Now look, I don't know how many of you got smirks on your face wondering about my title. By the time you get done reading this post I'll bet they will turn into full-fledged, knowing smiles and/or giggles. How can I be confident to make such a claim? Well, that's what's happened every time I've shared it with ladies around here, i.e. Bible Study, Moms Retreat. Read on and enjoy.
I was struggling one day with an appointment that I figured was going to be pretty difficult. I wanted to be sure that I approached it in ways that would glorify my Father. Lately I've been seeking the Lord to build His Word into me in such a way that it will be the first thing I consider in any situation. He's been very gracious in answering that request even for a mature adult such as myself. [You can read that, "an old bird like me," if you like.] So in preparation I was led to the passage that begins at Colossians 3:12.
I was sharing the excellent advice offered in these verses with a friend. She encouraged me to consider reading through the passage even as I got dressed the morning of my appointment. She suggested that I actually put on the attributes mentioned as I was putting on my clothes. The idea was intriguing to me. It reminded me of the Ephesians 6 passage that directs God's people to stand firm and put on the armor of God. So the next morning I opened my Bible to Colossians 3 and laid it out on the bed along with all my clothes.
12a Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, . . .
I stopped to soak in those basic truths. Before the directions to get dressed, God begins by telling me who I am. He chose me to be His own, not because of the way I look or for anything I've done, not even because I love and trust Him as I seek to follow His precepts. He chose me before the foundation of the world because HE loves ME. As a matter of fact, I only love Him because He first loved me. 1 John 4:19 Not only am I chosen, but God calls me holy and reminds me that I am dearly loved. These truths are based on who He is and what He has done. Hallelujah, it has nothing to do with me. I've been chosen and made holy by Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8 I am this chosen, holy, dearly-loved person that is being addressed and directed in a special way. I need to pay attention.
12b clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
Okay, God is telling me to put on compassion. Once again I'm reminded of the belt, breastplate, helmet, etc. from Ephesians. The verse does say to clothe myself so which of these articles of clothing would best represent compassion? To put on compassion means to choose to take in the other person's position, to think about what they might be thinking or how they might be feeling. It would mean that I would need to really consider the inner, private part of the other person's life. My most private parts are covered up by my underpants so I'm going to put them on as a symbol of the compassion I'm asking the Lord to give me. I prayed as I slipped on my underpants that the Lord would help me see and understand the other person's position from His viewpoint. Oh yes, Lord I'm beginning to see the wisdom of this process.
Next God tells me to put on kindness. What article of clothing would illustrate kindness? To put on kindness means to choose to have a positive, outgoing attitude of service. It would mean that I would need to be uplifting and perky, not down in the mouth and negative. The article of clothing that I find most uplifting is my bra so I'm going to put that on as a symbol of the kindness I'm asking the Lord to give me. I giggled a little and then prayed as I put on my bra that God would fill me with the kindness He offers me when I sit in His presence. Thank you, Father, for the leading of your Holy Spirit that includes a good dose of humor.
Clothe myself with humility is the next direction. What article of clothing could that possibly be? To put on humility means to choose to set aside all of my own accomplishments as well as any self-elevating thoughts that might cause me to think more highly of myself than I ought. It would mean that I would need to be meek and lowly, with no sense of pride. The Lord has been doing a serious work in me on humility and I praise Him for all His progress. Humility is a hard thing to put on when you've lived a lot of years and learned a lot of things, but it's also hard to take off once the Lord has shown you yourself. The article of clothing that I find the hardest to put on and not so easy to take off is my panty hose so I'm going to put them on as a symbol of the humility I'm asking God to give me. I prayed as I struggled to pull on my panty hose that the Lord would apply as much effort as was needed to keep my humility in place and not let it bag or sag or even run. Thank you, Father, for the practical way you direct my prayer life.
The Lord says I should clothe myself with gentleness next. What article of clothing could that possibly be? To put on gentleness means to choose to be mild, moderate, non-confrontational as I go through my days. It would mean that I would need to be responsive to and flow with the needs of the people around me. The article of clothing that I find most gentle and flowy is my slip so I'm going to put that on as a symbol of the gentleness I'm asking God to give me. I prayed as I adjusted my slip that God would allow me to apply the gentleness He uses when He calls me to account in a sensitive area. Thank you, Lord, for showing me how you bless me out of your infinite storehouses.
Patience is another piece the Lord wants me to put on. What article of clothing could that possibly be? To put on patience means to choose to persevere in the face of opposition, for the long haul. It would mean that I would need to be committed to walk the path the Lord lays out for me, no matter what, until He says I'm done. The article of clothing that I find stays with me on long, hard paths is my shoes so I'm going to put them on as a symbol of the patience I'm asking God to give me. I prayed as I stepped into my pumps that God would fill me with the patience He has been showing me in this new phase of growth. Thank you, God, for continuing to keep me close to your heart.
13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
The Lord wants me to put on forgiveness. What article of clothing could that possibly be? To put on forgiveness means to choose to release another person from the debt they owe for sinning against me. It would mean that I would need to give up any "right" to compensation or opportunity for retaliation. This is a big one. True forgiveness cuts or softens the affects of sin and shortcomings, the ugly parts of my life. The article of clothing that I find softens my shortcomings and ugly parts is my dress so I'm going to put it on as a symbol of the forgiveness I'm asking God to give me. I prayed as I pulled my dress over my head and smoothed it into place that the Lord would remind me of His great forgiveness to me and empower me to heed His call to grant the same forgiveness to others. Thank you, Lord, for the way you smooth out my bumps and bulges by your grace.
14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
The final item the Lord encourages His chosen, holy and dearly-loved people to cloth themselves with is love. What article of clothing could that possibly be? To put on love means to choose to view other people the way God sees them and brings all of the attributes together in unity. It would mean that I would need to emphasize love as the overarching tone of my life. The article of clothing that I find joins everything together is the sweater that coordinates my outfit so I'm going to put it on as a symbol of the love I'm asking God to give me. I prayed as I put on my sweater that the Lord would warm me with His love that I might share it with others and thereby warm their souls. Thank you, God, for the love you lavish on me.
It might have sounded far-fetched at the outset, but God has taught me some rich lessons through this passage. He went with me to my appointment and granted all my requests by His grace. Not only that, but I can now list all of the attributes in this passage in order just by going through the articles of clothing. :-) I continue to look to Him to keep me dressed appropriately, as befits a chosen, holy and dearly-loved daughter. He is faithful!
So don't believe the folks who say that old dogs can't learn new tricks. God is The Trainer, Redeemer, Reconciler, Renewer, Rebuilder. He takes broken lives and worn out old believers like me and breathes new life into them. He teaches us more about Himself and how to remain in His presence, day after day, in spite of any distractions the world or the annoyer can throw at us. Hallelujah, praise God for who He is. Glorify His Name and enjoy Him now and forever! Amen
Monday, November 19, 2007
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Sandra Glimpse
You know, I'm becoming more and more convinced that God can and does speak to us just about everywhere and/or in the midst of anything. It might be hard to imagine that our heavenly Father gave me a glimpse of Himself through the Subject line of my email program, but it's true.
For a long time I've used SANDRA in all caps as the Subject line of my email opener with a dash and the topic afterward. I did that because I like to know who's sending emails to me so I can decide if I want to open them or not. (Sorry folks.) I figured if other people saw SANDRA in all caps they'd know it had to be me and not just anybody with that name - and bring excitement about reading my message. It seems to have worked for the last several years, well, ever since I learned how to use email.
Lately I've been getting the sense that SANDRA may be a little strong for some people to take. (Was that sentence a Freudian slip?) ;-) For some reason the Holy Spirit has been drawing my attention to SANDRA in my Subject line. In the past, I have had people make snide remarks about it, but this is something different. (Isn't it amazing the things people can find to complain about?) I'm sure you know how impossible it is to ignore the Holy Spirit when He piques your interest in something. So I began to consider whether or not I wanted to make a change, and what I might want to change it to. After a bit of thought I decided I would switch to all lower case letters because that speaks to me of a gentle and gracious spirit. The Lord's been giving me some real growth toward my goal in those areas and it felt like it might be a good way to reflect that change by using sandra in my Subject line.
Today I started typing sandra at the top of my emails. I was feeling pretty good about the step I'd taken. After all, our local church recently changed its name to reflect the new life the Lord is bringing to His body here. When we were discussing the concept we talked about the various times in Scripture that God changed names to reflect new life or purpose. It makes a powerful statement and that's what I wanted to do. Well, after a few emails, the Lord spoke to me. No, not audibly, ;-) but clearly - in my spirit one might say.
"This is a good idea. You're right, sandra is much less bombastic, but those small letters make you appear a little insignificant."
For a long time I've used SANDRA in all caps as the Subject line of my email opener with a dash and the topic afterward. I did that because I like to know who's sending emails to me so I can decide if I want to open them or not. (Sorry folks.) I figured if other people saw SANDRA in all caps they'd know it had to be me and not just anybody with that name - and bring excitement about reading my message. It seems to have worked for the last several years, well, ever since I learned how to use email.
Lately I've been getting the sense that SANDRA may be a little strong for some people to take. (Was that sentence a Freudian slip?) ;-) For some reason the Holy Spirit has been drawing my attention to SANDRA in my Subject line. In the past, I have had people make snide remarks about it, but this is something different. (Isn't it amazing the things people can find to complain about?) I'm sure you know how impossible it is to ignore the Holy Spirit when He piques your interest in something. So I began to consider whether or not I wanted to make a change, and what I might want to change it to. After a bit of thought I decided I would switch to all lower case letters because that speaks to me of a gentle and gracious spirit. The Lord's been giving me some real growth toward my goal in those areas and it felt like it might be a good way to reflect that change by using sandra in my Subject line.
Today I started typing sandra at the top of my emails. I was feeling pretty good about the step I'd taken. After all, our local church recently changed its name to reflect the new life the Lord is bringing to His body here. When we were discussing the concept we talked about the various times in Scripture that God changed names to reflect new life or purpose. It makes a powerful statement and that's what I wanted to do. Well, after a few emails, the Lord spoke to me. No, not audibly, ;-) but clearly - in my spirit one might say.
"This is a good idea. You're right, sandra is much less bombastic, but those small letters make you appear a little insignificant."
I responded, "Oh, yes, Lord. That's all right. Before you I am insignificant. I want people to see You and not me."
I got a response I was not ready for. "Sandra, you are significant."
I have to confess that I couldn't accept it at first. Then I began to remember all the lessons the Lord has made real to me through Scripture, especially Isaiah 43. It was as if God were telling me, "I made you. You are mine. I love you. You are finite before Me, your infinite holy God and Father, but you are precious to Me. I chose you to be mine before I made any part of the world. I have kept you and will continue to watch over you all the days of your life until I bring you home to live with me for all eternity. I want you to understand that in a very real sense I show Myself through you. As my Daughter and fellow heir with my Son Jesus, you are my ambassador, a living letter to those I bring to you."
I was bowled over! I know that God cannot lie and His Word is true. I drank in what He was showing me with humility and as confirmation. You see, over these last months God has been revealing Himself to me in very personal ways. I've been a believer for almost 40 years. I know and have seen God's loving watchcare over me. The truth is though that it's always easier to pray for others and then praise God for His detailed answers to them. I'm definitely not a Paul- or Esther-size saint and it's not always easy to shed burdens from the past. This was a glimpse that took my breath away.
