Yesterday, on our way to do some pond work, we ran into rain showers. Dad was ahead of me in the truck with the tank filled with water. I followed behind in the truck with the net. At one point, he called me to ask if I thought we should continue on our way knowing that we would likely have to wait a while once we got to the pond. My thought was... we have to pull the pond and we're going to have to wait until the rain passes. We can wait until the rain passes and then drive thirty minutes... perhaps missing our window of opportunity... or we can get to the pond and wait it out there. I voted for going ahead to the pond and waiting there. It reminded me of my travel days when I was always running up against the clock to get home.
Weather delays often caused disruptions in departure times. Sometimes while in the air we would circle the airport for what felt like hours before there was a clearing enough so that we could land. But as soon as the doors opened and there was room enough for me to run to my next flight, I would tuck my carry-on duffle under my arm and Heisman my way through the crowd because my number one rule when traveling through airports to get to work and then back home was... Just get to the gate! I shared this rule with my family on the occasion they got to travel with me and they learned what it was like for Dad to navigate the world of work commutes from city to city. Some of our conversations went like this...
"Dad, I'm really hungry." My response... "We will get something to eat when we get to the gate!"
"Dad, I have to go to the bathroom." My response... "We'll go to the bathroom when we get to the gate!"
"Dad... I REALLY have to go to the bathroom." My response... "Then do what you need to do but we're not stopping until we get to the gate!!!"
I needed them to know that no matter how uncomfortable or inconvenient we felt... if we don't get to the gate in time, we miss our chance to get where we need to go. Once we got to the gate, we could go get food... if there was time before boarding the plane. If there wasn't time, then we would eat pretzels on the plane. Once we got to the gate, we would find the nearest restroom to relieve ourselves (or change our clothes if we had a mishap on the way)... if there was time. If there wasn't time, we would board the plane... bypass our seats... and head straight to the bathroom. I knew the plane wouldn't take off while someone was in the lavatory, but there's no way a pilot will wait for someone stuck in a bathroom stall in the terminal. I would rather be a disheveled mess making my way onto the tarmac than be met with an overhead page... "last call for flight 2513"... while I'm two terminals away taking a potty break. Bottom line: Just GET to the GATE!!!
This reminds me of a parable found in Matthew 25:1-13 about some bridesmaids who were awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom so they could have a wedding ceremony. Only half of the ladies brought everything they needed with them and when some of them ran out of lamp oil, those whose lamps were empty left to purchase more while the others stayed at the gate and waited. By the time those who needed oil returned; the bridegroom had come, the others had gone into the ceremony, and the returning bridesmaids found themselves too late to join the festivities. The gate had closed without any chance of the returning bridesmaids to participate in the feast that had been planned for them. They missed their flight because they refused to wait at the gate.
I don't want that to be me. Ever. I don't want to miss what God has for me because I wasn't willing to do whatever I needed to do to get wherever He wanted me to be... even if it means waiting at the gate. If I'm at the gate, then no matter how long I might have to wait... I will be ready when He says it's time to enter in and enjoy His presence forever. So here's my urging to you today...
Just GET to the GATE!!!
'Watch therefore, for you now neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." - Matthew 25:13
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