Rubiks Cube

In the early 80's, some Hungarian guy named Erno Rubik came up with a multicolored plastic cube puzzle. This cube has been the number one selling toy worldwide with almost half a billion sold to date.

For the last two days I have been trying to figure this thing out. I managed to match one side on the first day and thought I was doing pretty good. I thought I had a system down and was on my way to completing all four sides. I soon realized I was nowhere near complete. I spent hours trying to get two sides and just got myself more mixed up.

Then I had an epiphany - it was simpler than 96 mixed up colors! I broke it down to three types of pieces: centers, corners, and sides. This helped me to see it completely different and got me a little farther. After another couple hours at it I realized that its complexity was even deeper than I could grasp.

I was humbled as I sat there trying to solve Rubik's cube with its 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 permutations. I was humbled because I tend to see God like that. He reveals a little glimpse of himself and I think I've got him all figured out. Then I go deeper and realize how complex and magnificent he is, and that my new understanding of him has only opened my eyes to one small dimension of his limitlessness.

Conversations

Last night I had an amazing conversation with someone. Do you ever get that feeling that you are in the right place doing the right thing at the right time? Like you are in your element and the Holy Spirit is there working right along side you? Last night felt like that to me.

There was this guy who wanted to tell me about a 'spiritual awakening' he had that had revolutionized the way he thought about things. He opened up about his struggles and questions concerning God and the bible. But these questions and struggles came from a deep and sincere desire to know the truth. In Proverbs 2 verses 3-5, it says "if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God."

God wants us to search for truth! Sometimes, even although that path seems to bring us away from God, His word promises that he will reveal himself! Please, search for truth, for in searching for truth you are searching for God who says that "I am the way, the truth and the life!"

Henry

A few years ago I had dedicated myself to daily spending time in prayer, in the word, and in keeping a journal. I try not to glamorize that time because I wasn't always perfectly consistent and everything wasn't always hunky-dory, but I remember feeling closer to God. I remember seeing people differently. What I would say and do seemed to have a greater impact on people's lives. I had a deeper sense of contentment. I had more energy and self-control.

But all of that seemed to fade when I stopped. It was a gradual process with moments of brief resurgence, but the fruit withered when I neglected to root myself deeply in Love.

Last weekend, I met a man named Henry began chatting with me as we waited in line. I don’t really remember how our talk quickly turned from waiting-in-line-chit-chat, to a deep and challenging conversation about life. He told me how he gets up early every morning to spend time with God. He shared with me how he has spent time journaling and praying and reading his bible for the last four years and how that has changed his life. His marriage is stronger now that it ever was. He is a better father than he was. His criticism for others has turned to love and acceptance. He loves God and knows His love like never before.

I made a promise to Henry that day. I promised to spend about an hour each morning of the week in devotion to God. There is this huge part of me that feels silly and apprehensive for even making a promise like that - or for writing it in here for that matter. I have made and broken so many promises. I long so deeply for the ability or the dependence necessary to transform ‘impact’ into lasting change.

Sustain me Lord, I pray.