When my emotions calmed down and the tears stopped falling, I looked at the sandra that was typed out in front of me. It did look a little plain and insignificant.
"Okay, God. What should I do to let people know who I am?"
I looked at the poor little sandra and thought of the SANDRA and decided neither one fit. I added a capital S at the beginning and took another look. Yup, that looked pretty good. The S is the first thing people will see, just as I want it to be in my life. The first thing I want people to see about me is the image of God. It's the most important thing about me and the best they will ever know. God is sovereign and I want my capital S to illustrate that truth. (I'm sorry for all you other people who have names that begin with different letters.) ;-) The rest of the letters of my name can remain lower case. God has made a lot of progress in my life, but there is still a lot of work to do. Besides, a capital at the front of a word means that it is a proper noun, the name of a particular person, place or thing. I'm not just particular - some might say peculiar - I'm unique. It isn't always easy being me, but it's who God made me to be and He's teaching me by His grace to accept, enjoy and even revel in that truth. Hallelujah!
I have to confess that I couldn't accept it at first. Then I began to remember all the lessons the Lord has made real to me through Scripture, especially Isaiah 43. It was as if God were telling me, "I made you. You are mine. I love you. You are finite before Me, your infinite holy God and Father, but you are precious to Me. I chose you to be mine before I made any part of the world. I have kept you and will continue to watch over you all the days of your life until I bring you home to live with me for all eternity. I want you to understand that in a very real sense I show Myself through you. As my Daughter and fellow heir with my Son Jesus, you are my ambassador, a living letter to those I bring to you."
I was bowled over! I know that God cannot lie and His Word is true. I drank in what He was showing me with humility and as confirmation. You see, over these last months God has been revealing Himself to me in very personal ways. I've been a believer for almost 40 years. I know and have seen God's loving watchcare over me. The truth is though that it's always easier to pray for others and then praise God for His detailed answers to them. I'm definitely not a Paul- or Esther-size saint and it's not always easy to shed burdens from the past. This was a glimpse that took my breath away.
When my emotions calmed down and the tears stopped falling, I looked at the sandra that was typed out in front of me. It did look a little plain and insignificant.
"Okay, God. What should I do to let people know who I am?"
I looked at the poor little sandra and thought of the SANDRA and decided neither one fit. I added a capital S at the beginning and took another look. Yup, that looked pretty good. The S is the first thing people will see, just as I want it to be in my life. The first thing I want people to see about me is the image of God. It's the most important thing about me and the best they will ever know. God is sovereign and I want my capital S to illustrate that truth. (I'm sorry for all you other people who have names that begin with different letters.) ;-) The rest of the letters of my name can remain lower case. God has made a lot of progress in my life, but there is still a lot of work to do. Besides, a capital at the front of a word means that it is a proper noun, the name of a particular person, place or thing. I'm not just particular - some might say peculiar - I'm unique. It isn't always easy being me, but it's who God made me to be and He's teaching me by His grace to accept, enjoy and even revel in that truth. Hallelujah!
It's not a great event in the history of the world. Most people will never even notice the change. The fact that I've decided to go back to the common spelling of my name on the Subject line of my emails won't make a mosquito blink. Nevertheless, it is undertaken with a deeper understanding of who God is and who I am before Him. The capital S at the front of my name is no longer just a convention of grammar. Every time I type it I will be making a statement before God and man, the seen and the unseen world, of all that I've just expressed. Who would have thought God would grant such a powerful glimpse through the Subject line of an email?
Keep your eyes open! You never know where God will show Himself. Love, Sandra :-)
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #8
The appointment for my second opinion was an exciting event. Curt came with me to make sure I said everything I needed to say and understood everything I was told. Dr. Ouelette listened while I explained the original injury and the following months. I did my best to relay the details of what had taken place with the first orthopedist without denigrating his opinion. It wasn't easy.
Then Dr. O took over with his examination. He poked and prodded both of my legs in a variety of positions. In the final evaluation he took hold of my hands and had me do a deep knee bend on my right leg. While all my weight was on my involved knee he moved left to right in an arc in front of me. I was fully expecting to collapse in pain, but nothing happened. I was amazed!
Then we sat down to talk and Dr. O let me know right away that there wasn’t anything wrong with my meniscus. He pointed out that the original diagnosis was a “bruised meniscus” and stated that he didn’t even know what that was. He’d never heard of it. As Dr. O went through the ideas he had, he suggested we take another set of x-rays so he could check out the bone. The earlier set was not available to us. The office staff was kind and efficient as they undertook this last minute process.
After Dr. O studied the x-rays he pointed out a small dark spot on the top of the lower leg bone, on the inside edge. It corresponded exactly with the area where I kept having topical discomfort. He said that it showed a cyst in that area and suggested that I had bruised the cyst when I fell. Then, as time went on, it would go through phases of healing and re-injury. Hah, who’d ever heard of a cyst on a bone before? I sure hadn’t. However, the diagnosis fit with everything I’d been experiencing. It all made sense and I was elated.
Of course, now I needed to know what, if anything, could be done about it. My first thought was to just go in and take it out surgically. But Dr. O was much more conservative. He talked about the cyst having been there for a long time without pain. He suggested that I continue with the exercises since I was making progress. He felt that giving the area another three months to return to an asymptomatic state was reasonable given the normal healing time for a bone cyst. To tell the truth, he also talked about the whole situation being part of the development of arthritis. I can’t imagine how he could have been off about that one part. I'm sure I'm not old enough to have any arthritic symptoms. ;-)
As Curt and I walked out of the office I couldn’t help but think about the major difference a perspective can make. I’d thought I was a hopeless cripple, but now I had a specific situation to overcome. As a sinner I can view myself as a hopeless cripple, but it is a saint (sinner saved by grace) I have a situation I can overcome. When I sin I can come to God and ask forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 proclaims the truth that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
There was another aspect of this appointment that brought me full-circle. An “expert” told me what was wrong with my knee, but I was the one experiencing the problem. When his explanation didn’t fit the situation and things were not improving, I’d gone further to find a resolution. If I’d settled for the first doctor’s opinion, I would have suffered much longer on many levels. Instead, with the new information I have a clearer understanding. I see a brighter future as I am more able to address the problem. I am thankful!
This brings me back to the early stages of this parable. Numbers of people were happy to tell me that the problem with my knee was God telling me I needed to slow down, but I was the one experiencing the problem. Their explanation didn’t fit the situation and certainly wouldn’t have improved what was happening. I had to go further to find a resolution. If I’d settled for their opinion, I would have missed so much on so many levels. Instead, with fresh awareness of the loving touch of my Heavenly Father I have a clearer understanding of His personal interest in my life. I see an amazing future as I am more able to address not only my involved knee, but the plethora of issues that I face, with the many truths He has been revealing to me. I am monumentally thankful to God for teaching me to love and trust him, to follow Him and watch Him work.
What a loving Father we have:
Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
May you also learn to love and trust, follow and watch with all your heart.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Interruption Glimpse
I've been content lately - not just happy on the surface, content deep down. I suppose there could be any number of reasons for it. After all, the hole in the roof got patched which means the damage to our bedroom ceiling won't get any worse. :-) Then again, maybe that's not the reason because now we have to get a new roof and replace the bedroom ceiling. :-( No matter what positive things happen in my life, there always seem to be a certain amount of negative things to balance them out. Life in this fallen world is like that. This time the Lord showed me the source of my contentment and that's made it all the sweeter and longer-lasting. Hallelujah!
I've been a Christian for a long time, almost 40 years. I've had my share of ups and downs in the spiritual department as well as the various other departments of my life. This "up phase" is centered fully on the Gospel of Jesus Christ - not simply the miracle of His virgin birth; nor the powerful testimony of His life; nor the truth of His substitutionary death, redeeming shed blood, and bodily resurrection; not even His current position as advocate to the Father and future role as judge of the world. These and countless other facts pour from the word of God to flood my brain and sustain my soul. I sit in the presence of my Heavenly Father seeking to know Him better through His reflection in His Son.
John 14:6 tells me that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. The verses that follow help me to understand that by getting to know God the Son, I am also getting to know God the Father. In verse 10 Jesus asks, "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?" He goes on to explain that the words He says are not just his own and that the Father is living in Him and doing His work. Hm. Remember Acts 17:28 tells us that we too "live and move and have our being [in God]." The very next verse reminds us that we are "God's offspring" and confirms the truth of Ephesians 3:6 where we are called heirs with Christ. My mind is racing.
Further on in John 14, at verse 11, Jesus repeats, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me." Two distinct persons yet "in" each other. I can neither fully comprehend nor appreciate the impact of the unity and diversity of the Godhead. Nevertheless, from time to time I am given a glimpse such as this that engages every aspect of my senses. Roof? What roof? I've written a few words, but I cannot begin to articulate the amazing awarenesses that are passing through my brain. I'm so wrapped up in the awesomeness of God that rooves, leaky or otherwise, are not even on my radar screen. Unpaid bills, hurtful comments, heavy responsibilities, unfinished projects, . . . no longer weigh on me. They simply fade into the background as I marvel at the infinite God who loves me.
The next step for me will be to try to figure out how to incorporate these truths into my daily life - to make them part of who I am and share them with others. At the moment, this is only a vague hope built on trust in my Father that He reveals these things to me for a purpose. I'm sure you can see how this process will be another episode of losing myself in His presence. :-) When He allows me to make more sense of them I will share with you here. In the meantime I can't help but feel that these glimpses are tiny tastes of heaven where we will live in God's presence, content for all eternity.
The real purpose of this glimpse though is a conversation I had with a dear friend last week. We were sharing about these times of deep contentment when we are swallowed up in who God is. She was having trouble dealing with some struggles and was wishing that she could live every moment in the serenity of the contentment described above. I encouraged her to remember that we live in a fallen world. I did my best to remind her that Jesus Himself struggled when He lived among us. John 11:35 was the one example I could offer at the time. This verse is known as the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept." I said that Jesus was obviously saddened and upset at the death of Lazarus. Then our conversation got interrupted and we had to say good-bye. My heart wouldn't settle on the topic. I have since done a brief study that I will share with her here. Please feel free to look over my/her shoulder.
My first stop is John 11:35, but I can never read just one verse. Reading through the context I notice that verse 33 says that Jesus was "deeply moved in spirit and troubled." Jesus is faced with the very real consequences of living in a world affected by Genesis 3 sin - death and separation. The Bible says that Jesus was troubled and wept.
In John 13 Jesus is with His disciples at the Passover meal in Jerusalem. He has washed His disciples' feet and encouraged them to do the same for one another. Then Jesus explained that one of the twelve would betray Him. Verse 21 tells us, "Jesus was troubled in spirit."
The word "troubled" isn't used in either the Mark or Luke account of Christ clearing the money changers out of the temple in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, I think it's fair to say that Jesus wasn't peacefully content at that moment. Jesus was affected by and reacting to the sin displayed in the outer courts.
Mark 14:33 tells us that Jesus was "deeply distressed and troubled" as he entered Gethsemane for prayer. Jesus told His disciples, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." As a matter of fact, Jesus was so upset that in verse 36 He called out, "Abba [Daddy], Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me."
Finally, though the word "troubled" isn't used, can there be any doubt about the agony Jesus felt in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 when He called out to His Father from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Thank you, Father, again for the truth and power, grace and peace we find in your Word.
God promises us over and over again that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We never have to face the trials and struggles, hurdles and heartaches of this fallen world alone.
