Drawing Near to the Gates of Destruction....

We only have a month left till the state competition for my Destination Imagination team. The kids never seem to be worried or panicked...but I am looking at what is left to do and wondering how on earth they will possibly be ready. When we started this journey, summer was here. Spring seemed so far, far away. And now I look out and daffodils are blooming and some of the naked trees are budding. Time is so short!

Since they are high schoolers, I have been advised (begged) to leave them alone to succeed or fail on their own. This is nearly impossible for me, and yet I am trying my best to leave them to their own devices. I have to be in the vicinity of where they are gluing, sawing, hammering, and chainsawing...since I have indicated to their parents that no one will die while on my watch. It would really be much easier if I could be somewhere far away, maybe on a beach drinking a pina colada...Then I could stay calm.

While I am not God, and do not want to be, this experience does give me some insight I believe into what poor God must endure watching us from Heaven.
"Goodness!" He is likely yelling, "They are going to kill themselves off within three generations!"
or , "Heavens! Why don't they see they did that same stupid sin yesterday and look at how much anguish it caused! Is their memory truly so short!?"  or ,"Why are they waiting so long to listen to my commands? Don't they see the path they are on leads to destruction?"

If God is even remotely wired like me, it must take every ounce of willpower to watch us mess up and procrastinate, and waste all the wonderful opportunities we have been given without interceding.
It must be so hard to sit and watch while we beloved fools ruin ourselves!

He is so gracious however. After we have struggled on our own, and proven beyond any doubt that we are hopeless, He steps in. He does not hold back forever. If we admit our need for Him, He is right there with us. He delivers us from destruction despite the fact that we brought it all on ourselves and deserve His condemnation instead.

A month feels like an eternity to kids. I am sure most of us feel like our day of reckoning before God is a long way off, as well. But it could be here in the twinkling of a moment. I pray my team understands this better than most of humanity.... or we...and they...are doomed.


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Psalm 107: 17-22
17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!