True Love

"Come close, listen to the story... about a love more faithful than the morning." -Phil Wickham, True Love

Every night I go to sleep knowing that I will wake up in the morning. that sounds foolish because I know that I am not promised tomorrow, but there aren't many things in this life that I can be as sure about as waking up in the morning.

I watched a movie tonight about a man who is obsessed with routine. It's as if he can't function outside of his daily schedule. Every Saturday he makes meatloaf; Sunday, lasagna. He wakes up to work on his coin collection. Every day. Nothing new.

I have a friend who wakes up every single morning at 4:51 AM. Not 4:50 or 4:55, but 4:51.

It's interesting to me, as Americans, or maybe even as humans how obsessed we are with knowing everything will work out on our schedule at the right time for us. We all have our agendas and our to-do lists. We get into this funk, knowing that every day will begin and end exactly the same way as the one before it, and the one after it. It's comfortable. Predictable.

Until something outrageous happens. Something that rocks our world.

It could be anything. Anything that could mess up our schedule.

Maybe it's a traffic jam on the way to work. Maybe it's the obnoxious commericials on the radio station. Maybe it's the call from a friend who needs a raincheck when you're already at the restaurant waiting for them. Maybe it's the call from a friend who desperately needs you to listen without asking questions. Maybe it's the phone call that delivers the terrible news. Maybe it's the diagnosis. Or the police at the front door at ten o'clock on a school night when your kid isn't home yet. Maybe it's falling in love.

It could be anything really. Anything that could mess up our routine.

"Come close, listen to the story... about a love more faithful than the morning."

Remember the last time you experienced a crisis? It could be a personal crisis, or a family crisis, or even a national crisis. Remember falling on your face and crying out to God,

"Where are You?!"

"...a Love more faithful than the morning."

God's love is more faithful than the fact and assurance that the morning will come. Even more faithful than the sun coming up. I know God's patient, and kind, and selfless, and rejoicing Love is present in my life, every second. When I am following routine, and when I am faced with hardship.

I know that when He calls me to step out of the boat, every thing I've ever known, His love is faithful.

I know that when I fear the unknown about my future, His love is faithful.

I know when I mourn the loss of a dear friend, His love is faithful.

I know that when people leave, when people are called to different places, His love is faithful.

Which brings me to my two choices.

1) I can live in comfort, honoring God with my writing and my voice and my talents, hoping that my routine will never get rocked, and staying away from all outside distractions,

or

2) I can live in such a way that I, routinely, wake up every morning and die to myself so that I can live and walk and breathe in Christ, knowing that because I am with Him, my circumstances are besides the point. Because His love is faithful.

I choose # 2.

In fact, I pray that God will light my path just enough so I can see where to take my next step. I dont need to know all the answers. That requires no faith. No trust. All I need to know is that I follow the One who carries the torch. The One who is the torch.

And I'll walk that path, knowing that wherever He leads me, His love is faithful.