The Magical Road to Oblivion

The Magical Road to Oblivion

The Disney experience is one that is hard to replace.  All the cast members seem happy and willing to help.  You rarely see trash and uncut lawns.  What is available for you to see is the glamour and the façade of magical dreams.

But this trip, I was exposed to things that one normally doesn’t see on a Disney vacation.

-          a light bulb that was changed but not removed from sight.

-          a sound problem at a restaurant that even frightened a cast member

-          workers standing on the roof of one of the façade buildings

-          a lot of cast members earning their ears

-          a rat in front of one of my favorite places to eat

-          David was sick, and we got to see behind the scenes of the real world of Disney

And this is what I thought….I takes a lot of hard work, dedication and attention to detail for one man’s dream by thousands of cast members to make the magic continue at Disney.  And the cast members go well beyond just the one’s you see on the streets and in the shops.  There are lights to change, walls and floors to paint and clean, food to prepare, trash to empty, and shows to practice.

And at the same time that life is magically being changed in front of your eyes, the guests on vacation walk about oblivious to anything that is going on around them.  So consumed in their own thoughts and plans, they walk about unconcerned and undaunted by anyone nearby.

-          one lady, after I stopped to let her pass me, changed directions and cut me off

-          one man, looking into my eyes, tripped over my double stroller right in front of him

-          and older man, determined to make it out of the restroom before me, looked down at the boys and stepped right in front of us

-          a lady at the airport, seeing me standing there putting my shoes on, bumped into me so she could sit and her child pushed right past me so I had to move

-          time and time again….obliviousness all around.

And that’s when I thought about our Christian walk…we walk through this life focused on what goals that we have set, places we want to go, and on tasks that we must complete.  But our purpose is much more important than that.

Mark 4:24 (NLT)  Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.”

Consider what I just said about Disney cast and crew members making the magic continue, and consider God in spiritual realms.  Don’t you think that He is doing the same things in our lives with much greater significance and meaning?

The Bible teaches us that it is the Spirit that draws us into relationship with Christ.  It also teaches us to be ready in season and out of season.  That means that God strategically sets things into motion knowing that you or I will be at that exact moment down the road and will be able to minister.  He crosses that person or situation across our paths so that we can allow Him to shine through us.  We are the cast members of Heavenly residence.  The Holy Spirit and the legions of angels are the crew members working behind the scenes.

1)      pay attention (pay no attention)

a)      purposely live your life so that you are not rushing from one thing to another

b)      take in every moment, because life is about moments

c)      be ready to respond

2)      listen closely (listen only to what you want or to nothing)

a)      absorb those things that are going on around you

b)      consider what you are hearing and seeing

c)      look beyond the obvious and begin to discern through the Spirit’s guidance

3)      receive (lose what you have)

a)      when you pay attention and listen closely, you will be given insight beyond what you’ve ever thought

b)      you’ll feel that sense of purpose in your attention to detail

c)      the Holy Ghost will open you into a new level of discernment

d)     you will change history in someone’s life and eternity through Jesus

The enemy comes in to show you all the glamour of life and the things that you can indulge in selfishly.

God wants you to pay close attention to what is so you can see the hidden things.

If you’re not careful, you will find yourself on that magical road to oblivion.  Sad part is that you won’t even know it or realize you took a turn.  You will have your eyes set on the prize of Heaven, but will put aside that good and faithful servant portion.  You will look towards a life promised with those who have gone on before us, and yet forget about taking up your cross daily.  You will claim the Blood of Christ and what it can do, but never apply it to the doorpost of your life.

It takes a lot of hard work and attention to detail to be what God planned out for us.  If you look at it in context, just as ole Walt started it all with a dream, just one man, so God started all of this and us with one thing in mind, and now we are responsible for making God’s miracles real in a dark world.