Mind the Gap

When I was in college I had the rich, and honestly unexpected, opportunity of traveling to Europe to visit two of my best friends that had decided to study abroad for a semester. It was one of those spring break trips that I still pinch myself when I think about taking.Heartfelt memories flood my mind when I get reminiscent about that trip. The overwhelming emotions we all had as we stepped out of the London Gatwick Airport into the streets of London, and the powerful presence of those buildings etched with history was awesome. The great energy of the city, ambiance found in the museums, the cobbled streets, the richness of a culture that has stood for thousands of years that you are only just now seeing.We were awe struck.I remember funny moments too. Traveling to Scotland on a bus for 6 hours and based on my overwhelming good luck I got sick the ENTIRE time. Memorable to say the least. Once in Scotland, we nearly froze and had to wear, literally, every piece of clothing from our suitcases to stay warm in our hostile that night. Great pics! The pink curtains and Scottish plaid decorations of that hostile were classic too, seriously considering doing our new baby room with that look in mind . Lights out London is no joke. And then how could we forget the bus ride to the airport in the middle of the night in the white wall rain with the bus racing at a cool 100 mph all the while “enjoying” the aroma of the hairy toed shoeless man eating food laced in curry the entire ride. Memorable. Truly it’s a miracle we made it…never been happier to get somewhere stationary in my life.A memory that stuck with me the most was a simple moment in our everyday as we took the rail, the underground sub system. As you waited the rail would come racing through the tunnel and make an abrupt stop, the doors would open and then all at once before you could take a step through the doors a man’s voice would come over the loud speaker and say, “Mind the Gap”. I would die laughing. Why you might ask? Because the “gap” he was talking about between the deck and the rail doors was either massive or so slight the warning seemed ridiculous. It was so very obvious that you had to “mind the gap” and step across onto the rail. Obviously that was not the case and somewhere down the line someone forgot to mind and tumbled right into the gap. But it was, and still is as I catch myself chuckling, hilarious to me. We probably found a million reasons on that trip to reuse that phrase.Today I’d like to suggest that there are just as many gaps in our lives that if we aren’t careful to “mind the gaps” we could fall right in between the platform we’re standing on and the rail that has the capability to take us to our next “God sized promise”. It’s no joke out there. Life is stinkin’ hard and if it isn’t, quite honestly you’re probably not breathing. I don’t mean everyone’s life has to be labor intensive…but what about emotionally, spiritually and mentally just tough.I have a precious life with all sorts of beloved blessings….but if you think for one minute my life is worry or problem free you’re bubble is about to bust. It’s not. For starters my husband is a coach and our life in a literal sense is dictated by winning and losing, which has the potential to make us all sorts of emotionally high and low. In the last several years we’ve committed to becoming debt free….so of course there have been a number of things come up that have threatened that vision. At this point we’re taking risks that are challenging every part of our lives and God is asking us to step where there is little to no light to illuminate the path. We have times when we feel uninspired to start the day or share a thought. We have relationship struggles that tear at our heart strings, we have worries, we have major doubts at times of God’s will and God’s purposes and if we don’t mind the gap we can throw off all sorts of Jesus and just fall right into the gap of despair…we can lose our vision. The temptation to recklessly reject a life of faith and loose heart is all too present.I’m reminded of the scripture in 2 Corinthians 10:5. It really is so very crucial to living a gloriously full life as a daughter of the King.“We are DESTORYING speculations and EVERY lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking EVERY THOUGHT captive to the obedience to Christ.”That’s not going to come easy and if you read it close it is full of action verbs…that means it doesn’t conclude it is an on-going action. I think if we live skimming over at the warning of 2 Corinthians 10:5 we give way and opportunity to the enemy to blind us and shift our focus just enough to where all at once one day what was a small gap becomes a massive chasm between us and God and we fall right in. No matter how spiritual you might have become – you have to have a warning. There is no arrival this side of Heaven. Someone, something, some circumstance, some perceived failure, some struggle, some message, some email, some unclear communication will try to create a gap between you, the Love of your Father and the life of promise He is taking you to if you leave it unsubmitted and uncaptivated.In warfare taking someone or something captive takes strength, you have to have a strategy to overcome the enemy. Keeping our focus intently on Jesus is our strategy to minding the gap.Think of it like this…a deep loving Jesus voice coming over the intercom of your life every day and reminding you “Mind the gap, Cari”. Be looking for Jesus and take EVERY thought, project, situation, dream, job, relationship, emotion and role and make your heart obey His will. Mind the gap by pushing God’s love to come to the front of your marriage, of your job security, your financial mistakes, your uncertain future, of your health crisis, of your hopes and dreams. Mind the gap by pushing God’s love to the front of the lost affection you desire, your addictions, your hardened heart of sin, your fear, your worry, your regrets, your doubt, your church, your worship, your friends, your kids, your insecurity…..EVERYTHING.Sweet sister it will take a determined faith to push God’s love to fill the gaps, but the overwhelming promise is that He died to take our place. He doesn’t care if your gap looks like a sliver or you’re staring down the stinkin’ Grand Canyon. He is zealously anxious to mind the gaps of our lives, but it’s up to us to submit to His Love. I wish I could say that I was speaking this word from a mountain top of strength, and at times by God’s grace I have spoken to you out of Divine Strength, but if this is “real sister talk” today I’m just leaning in on God’s promise to fill in the gaps right alongside you.Today my prayers over you are from Psalm 28:7-9…“The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him. The Lord is their strength, and He is a saving defense to His anointed. Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance; Be their shepherd also and carry them forever.” Psalm 28:7-9And remember….Jesus is minding the gap {...just imagine me saying it with a thick British accent...}