, through stark dismay, through sunshine, wind, or snow, or fog, or shower, Draw me to thee who art my only day.”

 

Feels a bit overwhelming actually, to think that my will could derail this day from God’s best for it, but then my head is on fire so I guess I have an excuse?

 

What good is it to pray “your will be done” if I do not seek God’s will and do it each moment of each day, drawing nearer to God who IS my only best day?

 

 

I asked them a trick question. What do you want to be when you grow up? 

 

They responded quickly: Veterinarian. Soldier. Pilot. Destiny said she wants to be a missionary (because she wants to travel). One ambitious sweetie Sabrina said, “I want to be the founder of a highly successful bakery with multiple locations nationwide.” HHHHMMMM.

 

I pointed out that God created each of them and that with each of my kids I felt my job as a father was to help them discover what they do well and enjoy doing as a pointer to the kind of work they should do in life.

 

I thought of this today when I read C.S. Lewis from The Weight of Glory. “True personality lies ahead—how far ahead, for most of us, I dare not say. And the key to it does not lie in ourselves. It will not be attained by development from within outwards. It will come to us when we occupy those places in the structure of the eternal cosmos for which we were designed or invented. As a color first reveals its true quality when placed by an excellent artist in its pre-elected spot between certain others, as a spice reveals its true flavor when inserted just where and when a good cook wishes among the other ingredients, as the dog becomes really doggy only when he has taken his place in the household of man, so we shall then first be true persons when we have suffered ourselves to be fitted into our places.”

 

Finding your place in the expression of your unique God given talents is a key element in becoming fully human, authentic, what Lewis calls “true personality.” Frederick Buechner said your place of service is where your “deep gladness and the worlds deep hunger meets.”

 

I said I asked the kids a trick question. I asked what do you want to “BE” when you grow up and they all, like most of us would, answered with what they want to “DO” when they grow up.

 

My friend Nigel is fond of saying we are not human doings we are human beings. (Lately his fertile mind has added we are “human becomings.”)

 

I pointed out to the children, what I need to be reminded of myself. God is as interested, perhaps more interested, in the kind of person we ARE than in what we do. What do I want to be when I grow up? I want to be a good, honest and true person, kind compassionate, caring person, one who seeks to obey God’s commandments, loving God and neighbor as myself?

 

George MacDonald’s writings had a huge influence on C.S. Lewis and he said this about becoming the person he wanted to BE.

 

“I take comfort in my very badness. It is for lack of thee that I am bad. How close, how infinitely closer yet must I come to thee, ere I can pay one debt which mere humanity has on me set! “How close to thee!”–no wonder, soul, thou art glad! Oneness with him is the eternal gladness.”

 

I want to be good, and goodness comes from God and to become one with God, beginning now, is the path to eternal gladness.

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

 

 

It is one near and dear to my heart. I was once young, and my life was estimably enriched by a few I admired, trusted and who went before me. Now I’m an older man who sees great promise in the future generation thoughtful, creatives for whom God is of central importance. 

 

Since the beginning of time older and younger generations have asked if they can live together.  (Shakespeare coined the phrase, “Crabbed age and Youth” in a poem by that title.) Today we live in a fragmented age that separates us into demographic groups by our age. We see this in culture and in faith communities.

 

At The Kindlings we know it was not always so, nor do we believe it should it be. From ancient times the aged and youth have been encouraged to know one another, learn from one another, create with and love one another.

 

The Kindlings is devoted to rekindling the spiritual, intellectual, creative legacy of Christian in culture intergenerationally so it stands to reason this theme is close to our hearts. At K-Fest 2011 some 20 ands 30 year-old’s felt their voices weren’t represented adequately and we knew they were right!

 

SO 2012 KindlingsFest is aimed at exploring the challenges and benefits of creating a richer intergenerational future. As always KindlingsFest 2012 will offer a synergistic mix of spiritual, intellectual and creative approaches to this theme with younger and older artists, speakers and panelists.

 

Few subjects are more timely and important~so join us as we make merriment, art and memories while advancing this discussion: