Sunday, February 20, 2011 - Baby Steps, Big Steps

     Today is a red letter day in 2011, one that required preparation: set a date, make travel arrangements, make appropriate purchases from gift registry, clear calendar of all other obligations. Today I'll attend the baby shower for Addy Akin, our first grandbaby. Last night I heard our daughter Julie say to her husband Nick: "I can't believe tomorrow is our baby shower. Next big step: Baby!" 

    Preparing for Addy's arrival has been for them a mixture of little steps and major changes. They've pondered and wondered and planned. They painstakingly chose a medical team to guide them through the pregnancy. They've transformed the game room into a nursery where diapers have taken the place of DVDs and video games. They've chosen Adalyn Faith's name. They dream of what they'll teach her and how they'll play with her. As much time and labor as these actions require they're still the precursors, the baby steps, in preparing for the big steps of bringing Addy into the world and bringing her up to become all the Lord intended her to be. 

      Every spiritual walk mixes it up between baby and big steps rather than producing an even pace of equal strides. One difference between our walks comes from our view of what we consider a baby step or a big step. For action-oriented people, prayer, Bible Study, meditation, and clarification are major strides to carry out what then seems like a simple action. For those more prone to dream, plan, talk, or make lists, exerting the trust to act on what God leads them to do or live proves to be the hurdle. No matter how we get there, our goal is the same as Jesus': to show the world we love the Father by obeying Him and doing what He commands us to do. 

"but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded Me. Come now, let us leave" John 14:31

     The little girl now kicking visibly inside Julie compels this couple to plan and act while the hope of Christ in us spurs us toward taking the next step - be it a baby step or a leaping mid-air over a major hurdle.

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27

Based on My Utmost for His Highest