Communication?!?

Have you ever worked on a project with someone of the opposite gender?  I have noticed more and more that we can discuss a project and think we are absolutely clear and in agreement on how things are going to go...until the project starts. You can be a few minutes in or up to your eyeballs and realize that you two may have been saying the same words, but you were not at all meaning the same thing (much like the cartoon above, which made me laugh!).

If my recollections are correct, this phenomenon has occurred on every project my husband and I have worked together. Today I was working on an irrigation project with my father-in-law, Clair. We were discussing how we should lay out the lines to reach all the plants efficiently. We reached an agreement and started following our plan. However, when we got to one of our directional points, Clair says, "I thought we would go around the other way". Which was fine and totally doable, but not at all what we decided on when we were coming up with our plan. It just made me shake my head and chuckle considering I have had similar conversations with his son over the years. Perhaps it is genetic?

Do you suppose God shakes his head over us? If we are far apart from God and have lost our way only one of us has moved (hint: it is not God). I would think the conversation with God could go something like this:

"Dear child, we have covered this before, I thought you were clear on my instructions for your life. I left you all you needed to know written in the Bible. Have you read it lately?"
"Sorry, God. I thought I understood what you said, but then it seemed better to do it my way."
"How did that work out for you, child?"
"Well, everything started out smoothly, but then I got busy and quit reading my Bible, dropped out of Bible study and couldn't even find time to pray. Sleeping was way better than church on Sunday morning. But then everything in my life seemed to just fall apart! Now I don't know what to do!"
"I am glad you came back to me. I will always be here for you (Matthew 28:20). Fix your eyes on Me (Hebrews 12:2) and I will keep your paths straight (Proverbs 3:6). Trust in me and lean not on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths (Proverbs 4:11).

I am grateful that the Jensen men I work with are good at talking things out and coming up with a compromise when we are trying to take different paths to the same destination. Men and women throughout time have communicated differently and we have learned to roll with the blips and bumps along the way.

We never have to worry if the meaning of our words are misunderstood by God. Romans 8:26 (NIV) promises the Holy Spirit will help us communicate even when we aren’t capable of speaking the words. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. “

I cannot even fathom how many times a day God must shake his head and wonder how long it is going to take me to figure out that MY way is not the right way! What amazes me more?  Even if I have done the same stupid thing repeatedly He will still be there waiting for me to figure it out and turn back to him. Waiting with open, loving arms, rejoicing at my return.  God is so good! Makes me just want to shout from the rooftops.

I pray that you will have a week filled with clear communication. If you don't, remember: God understands you and loves you even when no one else seems to.


In His Peace -