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“A car’s headlights only shine for fifteen feet, but that fifteen feet will get you all the way home.”

A thought by John Ortberg, (2015-02-24) from his book. All the Places to Go . . . How Will You Know?: God Has Placed beforeYou an Open Door.  What Will You Do?    (p. 245). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

I love the story that John tells of Bob Goff. He says, “Bob Goff writes about how he desperately wanted to become a lawyer so that he could make an impact on the world in the area of justice. He knew the law school he wanted to attend. The only problem was they didn’t admit him. So he went to the dean’s office, introduced himself, explained his situation, and described how badly he wanted to attend this school even though they had rejected him. ‘I understand,’ said the dean. ‘Have a nice day.’ Bob decided to keep knocking. ‘You have the power to change my life,’ Bob said. ‘All you have to say to me is “Go buy your books,” and I could be a student in your school.’ The dean smiled. ‘Have a nice day.’ Bob decided to camp in the dean’s office. There were five days before school started. When the dean would arrive in the morning, there would be Bob. ‘Four words. “Go buy your books.” Change my life.’ Smile. ‘Have a nice day.’

“Bob wouldn’t go away. He came to know the dean’s routine — when he arrived, when he went home, when he took a break for lunch, when he went to the gym. Every time he saw him, he’d remind him: ‘Four words. Change my life.’ The day law school started, Bob knew it was going to be his day. He saw the dean a dozen times that day. Each time the same message. ‘Just tell me to buy my books.’ ‘Have a nice day.’ Then came day two of law school.

“Bob was already starting to fall behind, and he hadn’t even gotten in. By day five Bob was beginning to worry. Late in the afternoon he heard footsteps. By now he knew both the dean’s footsteps and his schedule by heart. The dean was not supposed to be out of his office at this time. He looked Bob in the eye, gave him a wink, and told him the four words that changed his life: ‘Go buy your books.’ Bob bought the books. He went on to serve God in remarkable ways, including international diplomacy and teaching at law school.”

In dealing with this Bob said, “I once heard somebody say that God had closed a door on an opportunity they had hoped for. But I’ve always wondered if, when we want to do something that we know is right and good, God places that desire deep in our hearts because He wants it for us and it honors Him. Maybe there are times when we think a door has been closed and, instead of misinterpreting the circumstances, God wants us to kick it down. Or perhaps just sit outside of it long enough until somebody tells us we can come in.”


Did you need that today?
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