Woke to a rather unsettling feeling this morning. There was an intruder in the house!
Last evening I had alerted my neighbors that I wasn't feeling well. I retired for the evening earlier than usual. This morning I was still sleeping attempting to get over this virus bug when I heard the front door close. I reached for my taser. I lay listening for foot falls to know how to respond. Nothing. I cautiously got up and left my bedroom heading towards the door. I am in my jammies, hair all a fright, trying to wake up and handle this intruder, praying for God to give me the strength to do what needed to be done.
I quietly investigated. Finding no one downstairs in the house and the front door securely locked, I began questioning what I had heard. Yes, I did hear a door close. Yes, I did hear someone. As I went upstairs to check further, I heard a vehicle's engine start. I hurried to the window to confirm it was outside the house. Someone had been in the house! I had heard correctly. The person after not receiving a response, had let themselves into the home with a key. Luckily this person didn't stay long enough to be scared out of their wits. Remember, I was in my jammies, hair all a fright, wearing the imprint of the pillow on my face, carrying a taser and ready to absolutely do whatever was necessary to defend myself.
Here's an important lesson I learned from this happening. I must not assume that people will know my expectations. I expected to be safe. I expected that when someone came knocking, they would wait for a response. I expected that if they received no response, they would leave. I expected that anyone not wishing me harm, or desiring to steal from the home, would show respect and not enter without invitation. I expected the key would not be used without my knowledge.
Here is the problem with those expectations. The person didn't want to wait. The person wanted to do what they wanted to do with or without a blessing to enter the home. The person felt since they possessed a key they could enter as they wished. The person hadn't received a response so they assumed no one was home and entered.
How many times have we been THE INTRUDER on God's plan for us? We hold the keys and when we don't get a response from Him, we proceed forward. It was wonderful recently to have a veteran missionary state they knew we would not recommend anyone doing what John and I are doing currently. There must be a solid foundation. It take immense amounts of dedication, sacrifice, strength and trust to step out. To go for periods of time separated talking via texts and facetime, to take on more responsibilities and shoulder a heavier load when you go alone instead of together. We didn't put the key into the lock. We didn't enter without knowing God's blessing was on this venture. To proceed without His blessing would make us an intruder. Our wish is to be asked, to be invited, to receive His blessing as we proceed forward. We set boundaries, talked of expectations, discussed the length of separation, gave each other passwords to accounts, opened ourselves and our life to accountability, put as a priority our spiritual and marital relationship. Then we waited, we stilled ourselves. We didn't want to hear our voices, we wanted to hear His.
So we wait each and every time before proceeding. We aren't getting into a hurry because of what we want, we desire, we need. We wait expectantly. We have knowledge of when it isn't good to knock or ask to be invited. We know His voice in such a way that we don't go forward until we hear that familiar sound.
You may be holding a key today, you may be tired of standing on the doorstep, you may be weary with waiting, you may even have your bags packed and ready - wait for the invitation blessing to proceed forward. Let Him go ahead of you preparing for your arrival , let Him unlock the door and usher you through to what He has prepared for you. You can expect His best, His blessing, His provision, His protection. No tasers will be needed when He goes before you.
