By Craig Bryant

Have you ever been doing something and when you got done, found yourself saying, "That wasn't what I had in mind?" My favorite music group (this week) is GLAD. They have a tape out called "Color Outside the Lines." The chorus goes like this:

Color outside the lines I've drawn, doing something different than I counted on. As You color outside the lines I find the picture's not all what I had in mind but with one step back it is clear to see, in Your hands life becomes a masterpiece. One verse talks about putting trust in His vision and plan. A life being like a canvas put in His hands. Sounds great, doesn't it? But then it continues (life seems to have a way of doing that):

I've got some ideas of work You may wish to do. I like what You're creating, but I see You're starting to color outside the lines.

As we look through the Bible, we see many places where God colored outside the lines with people. Take Moses for instance. While living in Pharaoh's house as one of his sons, he lacked nothing. He had money, power, and all the comforts of the day. He had it quite good. The way I read it, his life painted a pretty picture. However, God had another plan. He was starting to color outside the lines. Moses would ultimately give up all he had and flee from Pharaoh into the desert. Once in the desert, he built a comfortable life for himself, with a wife, and children and "stuff." He probably thought to himself, "Not quite a Pharaoh's palace, but livable." But God wasn't finished with the canvas yet. You know the story from there. Burning bush . . . back to Egypt . . . leading God's people out of captivity to a promised land. Imagine, after all of that, not being able to enter the promised land. I doubt that was what Moses had in mind when he pictured retirement. Ever had a hard time giving up "stuff" for the Lord? Maybe it was as simple as the luxury of sleeping late on a Sunday morning after a tough week. Maybe it was using a week or two of vacation to participate in a missions project or trip. I remember the first time I thought about going on a missions trip. Our pastor had just shown a film about a Bible distribution in Russia. He told us that a team was forming to go on a similar trip to Siberia. The film really moved me. I thought about how I would like to participate in something like that. After the morning service, Iran into the pastor at the back of the church.

I told him that I wished I could afford to go on the trip. He looked at me and, without hesitation, said that I couldn't afford not to go. That wasn't in my financial or personal picture. I was just a cop. I wasn't a scholar. I wasn't a public speaker. How could I go to a foreign country and witness to people? No, that just wasn't in the big picture. But then again.

I went on that trip. I still can't account for where all the money came from, but whenever there was money due, I seemed to have it. I was suddenly outside the lines that I had drawn for myself. Once there, I didn't become tongue tied like I had feared. I was able to answer questions when asked. They tell me I was a valuable part of the team. On the first night of our crusade, the evangelist gave an altar call. In my mind's eye, I could see a few people standing. When I turned around, the entire auditorium was standing to accept Christ as their Savior. Wow, was that outside the lines of the picture I had drawn!

Another line in the song I mentioned earlier says:

Ignore all the limits that I've put into place. Sometimes You scare me, but I won't pull away. I trust You my creator, and one day I'll find that all along, You've had something wonderful in mind.

How often do we try to make deals with God? I can hear myself now. Okay, I'll start a choir, but don't ask me to sing. And for goodness sake, don't ask me to do a solo. My wife likes to give me a playful poke in the ribs about singing. For the first four years of our married life I did not sing, not a note! Not even a hum, in church, or anywhere else. I was a trumpet player, not a singer. I couldn't sing. We were attending a church that had once been home to a great music program, a big choir, great musicians, everything a church could ask for. Nevertheless, after some years, the program had dwindled. By this time, we had no choir, and most of the good musicians had left the church. For some reason, I volunteered to try to "start" a choir while the pastor and board looked for a real director. I was a trumpet player. I had played in bands and orchestras and even been a drum major in college. I could start a choir.

Little did I know how far outside the lines I was being led. Over a year after our first rehearsal, I told our pastor that it really was time to find a director. He did, and I was finally relieved of my duties. Still, in that time, I learned a lot about myself. By allowing myself to go where God had been leading me, many good things happened. The church got its choir back, and I learned that maybe I could sing, at least a little bit. My wife had a reason to poke me in the ribs. It is likely that there are many more things about which I will never know. After that I changed my bargain with the Lord. I pledged to, as much as possible, do whatever I was asked to do. (I guess I had to leave myself an out, just in case.) Since then I have been privileged to be part of several music programs. I have even sung a solo or two. The Bible tells many stories about people being pushed outside the lines. Matthew 4:19 tells us about Simon and Andrew. Christ said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." They "immediately" left their nets and followed him. This was probably
not the picture they had in mind. Acts tells the story of Saul. His view of life was to destroy the Christian movement Then, God picked up the brush and painted another story. Saul's name changed, along with his attitude. Another masterpiece was created because of God's intervention. The final verse of the song says:

I know You're faithful to finish what You start You make even common things become a work of art so keep on working. It's Your Name that's written on my heart.

How are you looking at the picture of your life? Have you left yourself open to move over the comfort line? Have you "pushed the envelope?" Or are you waiting quietly between the lines, hoping no one will ask you to-oh, let's say, sing a song, teach a class, or, heaven forbid, ioin in on a missions trip.

Awhile back there was a commercial on television that started with a stern teacher repeating, "Lines are your friends, stay between the lines." The subject of this warning was now driving a four-wheel drive vehicle. When the driver could resist no longer, he headed outside the lines. In the end, the vehicle was dirty. It had obviously been through a lot while outside the lines, but the driver was smiling from ear to ear. He had dared to go outside the lines.

My prayer for all of us is that we would not only allow the Lord to color outside the lines of our lives, but that we would actually ask Him to. We will most likely get dirty along the way, but, in the end, we will be able to take a step back and marvel at the masterpiece God has made of us.