Hebrews 4:15 is full of reassurance for those of us who find ourselves confronted by the difficulties of this life. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin." Jesus was fully God and fully man. Jesus recognized the sin in our fallen world and He was affected by it just as we are - spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, physically. God tells us that Jesus was deeply moved, distressed and troubled at times. Jesus hurt and wept and cried out to His Father. Hallelujah, Jesus understands what we face!
Yet, Jesus was without sin. That means that realizing, feeling and admitting the impact of the sinfulness around us is not sin. Jesus is our perfect, sinless example so expressing our emotions is not sin. Jesus also did something about it whenever He could, in appropriate ways. The difference is that no matter what was happening, no matter how Jesus felt, no matter what His senses were telling Him, no matter what the cost, Jesus continued to love, trust and submit to the will of God His and our Father. The words recorded in Mark 14:36 as the closing words of Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane are "Yet not what I will, but what you will." Jesus' final act on the cross is expressed in Luke 23:46, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
Listen, my Friend. Jesus walked this sinful earth and overcame every temptation. Jesus was perfectly faithful and now sits at God's right hand as our advocate. We are not perfect, but Jesus has made a way for us. Every moment cannot be spent in full contentment in this life. We can look forward to heaven for that joy. In the meantime, let us drink in the encouragement of Hebrews 4:16 and "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace" so that no matter what the trials are, no matter how they affect us, no matter what our senses tell us, God will enable us to continue to love and trust Him as we submit to His will in obedience and bring glory to His Name. Amen Roof? What roof?
I've been a Christian for a long time, almost 40 years. I've had my share of ups and downs in the spiritual department as well as the various other departments of my life. This "up phase" is centered fully on the Gospel of Jesus Christ - not simply the miracle of His virgin birth; nor the powerful testimony of His life; nor the truth of His substitutionary death, redeeming shed blood, and bodily resurrection; not even His current position as advocate to the Father and future role as judge of the world. These and countless other facts pour from the word of God to flood my brain and sustain my soul. I sit in the presence of my Heavenly Father seeking to know Him better through His reflection in His Son.
John 14:6 tells me that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. The verses that follow help me to understand that by getting to know God the Son, I am also getting to know God the Father. In verse 10 Jesus asks, "Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?" He goes on to explain that the words He says are not just his own and that the Father is living in Him and doing His work. Hm. Remember Acts 17:28 tells us that we too "live and move and have our being [in God]." The very next verse reminds us that we are "God's offspring" and confirms the truth of Ephesians 3:6 where we are called heirs with Christ. My mind is racing.
Further on in John 14, at verse 11, Jesus repeats, "I am in the Father and the Father is in me." Two distinct persons yet "in" each other. I can neither fully comprehend nor appreciate the impact of the unity and diversity of the Godhead. Nevertheless, from time to time I am given a glimpse such as this that engages every aspect of my senses. Roof? What roof? I've written a few words, but I cannot begin to articulate the amazing awarenesses that are passing through my brain. I'm so wrapped up in the awesomeness of God that rooves, leaky or otherwise, are not even on my radar screen. Unpaid bills, hurtful comments, heavy responsibilities, unfinished projects, . . . no longer weigh on me. They simply fade into the background as I marvel at the infinite God who loves me.
The next step for me will be to try to figure out how to incorporate these truths into my daily life - to make them part of who I am and share them with others. At the moment, this is only a vague hope built on trust in my Father that He reveals these things to me for a purpose. I'm sure you can see how this process will be another episode of losing myself in His presence. :-) When He allows me to make more sense of them I will share with you here. In the meantime I can't help but feel that these glimpses are tiny tastes of heaven where we will live in God's presence, content for all eternity.
The real purpose of this glimpse though is a conversation I had with a dear friend last week. We were sharing about these times of deep contentment when we are swallowed up in who God is. She was having trouble dealing with some struggles and was wishing that she could live every moment in the serenity of the contentment described above. I encouraged her to remember that we live in a fallen world. I did my best to remind her that Jesus Himself struggled when He lived among us. John 11:35 was the one example I could offer at the time. This verse is known as the shortest verse in the Bible, "Jesus wept." I said that Jesus was obviously saddened and upset at the death of Lazarus. Then our conversation got interrupted and we had to say good-bye. My heart wouldn't settle on the topic. I have since done a brief study that I will share with her here. Please feel free to look over my/her shoulder.
My first stop is John 11:35, but I can never read just one verse. Reading through the context I notice that verse 33 says that Jesus was "deeply moved in spirit and troubled." Jesus is faced with the very real consequences of living in a world affected by Genesis 3 sin - death and separation. The Bible says that Jesus was troubled and wept.
In John 13 Jesus is with His disciples at the Passover meal in Jerusalem. He has washed His disciples' feet and encouraged them to do the same for one another. Then Jesus explained that one of the twelve would betray Him. Verse 21 tells us, "Jesus was troubled in spirit."
The word "troubled" isn't used in either the Mark or Luke account of Christ clearing the money changers out of the temple in Jerusalem. Nevertheless, I think it's fair to say that Jesus wasn't peacefully content at that moment. Jesus was affected by and reacting to the sin displayed in the outer courts.
Mark 14:33 tells us that Jesus was "deeply distressed and troubled" as he entered Gethsemane for prayer. Jesus told His disciples, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death." As a matter of fact, Jesus was so upset that in verse 36 He called out, "Abba [Daddy], Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me."
Finally, though the word "troubled" isn't used, can there be any doubt about the agony Jesus felt in Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 when He called out to His Father from the cross, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
Thank you, Father, again for the truth and power, grace and peace we find in your Word.
God promises us over and over again that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We never have to face the trials and struggles, hurdles and heartaches of this fallen world alone.
