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Last night I set up to record a basketball game on our DVR. About 45 minutes after the game started, I prepared to start watching the game from the beginning. The game went back and forth resulting in a close game with only a few minutes remaining. Many times in situations like these, Michelle likes to go find out who has already won the game. You may have experienced this before: you record the BIG game and then you have to try to avoid all sources of media in order to shield yourself from seeing the result before you watch it.
I am reminded of a very early episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry recorded a Mets baseball game. As he was sitting down to watch the game his phone rings. He prepares himself and then answers the phone. Rapidly, he says, “If you know what happened in the Mets-game, don't say anything, I taped it, hello.” Then Kramer enters and they start a conversation. Kramer sees that the Mets are on TV and he says “Boy, the Mets blew it tonight, huh?” Jerry is devastated. “Ooohhhh, what are you doing? Kramer, it's a tape! I taped the game, it's one o'clock in the morning! I avoided human contact all night to watch this.” I am Jerry! For me, it destroys the experience of watching the game if I already know the end result. For Michelle, it is completely the opposite. She can’t stand the suspense and, therefore, likes to know the result before beginning to watch.
As I pondered over this difference, I wondered why each of us have different dispositions regarding wanting to know what’s going to happen. I thought about other areas of my life. One example I came up with is reading books. I am not one to read the end of a book first. I would rather enjoy the adventure as it unfolds. As I mulled this over in my mind, I thought of future events in my own life. Do I really want to know what is going to happen to me? I am not sure I know the answer to that question.
Last fall ABC television introduced a series called FlashForward. The show revolves around a global blackout in which everyone (or seemingly everyone) blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. During this time they either had a vision of what they were doing at a precise moment on April 29, 2010, or they saw nothing. The people who saw nothing come to the conclusion that this means they will be dead on April 29th. The other people who saw something are affected in various ways by what they saw. Some are energized by what they saw, and it gives them hope. Some are grief stricken by what they saw, and it troubles them greatly. Either way it starts to affect their behavior.
If we knew the future, I think we would react much the same way. We would constantly be plotting to either try to avoid it or try to make it happen. This would remove the adventure from our lives! Over the past year and a half, we have lived an adventure. I found a new job, we moved across country, we found a new church … I could go on and on. In my wife’s last post, she referenced Romans 8:28.
I am reminded of a very early episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry recorded a Mets baseball game. As he was sitting down to watch the game his phone rings. He prepares himself and then answers the phone. Rapidly, he says, “If you know what happened in the Mets-game, don't say anything, I taped it, hello.” Then Kramer enters and they start a conversation. Kramer sees that the Mets are on TV and he says “Boy, the Mets blew it tonight, huh?” Jerry is devastated. “Ooohhhh, what are you doing? Kramer, it's a tape! I taped the game, it's one o'clock in the morning! I avoided human contact all night to watch this.” I am Jerry! For me, it destroys the experience of watching the game if I already know the end result. For Michelle, it is completely the opposite. She can’t stand the suspense and, therefore, likes to know the result before beginning to watch.
As I pondered over this difference, I wondered why each of us have different dispositions regarding wanting to know what’s going to happen. I thought about other areas of my life. One example I came up with is reading books. I am not one to read the end of a book first. I would rather enjoy the adventure as it unfolds. As I mulled this over in my mind, I thought of future events in my own life. Do I really want to know what is going to happen to me? I am not sure I know the answer to that question.
Last fall ABC television introduced a series called FlashForward. The show revolves around a global blackout in which everyone (or seemingly everyone) blacked out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. During this time they either had a vision of what they were doing at a precise moment on April 29, 2010, or they saw nothing. The people who saw nothing come to the conclusion that this means they will be dead on April 29th. The other people who saw something are affected in various ways by what they saw. Some are energized by what they saw, and it gives them hope. Some are grief stricken by what they saw, and it troubles them greatly. Either way it starts to affect their behavior.
If we knew the future, I think we would react much the same way. We would constantly be plotting to either try to avoid it or try to make it happen. This would remove the adventure from our lives! Over the past year and a half, we have lived an adventure. I found a new job, we moved across country, we found a new church … I could go on and on. In my wife’s last post, she referenced Romans 8:28.
Romans 8:28 (NASB) And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.I find comfort in the fact that God is working all things for our good. I agree with her sentiments.
Copyright by The Lockman Foundation. Used with permission. http://www.Lockman.org
“What can I possibly find about which to worry or fear when God has promised that He is working all things for my ultimate good? I am not saying it is easy, especially when things happen that do not feel good”.
I am regularly challenged to embrace the adventure that is this life. However, I think knowing the future would only serve to compound the way of thinking about events that occur in my life. I choose daily to place myself into the hands of the God of this universe who, I trust, can lead, guide, and direct me along the right path for my life. The path will not always be easy but it will be an adventure.
Do you want to live the adventure?
Do you want to live the adventure?
hello mark and michelle,happy new year. mark i would just like to say how inspiring your post is for me today.
ReplyDeletei have been out of work since mid-october,and my wife and i have had make the hard decision to sell are house,and down size.it was a decision that i did not enjoy making.it has forced us,(me mostly),to just let go and let God help us through this difficult time. i must admit that i wish i could pan out on life's gps to see what lies ahead for our family.it is then when i am reminded of the quote by mother theresa "i know God only gives us what we can handle,i just wish he didn't trust me so much".
so i too look forward to the adventure, even though the path ahead look difficult and at times impossible,but i know i can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. so in closing thank you for your post this morning.
your brother in christ,
nathan hessenthaler
Thanks Nathan! I am blessed to know that I was an inspiration. I apologize for not responding before now but I am still learning about blogging. I really appreciate you taking a moment to let me know I had an impact on you.
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