by Peter Lamb
I live in a small town in Texas where the entire county is a designated nesting area for flocks of retired folks. It’s a wonderful place to live except for a few minor exceptions. One of those is that about half of the locals, well let’s just say they move at a far slower pace of life than some of us. And for unexplainable reasons they are always in front of me when I want to be somewhere NOW. I’m not talking about breaking the law here. I’d just like to be able to go the posted speed limit more often than not. I can’t tell you how many times the phrase from Pinkard and Bowden’s “Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane”(1) has come to mind.
But I’m not a believer in coincidences. I truly adhere to the adage that things in life happen for a reason. I mean maybe I can LEARN from being forced to slow down.
So last week I had this crazy dream. The reason I remember this dream is because I had it right before I woke up. In my dream I was taxying a small airplane from the hanger out to the longer runway. You know the one. It’s the runway that seems miles long. The one where the distance is great enough to enable planes to get up to speed in order to lift off.
So in this dream, I’m about to fly a small plane. I’m the pilot. I have a copilot to my left. and a couple of passengers in the back seat. We’re taxiing from a small narrow area out toward the really long runway. I gently pulled the lever back to inch the plane forward at a crawl. I remember telling the man to my left in the cockpit, “I’ve never flown one of these, but I’m sure I can figure it out.” As we got to the “T” intersection at the long runway, there was a small man standing in the middle of my lane directing traffic. He was smack in the middle of the runway, a man of authority. I mean he was the one who told the planes when it was their turn to be able to advance to the main runway. No planes go past him without his permission. As I approached the intersection, he held up his hands to halt me. Those hands spoke with authority. I HAD to wait my turn. So I waited. And waited. And waited. I waited an interminable long period of time. Then I woke up.
Now God speaks to me from the Word. It’s the standard by which I judge the truth of other ways He speaks. But He uses all kinds of life experiences as tools to get His points across—even dreams when I’m awake enough to listen. Knowing this, I went on to work. Right before lunch it hit me.
You see, things have been slogging along in my life lately. Even in the midst of these really trying days we are all in, I hear God saying He has good plans in store for us. I know that as surely as the sun rises. But yet, time is like molasses. Again and again, dreams keep being delayed. Bills are mounting. Money is tight. Circumstances aren’t changing. “But, I can see the runway from here,” I say. “Why is He taking SO long?”
So, right before lunch it hit me. There came that song again, “Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane”. Only this time the Lord said to my heart, “I am the blue hair driving in your lane. You think those retired folks are old! I am the ‘Ancient of days'(2). I’m older than dirt(3). And I’m right in front of you.”
I could have sworn I heard Him chuckling. I gotta tell you, I laughed right there in my office. Hope nobody heard me. I know I’m really slow at understanding His ways. But I think I get it. There’s surely no way around Him. Best take it easy, rest and enjoy life where He has me. And be ever alert for the beckoning of His hand telling me – now fly!
©2008 LambCreek
Peter Lamb (pseudonym) is the founder of LambCreek – Christian Creative Services
(1) BLUE HAIRS DRIVIN’ IN MY LANE -(Pinkard and Bowden) Based on Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain by Fred Rose
(2) Daniel 7:9 – He calls himself the “Ancient of days.”
(3) John 1:1-4 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (NKJ)