Beginning Anew

Tonight while driving I gave Sean Hannity a listen. I haven't intently listened to him in a long time, but this show caught me by surprize. He was interviewing Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham who is regarded as being probably the greatest evangelist of our time, possibly of all time.

Sean asked Franklin about following in his fathers footsteps, and taking over the Graham crusades. Franklin responded by saying that a ministry like what his dad has isn't something that can be passed down like a business or property (i'm paraphrasing, of course). The part that really spoke to me was this great illustration that he used about his father's ministry.

"It's like a turtle sitting on top of a fencepost, you know he didn't get there by himself"

God puts us all where he wants us to be, and it's even more beneficial if we find ourselves in the center of his will for our lives. Certainly I find myself having this realization all the time in the last 6 months. 8 months ago, if you had told me i'd be living in Arkansas right now, I would have laughed you out of town. In fact that was the attitude with which I first met God. "Ha, real funny... me moving to Arkansas... that's a good one Lord" *wipes a tear from laughter*

Here I am, and I am probably the happiest i've ever been in my career. I know God can maintain it, but I worry about having hit a peak to early, and that it might go downhill from here. But I am like that illustration earlier... I am the turtle. I am sitting on top of a fence post. God had to have put me here or I would have never had the strength, courage, or even the sheer ability to climb up by myself. God put me on a fencepost for a reason. That reason is still somewhat unknown to me and I don't know what the next fencepost will be.

So for twice in all of history, the turtle has been used as a great illustration for living life.
1: Slow and steady do the job.
2: If you are a turtle you don't get on top of a fencepost by yourself.

Franklin Graham went on to say that he is called to evangelism ministry, and that he is following that calling, but I thought it was very insightful of him to realize that without God allowing him that venue he would never be able to achieve it on his own.