Ravishing

Today I was walking down the steps in my house and the word “ravishing” popped into my head. I chuckled to myself. Then I said, “I want to ravish you.” And I laughed, the kind of laugh where you said something a little obscene in a group of people who don’t like hearing obscene things, no matter how large or little the obscenity is. So I decided that I will never call someone ravishing because it means I want to do something to them. When you call someone beautiful, you don’t want to “beautiful” them, it just means that you think they are stunning. If you call someone beautiful beautiful, then you think they are beyond beautiful and there is nothing else that can describe it besides doubling up the beauty. So, don’t say ravishing unless you are ready and willing to ravish the person the compliment was directed to. Aren’t you glad you have read this so far.

(insert segway)

Today at church I was sitting in my seat next to a couple people, women, that I didn’t know. I was not my usual outgoing self because I smelled something. And I couldn’t tell, no matter how many times I smelled myself — you know, smelled my arms when people were praying, that kind of thing — if it was me who smelled. Usually I wouldn’t have a problem knowing if I smelled or not, but I had just pulled my shirt that I was wearing out of the hamper, put it in the dryer to take the wrinkles out (which failed miserably), and then sprayed cologne on my coat…not on my shirt. My coat was in my lap. Not being smelled by anyone. I prayed that it wasn’t me.

The sermon was titled, “Just Pray.” Simple enough. It was about the woman who kept complaining and pestering the judge, who didn’t fear or respect God or men, and especially not women, until the judge finally answered her and took care of whatever it was she was hollering about. I don’t remember the main point of his message, I did find out who it was that was smelling though, but I do remember what I took from it.

He said that God answers our prayers right when we pray them. But, that doesn’t mean we will see the manifestation of our answered prayers immediately. A lot of people raised their left hand at that point, in agreement and praise I assume, I thought it would be funny for the pastor to call on someone with their hand raised.

It made me think about what I had prayed this summer, or after I graduated, or while I was in college, that may be in the process of being answered right now — that me sitting in that seat smelling myself might be a manifestation of something I prayed. A few things that I prayed a long time ago came to mind:

“Lord, teach me how to love you and be loved by you” — Sr. year in college, while trying to be a leader of a group I started.

“Show me how to be a good husband” — Post-College, after realizing how many issues I have, we all have, and wondering how in the world anyone can be a good parent.

“Help me to allow myself to be used by you in whatever way possible” — Sr year.

Those are a few that I can see God working out right now. The pastor said that during the time between when you pray those prayers and they are answered, he is working on you. I don’t think those prayers have been answered yet, but I can see how God is working in me to answer them. Praying and believing that God will answer prayers is tough. But literally, what else do we have? Where else can we turn? Who in your life hasn’t failed you once? God. Period. And out of all those people who would be justified in failing you, God is on top of that list, he is the list. And yet, if we pray and believe and wait and pray and pray and pray, God will work it out in his time.

Luckily for me, he showed me who was smelling before the service was over, so I was able to catch a few of the points the pastor was making.

~ by kevinthomas on January 30, 2006.