Hebrews 4:15 is full of reassurance for those of us who find ourselves confronted by the difficulties of this life. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet was without sin." Jesus was fully God and fully man. Jesus recognized the sin in our fallen world and He was affected by it just as we are - spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, physically. God tells us that Jesus was deeply moved, distressed and troubled at times. Jesus hurt and wept and cried out to His Father. Hallelujah, Jesus understands what we face!
Yet, Jesus was without sin. That means that realizing, feeling and admitting the impact of the sinfulness around us is not sin. Jesus is our perfect, sinless example so expressing our emotions is not sin. Jesus also did something about it whenever He could, in appropriate ways. The difference is that no matter what was happening, no matter how Jesus felt, no matter what His senses were telling Him, no matter what the cost, Jesus continued to love, trust and submit to the will of God His and our Father. The words recorded in Mark 14:36 as the closing words of Jesus' prayer in Gethsemane are "Yet not what I will, but what you will." Jesus' final act on the cross is expressed in Luke 23:46, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."
Listen, my Friend. Jesus walked this sinful earth and overcame every temptation. Jesus was perfectly faithful and now sits at God's right hand as our advocate. We are not perfect, but Jesus has made a way for us. Every moment cannot be spent in full contentment in this life. We can look forward to heaven for that joy. In the meantime, let us drink in the encouragement of Hebrews 4:16 and "approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace" so that no matter what the trials are, no matter how they affect us, no matter what our senses tell us, God will enable us to continue to love and trust Him as we submit to His will in obedience and bring glory to His Name. Amen Roof? What roof?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #7
The first PT (Physical Therapy) appointment was interesting, to say the least. "Jeff" wanted to know how I'd injured my leg and what difficulties I was experiencing. He did an overall evaluation of my knee, including looking at the MRI films. Then we started the exercises.
To say that it was tough is an understatement. It didn't take me long to figure out that the hardest part of starting PT wasn't doing leg lifts or riding a stationery bicycle. The highest hurdle was relaxing the inhibitors in my brain to allow my bad leg to move.
Oops, Jeff says I'm not supposed to say my "bad" leg. I'm supposed to say my "involved" leg. :-)
Actually, when I arrived for this first PT appointment my upper back was so tight that I was having trouble moving at all. I mentioned it to Jeff and asked if he might be able to give me some pointers about my back at the end of the session. He was non-commital and concentrated on my involved leg :-) for the entire session. Nevertheless, I discovered that as I relaxed my brain and thereby my leg, it didn't take me long to realize that my entire body was relaxing. Evidently as I focused on building up the muscles around my involved knee, the nervous energy or whatever it was that was affecting my back was being drained away. At least whatever was causing the pain in my back was no longer being fed. By the time our hour was over I felt as if I'd been given a whole new body. The tiny seed of hope was beginning to sprout!
Of course nothing in this life worth having comes easily. It was no surprise that Jeff told me I needed to do the various types of exercises throughout the week at home. He told me I needed to be consistent - twice a day, ten times each, leg lifts with ankle weights, the "Jane Fonda" move, leaning back against a ball, etc. It was a lot. I received the instructions with joy and contemplated meeting the goal Jeff set for me with relish. I was absolutely certain that if I just followed his directions I'd be back on my feet in no time.
As a matter of fact after only two days I felt progress. I was able to walk straight and strong and the pain in my back had not returned. I guess my whole body had been reacting to the crooked way I was walking. I was no longer walking in fear and despair. The results were enough to keep my dedication strong. My first return PT visit was an uplifting event. I felt that things were moving along and Jeff complimented me for my faithfulness to the exercise regimen. I hadn't missed a single time. I figured a day would come when I would slide, but for now the rewards came fast and the compliments flowed freely so I kept up the routine.
At various times as I went through my workout, I would laugh at myself and speak to the Lord. Okay, Father, having an injured knee can't really be a slowing down technique. All we've done is add a twice-a-day exercise schedule to my life. I guess the discipline you built into me over the past year with serious weekly deadlines wasn't enough. I thought we made plenty of progress through that writing assignment, but this slow student must need more discipline. Please release me when I've got enough. ;-)
After a few weeks though I hit a wall. No, not a literal, physical wall. I just got to a point where I felt I couldn't go on. I was still being plagued by topical sensitivity and the painful discomfort continued sporadically. There was no rhyme or reason to when it would incapacitate me. Even though I'd been faithful to follow all of Jeff's directions, I wasn't seeing the kind of results I'd expected. During one of my PT sessions I poured out my discouragement to Jeff and could barely hold back the tears. As we moved around the various equipment he did his best to encourage me. The floor exercises were coming along, but I was still using only four pound weights. The time on the stationery bike felt good, but I'd had to give up using the exercise ball. I confessed that my commitment to the exercises was waning, caused mostly by the lack of ongoing improvement.
It was during this interchange that I realized that I'd placed all of my hope for recovery in the program Jeff had laid out for me. I'd figured that if I was perfectly faithful to his directions I would see steady, consistent improvement. That simply wasn't happening. The lack of obvious improvement was deflating my commitment. Faced with the realities of my situation, I had to admit that I'd built my trust on the wrong foundation. It was possible that I could follow Jeff's exercise regimen the rest of my life and never see sufficient improvement. It was a dramatic wake-up call for me.
As Jeff and I reconsidered the situation with my involved leg, neither of us were satisfied with what was happening. He gently suggested that it might be a good idea if I got a second opinion on what was going on with my knee. What we'd been doing, while it had provided some improvement, wasn't accomplishing what we'd hoped. There were still too many symptoms remaining to settle for the knowledge we had up to this point. It was definitely time to seek further assistance. I said yes to getting a second opinion and before I left the building Jeff had arranged an orthopedic appointment for three weeks hence.
