A-mazingly Corny
You may have seen the story earlier this week about the family in Massachusetts who had to call 911 after they got lost in a local corn maze. Police received a frantic call from a woman asking for help getting out of the maze, and when they arrived at the "Haunted Corn Field" with their K-9 Unit they easily found her and her husband and two small children, still stuck in the maze.
The Connors Farm Corn Maze in Danvers, Massachusetts has been in operation for years, and though they've had their share of "corn-fused" patrons, they had never had anyone get so desperate that they had to call authorities to liberate them from the maze of maize. The saddest part was that the family was just 25 feet from freedom when they were "rescued."
I've been in one of those mazes, up near Hayden, Alabama, and though there were a few times I felt a little claustrophobic, I never would have considered calling for help. Maybe it was pride. Or maybe it's the fact that it was only corn, after all. At the very least I could have run through the walls, "Field of Dreams" style.
But I also recognize that sense of feeling lost and afraid, and being overwhelmed by not knowing which way to turn. There's certainly a parallel somewhere in there about our own navigation of the mazes of life, and how easily we lose perspective because all we can see are the stalks that surround us. We never know that we're just a few yards from our own freedom because we can't see beyond the forest for the trees...or corn.
It reminds me of a story I heard about a little 8-year old boy named Frank. Frank had a date with his father to go fishing on Saturday. They were going to fish the whole day. On Friday night he had everything laid out. He was ready to go.
But on Saturday morning he awoke to discover that it was raining cats and dogs, and they couldn't go fishing. So, little Frank grumbled and griped and complained all morning long. He kicked the furniture, the dog, the cat. His father tried to explain to him that the farmers needed the rain, but that didn't satisfy Frank. "Why does it have to rain today?" he asked.
About noon the clouds broke and the sun came out. His dad said, "Well, we can't go fishing all day, but at least we can fish this afternoon. Let's go." So they jumped into the truck, went to the lake and fished all afternoon, and caught more fish than they had ever caught before. Their baskets were full, and they had the time of their lives.
They came home and mom cooked some of the fish for supper. As they were sitting down to eat, Frank's dad called on him to ask the blessing. Eight-year old Frank prayed this prayer: "God, if I sounded a little grumpy earlier, it was because I couldn't see far enough ahead."
Whether you're lost in one of life's mazes, or frustrated because things just aren't going your way, that usually is the problem. We just can't see far enough ahead. But at times like that, we have to trust that God has a view that we don't, that He is looking out for us, and that Hecansee far enough ahead. He can be trusted you know, even if you can't see beyond the corn.
I hope you'll place your faith fully in Christ as you walk with Him this week. May He bless you abundantly as you serve Him. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.
--Pastor Ken
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