Where I need to be

Bear with me a bit while I set this one up:  In a recent episode of Dr. Who the Doctor says to the person carrying the soul of the TARDIS, "You didn't always take me where I wanted to go."  The response:  "But I always took you where you needed to be."  This will make tons of sense to Dr. Who fans, and none at all to almost anyone else.

Still, this could be a great conversation between me and the Holy Spirit.  It's true - He didn't always take me where I wanted to go.  At one time or another I wanted to be a teacher, an evangelist, a mega-church pastor, and so on and so on.  But He took me to the seminary, to smaller churches, to the hearts of Jesus and His people, to Formational Prayer, and so on and so on.  Not always where I wanted to go; but always places I needed to be.

I needed to be in the seminary so that I could begin the journey of pastoral ministry He had in mind for me.

I needed to be in a church in Chicago that needed me to carry them through the difficult time of adjustment after their long-beloved pastor retired.

I needed to be in another church in Chicago for my own healing; and to leave that church to make room for the next phase of their ministry.

I needed to be where I am, to learn to love God's people, to become their shepherd, and to learn to be shepherd for others in other places.

I need to be where I am now, in ministry of Word and Sacrament, in minstry of prayer and healing and compassion, for those who are whole and those who are not.

Holy Spirit, you didn't always take me where I wanted to go - but I thank you that you have always taken me where I needed to be.  Amen!