3:33pm

I find myself looking at the clock at 3:33 in the afternoon almost every day. I thought it would be interesting to google 3:33pm and see what some thoughts are about it. I found all sorts of interesting things. For example:

333 is the ultimate spiritual decision number

The Sun’s mass is 333k times that of the earth

333 means Transition, Change, Travel

333 is increasingly associated with the year 2012 and the completion of current Mayan Maktun, marking the beginning of the 4th world according to the Popol Vuh.

333 means To Awake(physically or spiritually)

Apparently there are a lot of different ways to interpret 3:33pm but I sort of want someone to tell me what it means. I want to believe the astrology web sites that say that I am entering a transition, or change, or better yet that I am going to be awakened spiritually or physically. I wish I could wake up more physically for sure. Coffee just doesn’t cut it anymore.

What is it about the fortune cookies, astrology pages, or palm reading stuff?Why do we obsess over the future? I must admit that I think about it at least two or three times a day. Even recently I’ve been obsessed with the idea of starting up my own business. I want to be free to do my own thing. I want to be free to reach my potential.

Psalm 37:23 says that the “steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord”. I enjoy this promise because it removes the pressure of having to figure it out on my own, or even from an astrology book. Frances Roberts, who I seem to be reading a lot of lately, puts it this way…

My child, hear My voice, and give no heed to the voice of the stranger. My paths are straght, and they are narrow, but you shall have no difficulty in finding them if you watch Me. I am guiding you. You need not look to people for direction. You may learn much by followship with the saints, but never allow any to take the role that is rightfully Mine-to direct your steps. As it is written, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord”-not by the preacher, not by some Christian worker, but by the Lord.

Trust Me to do it, and give Me the time and the opportunity to do it. Be not hasty, and lean not upon your own intelligence.

Rest in Me. I shall bring to pass My perfect will in your life as you believe and live in faith.

The first few books of the New Testament in the Bible tell about Jesus’ ministry on earth and how he challenged the first disciples to follow him. For some of the first, Simon and Andrew, Jesus found them at their fishing jobs, and tells them to leave their nets and follow him. I want to believe that it was just that easy, and yet I know there was a lot more of a back story. What else did they have to “leave” in order to follow.

I know that following Jesus isn’t always a vocational reality. But I wish so badly that Jesus would just walk in the door of my work and say “Brad, come on, let’s go.” It just seems like the disciples didn’t have much to worry about. I would worry about all of my belongings in my house, my car, my bills, etc. I wonder what details Simon and Andrew just left. I wonder if I would really just up and leave.

I want to be ready to leave my current pursuits of life at a moments notice.

Puppies

A close friend of mine just got a puppy. He tweeted and facebooked pictures of the black lab puppy and named it Atreyu from the movie The Never Ending Story. I have to admit that I was instantly envious of his awesomely named puppy. I would love to have a puppy right now. As my friend continued talking about the puppy he confessed that he was already overwhelmed by it. I think he has only had it for a week or so. He admitted to loving the original idea of the puppy, and was just not loving the reality of it. I instantly felt okay with the fact that I do not have a dog. I’m pretty sure I would end up the same way. I think my life is too busy to fit in dog time.

The Superbowl was this past weekend and as a Wisconsin native I, along with all of the other fair-weather fans, cheered on the Green Bay Packers. I’m not the biggest sports fan in the world, so the majority of the game was spent connecting with friends. During the last quarter I had a conversation with a friend who said he was taking time to be away from “the church”. He said that was frustrated that a majority of his friends live a “two faced life”. He is frustrated that they profess to be Christians, but don’t live according to what he thinks is right. We somehow ended up talking about Hosea toward the end of the conversation. I have to admit that I wasn’t listening as intently as I should have since the Superbowl was just wrapping up. But he was so frustrated by the places that his friends were. I just encouraged him to help them see the truth that he so clearly lives.

Tonight I decided to read the book of Hosea. The book is in the Old Testament and draws parallels between Hosea’s marriage to a prostitute and God’s commitment to the nation of Israel. Hosea is told by God to marry the prostitute, and so he does. I mean, you can’t really argue with God, right? So they marry and have kids, but she leaves, and returns to her previous life of prostitution. God tells Hosea to go rescue her again and again from the life of prostitution that she returns to. The parallel is that Israel continually leaves the love of God to return to destructive behavior that they have always known simply because it’s familier. It’s what they have always known, and God’s way just seems more difficult.

I often feel like I’m Hosea’s prostitute wife, or God’s “chosen people” Israel. I quickly forget the reality of my situation. It’s so easy to forget that God’s plan is better. I have to admit that I even willingly walk the opposite direction, forgetting what I’ve been saved from. In my reading from Frances Roberts’ book he writes…

“The fool shall not discern the value and shall cast aside great treasure. The practiced eye knows the true worth of a gem and shall not let it escape him. Thus shall you be in spiritual matters. Train your eye to discern that which is of true worth, and let it not escape you.”

I fear that I am often the fool, casting aside the great treasure of my relationship with God. Training my eye to see the worth seems so foreign. But diamonds are not beautiful rocks when they are in their pre-cut and polished form. I am the prostitute, the diamond in the rough. I quickly forget that God is refining my character.

It’s like my buddy who loves the idea of having a dog, but the reality is so far from the ideal. I want this relationship with God, but when it’s tough, takes time and sacrifice in order to be refined, I want to go back. But everyone loves an obedient, disciplined, and groomed dog. We even call them “man’s best friend”. I have to remind myself that God see’s my potential. I’m still a puppy, but God see’s me as the well groomed and disciplined individual that I’m capable of being. He disciplined Israel, in order to refine them, and I’m in the same process.