The Carnival

We had been walking together for a while, probably six years or so. We had been through a lot. Through it all, I had the great joy of watching her fall in love with God. Even if her world may not have been all that different . . . she was different. Although technically she may have been homeless again, she could now see the good in her current situation.

She had been staying in a camper in a rural campground. But she had a place to sleep. They had to move every five days and there wasn’t a lot of room for her cat who just had a litter of five kittens. But they were by a stream with a little waterfall. There wasn’t any air conditioning, and the camper could heat up like a tin can. But there were beautiful, mature trees that offered that deep, rich kind of shade. The kind of cool that only God could offer on a hot summer day. While it would be easy to see all the hard in her situation, God had given her eyes to see the blessing.

This time spent in the country had given her time to think. Her time in the shade had given her time to be still, with God. What we see as trials can often be the very things that get us to stop a minute and hear him a bit more clearly. I always say, God is good at giving time-outs to his willful children!

As we drove together across town one day, I was blessed with the fruits of this most recent time-out. She shared a couple of really insightful comments. A bit out of the blue, she says, “You know, I think God was trying to get my attention for a while before I really started to hear him.” Before thinking much, I tossed out there, “Ya think?! God is always there, saying, ‘Hello . . . it’s me, God . . . over here!’” Waving my hands like I was trying to get someone’s attention. She laughed and said, “I know, right?! But then there’s this whole carnival over here . . .” Gesturing to the opposite side. “I was so distracted by the “carnival” I didn’t even notice him . . .”

Wow! She had nailed it. The evil one is so good at putting on, what seems to be, a great carnival. Something bright and shiny to distract us, lure us away. We all have our own “carnivals.” Whether it is drugs and partying . . . or a career and advancement—the carnival seems so fun. It is so alluring . . . so distracting. Silently, subtly, keeping us from seeing God—over there waving at us, trying to get our attention.

As we neared our destination, she once again began to thoughtfully share . . . “Sometimes I wonder what God thinks of us down here. You know, billions of people, living on this planet, for such a very long time. So busy dreaming up all these great technologies, creating gadgets to make our lives better, trying to figure out how we can get to Mars . . . Sometimes I just wonder what if people spent that much time trying to get to know God? Trying to figure out what the Bible really says about him and about how we should live our lives…? What would the world be like then?”

Again, wow! What if . . .? What if more of us carved out the time to be still and know that he is God? What if we tuned out the calliope music of the carnival to hear that still small voice? To grow in our relationship with him, igniting our desire to fully surrender. To be at his beck and call, an obedient servant of the Master. What would the world be like then?

Such deep thoughts. Such profound insights. All because she was homeless, in a camper, in a park, by a stream. Present with the Creator . . . not distracted by a carnival. She might not be the “disadvantaged” one . . . she might be the lucky one.

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give

thanks in all circumstances; for this is

God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV

“The great dragon was hurled down—

that ancient serpent called the devil, or

Satan, who leads the whole world

astray. He was hurled to the earth,

and his angels with him.”

Revelation 12:9 NIV

“He says, “Be still, and know that

I am God; I will be exalted

among the nations, I will be

exalted in the earth.””

Psalm 46:10 NIV