stong man - weak man

As a kid, we didn't have an awesome video game system. Many beautiful summer days were spent outside from 8am until dinner, then after dinner dishes were cleaned up, back outside until it was time to get ready for bed. We were not forced to use our imagination, it was something we just did. My older sister Lana was a great leader in using our imaginations, she would organize backyard carnivals and talent shows that all the neighborhood kids would get involved in.


One of the talent show skits my brother David and I use to do was "Strong man - Weak man" where David was the big muscular man and would walk over to a large dumb-bell and after lots of grunting and struggling was able to lift it  almost all the way up until his strength got the better of him and the weights would fall to the ground with a big crash. Then I, being the scrawny skinny weakling, would be eating a pb&j sandwich with one hand and walk up to the weights and pick up the dumb-bell with the other hand, without hesitation, and thrust it high over my head while finishing the sandwich all to the Oooos and Ahhhhs of the neighborhood kids.


I think God enjoys the simple unexpected irony of strong man - weak man. The more we rely on our own strengths the more difficult life becomes. We use the knowledge we have gained to try to accomplish great things and end up falling short. Just like when Peter and some of the other apostles were wondering what to do after Jesus was executed and risen from the grave, they did what they knew how to do best, they went fishing. 


After laboring all night long and not catching a single fish, they were gathering the nets and cleaning them and this guy on the shore (Jesus) yelled out to them to cast the nets on the other side of the boat. They hesitantly did so and as soon as they did, the nets were filled to capacity with large fish.


With that in mind, my prayers lately have included "what side of the boat Lord?" Each time I pray that way, something strange and a little bizzar comes to mind during the day. Not that it's weird, it's just a little different than the way I would have done something. Then for some reason, there is great success. I believe it's just another way for God to get me to rely on him every single day. To include him every single day in everything I do. When that happens, things flow easier, smoother and with less stress. 


It's so much easier to accomplish things when God tells us how to accomplish them. However, if we don't ask him, I don't think he'll tell us.