Suddenly a whole new world of possibilities opened up to me. Maybe this new doctor would find something specific that he could repair quickly. After all, I'm an American. Don't I have a right to a speedy resolution to any problem? All the shows on TV tie everything up nice and neatly in 60 minutes, unless it's a TV movie and then it might take a little longer. Seriously, a new level of hope did spring up in the light of this new direction. I was looking once again for the light at the end of the tunnel, the sun coming up over the horizon.
The PT program provided by the therapist, although it brought some relief, was an inadequate foundation for my entire prognosis. The Lord had used the PT to show me that I needed more discipline in my life. Thank you, Lord. Now it was time to find out what else He had for me. I began to wonder in how many other situations I had trusted solely in the human dynamic and set aside the spiritual reality. Thank you, Lord, for showing me that I need to build my trust on the proper foundation. I turned to the Lord in my new awareness and asked Him to help me trust Him in every aspect of my life. I asked Him to help me trust Him first and foremost and not just in the spiritual realm.
More importantly, I had again reached the end of myself. I was doing everything I could think of to bring about or at least assist in my own healing, but to no avail. I called out with Jehoshaphat in 2 Chroncles 20:12, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." Thank you, Lord, for showing me that You are the one I need to watch for and follow. The Lord came in and showed me His power and might - but that's for the next installment of this parable.
To say that it was tough is an understatement. It didn't take me long to figure out that the hardest part of starting PT wasn't doing leg lifts or riding a stationery bicycle. The highest hurdle was relaxing the inhibitors in my brain to allow my bad leg to move.
Oops, Jeff says I'm not supposed to say my "bad" leg. I'm supposed to say my "involved" leg. :-)
Actually, when I arrived for this first PT appointment my upper back was so tight that I was having trouble moving at all. I mentioned it to Jeff and asked if he might be able to give me some pointers about my back at the end of the session. He was non-commital and concentrated on my involved leg :-) for the entire session. Nevertheless, I discovered that as I relaxed my brain and thereby my leg, it didn't take me long to realize that my entire body was relaxing. Evidently as I focused on building up the muscles around my involved knee, the nervous energy or whatever it was that was affecting my back was being drained away. At least whatever was causing the pain in my back was no longer being fed. By the time our hour was over I felt as if I'd been given a whole new body. The tiny seed of hope was beginning to sprout!
Of course nothing in this life worth having comes easily. It was no surprise that Jeff told me I needed to do the various types of exercises throughout the week at home. He told me I needed to be consistent - twice a day, ten times each, leg lifts with ankle weights, the "Jane Fonda" move, leaning back against a ball, etc. It was a lot. I received the instructions with joy and contemplated meeting the goal Jeff set for me with relish. I was absolutely certain that if I just followed his directions I'd be back on my feet in no time.
As a matter of fact after only two days I felt progress. I was able to walk straight and strong and the pain in my back had not returned. I guess my whole body had been reacting to the crooked way I was walking. I was no longer walking in fear and despair. The results were enough to keep my dedication strong. My first return PT visit was an uplifting event. I felt that things were moving along and Jeff complimented me for my faithfulness to the exercise regimen. I hadn't missed a single time. I figured a day would come when I would slide, but for now the rewards came fast and the compliments flowed freely so I kept up the routine.
At various times as I went through my workout, I would laugh at myself and speak to the Lord. Okay, Father, having an injured knee can't really be a slowing down technique. All we've done is add a twice-a-day exercise schedule to my life. I guess the discipline you built into me over the past year with serious weekly deadlines wasn't enough. I thought we made plenty of progress through that writing assignment, but this slow student must need more discipline. Please release me when I've got enough. ;-)
After a few weeks though I hit a wall. No, not a literal, physical wall. I just got to a point where I felt I couldn't go on. I was still being plagued by topical sensitivity and the painful discomfort continued sporadically. There was no rhyme or reason to when it would incapacitate me. Even though I'd been faithful to follow all of Jeff's directions, I wasn't seeing the kind of results I'd expected. During one of my PT sessions I poured out my discouragement to Jeff and could barely hold back the tears. As we moved around the various equipment he did his best to encourage me. The floor exercises were coming along, but I was still using only four pound weights. The time on the stationery bike felt good, but I'd had to give up using the exercise ball. I confessed that my commitment to the exercises was waning, caused mostly by the lack of ongoing improvement.
It was during this interchange that I realized that I'd placed all of my hope for recovery in the program Jeff had laid out for me. I'd figured that if I was perfectly faithful to his directions I would see steady, consistent improvement. That simply wasn't happening. The lack of obvious improvement was deflating my commitment. Faced with the realities of my situation, I had to admit that I'd built my trust on the wrong foundation. It was possible that I could follow Jeff's exercise regimen the rest of my life and never see sufficient improvement. It was a dramatic wake-up call for me.
As Jeff and I reconsidered the situation with my involved leg, neither of us were satisfied with what was happening. He gently suggested that it might be a good idea if I got a second opinion on what was going on with my knee. What we'd been doing, while it had provided some improvement, wasn't accomplishing what we'd hoped. There were still too many symptoms remaining to settle for the knowledge we had up to this point. It was definitely time to seek further assistance. I said yes to getting a second opinion and before I left the building Jeff had arranged an orthopedic appointment for three weeks hence.
Suddenly a whole new world of possibilities opened up to me. Maybe this new doctor would find something specific that he could repair quickly. After all, I'm an American. Don't I have a right to a speedy resolution to any problem? All the shows on TV tie everything up nice and neatly in 60 minutes, unless it's a TV movie and then it might take a little longer. Seriously, a new level of hope did spring up in the light of this new direction. I was looking once again for the light at the end of the tunnel, the sun coming up over the horizon.
