Journal entry for December 4, 2025

Then the Jews said, "it has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you will raise it up in three days?" John 2:20

Heavenly Father, This reminds me of a lady I served beside in Haiti for many years. One day she said to me "I'm pretty sure when I was praying for direction God said "go to Hawaii," but I heard Haiti.... Serving in Haiti is very hard, I'm sure He must have said Hawaii."

Of course she was trying to make light of the hardness of the situation, but I can relate. Now that I'm getting old I have had conversations with my wife that were hard for me to understand and I didn't realize until the end of our conversation that we were talking about two different things...

This verse reminds me that when you want something so badly and you have played out in your mind what it's going to look like, it's possible to miss the main event. People had so many preconceived notions or boxes that they needed checked about their Messiah and the things He would do. Dying and raising back to life in three days was certainly not one of them.

Father may I not miss Your best because I'm looking for the easy. May I not see You in my day to day life because I'm looking in the wrong places. May my ears not be so full of other voices that I miss Your still, quiet, subtle, voice.

Help me Lord to have ears that hear and a heart that obeys the promtings of Your Holy Spirit. Help me to not try and shape You into a god that suits my preferences but to come to You believing that You are the great "I AM", and fall at Your feet in complete submission. I pray in Jesus name. AMEN AMEN.