The unsubscribe notice dropped into my inbox. It wasn't a total surprise, people change email addresses and change their minds, but this time God nudged me to ask what's happening. So I responded with a personal email. The reply came within seconds.

 

"God doesn't do miracles today. He leaves us us alone. I have prayed so many times for God to heal my loved one and nothing. Don't get me wrong, prayer is nice, but it's just wishful thinking. I don't need Faith Notes, I just read the Bible and wish I lived back when God showed up."

 

I responded, "So, if you close your eyes, does that mean everything around you disappears? Or is everything sill there, even when you can't sense it, or see it?"

 

Our conversation is continuing…

 

Old Ezekiel had to be reminded. God can do anything, even when we assume it's impossible. Can these bones live again, even if the people feel dried up and hopeless? Speak to them! "This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD."  Ezekiel 37 NIV

 

And the bones rattled and assumptions were shattered.

 

Robert Kegan tells about a friend from Australia who came to the USA for a sabbatical and had difficulty adjusting to driving.

 

“It’s not just that you drive on the wrong side of the road,” she said, “you even put the steering wheels on the wrong side of your cars. I can’t tell you how many times I would pile into the right side of the car, only to rediscover that I needed to get out and walk around to the door on the left side.”

 

We are creatures of habit and sometimes habits turn into traditions, and traditions into assumptions. Kegan’s friend continued, “One time when my mind was on the six other things I had to do that day, I climbed in the car on the right side, pulled out my keys and looked up and said to myself, Things have really gotten out of hand here in the States, the robbers even steal your steering wheels.” 

 

The evidence was just an arms length away, but why should we even look? After all we know, right?

 

There may be evidence of God's presence, or more faith, more joy, more, and more life just an arms length away and we are too set in our ways or too certain to even look. Blinded by assumptions!

 

Cindi explained, "My friend Jennifer is a great therapist. She helps people cope with their problems and deal with issues, but in the real world she is a little out of touch."

 

"What do you mean?" I replied.

 

"Well, last night after a long day, we met for dinner. Before our salads arrived, she ask, &quoto you know what 'lol' stands for?"

 

"Sure, 'laugh out loud.'"

 

Jennifer confessed, "I wish I would have asked you yesterday. This morning I sent out three sympathy cards to grieving clients. I always write something personal like 'sorry to hear of our loss' or, 'I just heard about the death of… Well, today I thought I would add to my regular words, so believing I already knew what 'lol' meant, I added it to the close of each card."

 

"NO!"

 

"I thought 'lol' meant, 'lots of love,'" jennifer admitted. 

 

"I told her that she had to contact them, to call them right now before the card gets there."  

 

"She did."

 

"Then, after a bit, we both laughed out loud." 

 

 

We have all experienced bad assumptions. Sometimes we are so locked up by these prisons, that we refuse to allow ourselves to be wrong. We feel like we have to be right even when we are wrong. Bad Assumptions rob us of life and everything good that goes with it.

 

So, this is your week to break old habits… to test assumptions.  

 

Before you cross the street, Stop, Look, and Listen.

 

God has never left you, even if you don't sense HIS presence.