The PT program provided by the therapist, although it brought some relief, was an inadequate foundation for my entire prognosis. The Lord had used the PT to show me that I needed more discipline in my life. Thank you, Lord. Now it was time to find out what else He had for me. I began to wonder in how many other situations I had trusted solely in the human dynamic and set aside the spiritual reality. Thank you, Lord, for showing me that I need to build my trust on the proper foundation. I turned to the Lord in my new awareness and asked Him to help me trust Him in every aspect of my life. I asked Him to help me trust Him first and foremost and not just in the spiritual realm.
More importantly, I had again reached the end of myself. I was doing everything I could think of to bring about or at least assist in my own healing, but to no avail. I called out with Jehoshaphat in 2 Chroncles 20:12, "We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." Thank you, Lord, for showing me that You are the one I need to watch for and follow. The Lord came in and showed me His power and might - but that's for the next installment of this parable.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Interruption Glimpse
It's a little late to be writing an in-depth piece like the one I feel rising up inside me. I'm sitting before the Lord in awe and praise for all He's been doing in my life. I know I'm not capable of articulating it all yet because I don't have a clear picture myself, but I have to take a stab at it while it's still fresh.
It's been a bear of a week. In a way that's expected since I'm preparing for a special event this coming weekend. I'm the point person for our Ladies Retreat, the major event in our annual calendar. The Lord has been laying out some really wonderful things. It's clear that He has a lot He wants to bring to us during this gathering. So, it's no surprise that the annoyer is causing trouble. The truth is that many of my attitudes and actions have not been "particularly pretty." (Those in the know will read that "downright sinful".) The amazing part is that God reached down and enveloped me in His tender hands even though I am so ugly. In spite of the corruption in my life, my Father saw the righteousness of His Holy Son and acted gently toward me out of His perfect love.
At last night's Ladies Bible Study we talked about the beauty of our God - how the unity of the Godhead and the diversity of the Trinity are reflected in His body as He builds it in the midst of this fallen world. We were looking at the 1 Corinthians 12 passage about the oneness of the body and the diversity of its parts. It was marvelous to reflect on the perfect example of interdependence that we see in the persons of our Triune God. The discussion was about Biblical friendships, but as we looked into Scripture on that topic we came to a fuller understanding of the awesomeness of our great Creator. Hallelujah!
I now understand that part of my problem this week was that I couldn't see where I was going. For some reason I wasn't able to develop images for the week or the retreat at the end. This is a major handicap for a visual learner like myself. I didn't realize what was going on at the time. I merely felt as if I were inside a paper bag. Of course, my reaction was to try to fight my way out - Silly Girl!
It was as if I were sitting on the deck on an early fall morning when the mist is still on the lake. The air is so full of moisture that I'm not able to see the scenery on the opposite shore. I've come to accept and even enjoy the early morning mists on Loon Pond, but having my vision veiled as it was earlier this week with so much that had to get done brought me to near panic. I ran in circles bringing myself and my dear, patient husband to near collapse. Thankfully God rescued me. He brought me to the end of myself and to the beginning of Himself.
What I needed to do was to wait for His intervention to move me forward. I needed to consider what the Lord had for me in the time of uncertainty. I needed to take my eyes off myself and put them back on Him. When the time was right He gave me the images I needed to step up the pace and finish the retreat preparations. Today was a calm day filled with enjoyable tying up of projects that I wouldn't have thought possible given the timetable.
Thank you, Father! I haven't messed up this badly in a while. Thank you for your forgiveness so rich and free. Please remind me to come to you right away the next time I sense the veil.
Once again the Lord has given me a glimpse into His goal for my life - to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever - and how to reach it. As I rest/remain in His presence as described in John 15, the trials of this life fade away into the background. As I contemplate His true character, the cares of this world are swallowed up in praise. As I seek His face, the desire to walk in obedience becomes overwhelming and the directions are clear.
Acts 17:27,28a explains, "God did this [carried out His sovereign plan] so that men [Sandra] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being."
It's been a bear of a week. In a way that's expected since I'm preparing for a special event this coming weekend. I'm the point person for our Ladies Retreat, the major event in our annual calendar. The Lord has been laying out some really wonderful things. It's clear that He has a lot He wants to bring to us during this gathering. So, it's no surprise that the annoyer is causing trouble. The truth is that many of my attitudes and actions have not been "particularly pretty." (Those in the know will read that "downright sinful".) The amazing part is that God reached down and enveloped me in His tender hands even though I am so ugly. In spite of the corruption in my life, my Father saw the righteousness of His Holy Son and acted gently toward me out of His perfect love.
At last night's Ladies Bible Study we talked about the beauty of our God - how the unity of the Godhead and the diversity of the Trinity are reflected in His body as He builds it in the midst of this fallen world. We were looking at the 1 Corinthians 12 passage about the oneness of the body and the diversity of its parts. It was marvelous to reflect on the perfect example of interdependence that we see in the persons of our Triune God. The discussion was about Biblical friendships, but as we looked into Scripture on that topic we came to a fuller understanding of the awesomeness of our great Creator. Hallelujah!
I now understand that part of my problem this week was that I couldn't see where I was going. For some reason I wasn't able to develop images for the week or the retreat at the end. This is a major handicap for a visual learner like myself. I didn't realize what was going on at the time. I merely felt as if I were inside a paper bag. Of course, my reaction was to try to fight my way out - Silly Girl!
It was as if I were sitting on the deck on an early fall morning when the mist is still on the lake. The air is so full of moisture that I'm not able to see the scenery on the opposite shore. I've come to accept and even enjoy the early morning mists on Loon Pond, but having my vision veiled as it was earlier this week with so much that had to get done brought me to near panic. I ran in circles bringing myself and my dear, patient husband to near collapse. Thankfully God rescued me. He brought me to the end of myself and to the beginning of Himself.
What I needed to do was to wait for His intervention to move me forward. I needed to consider what the Lord had for me in the time of uncertainty. I needed to take my eyes off myself and put them back on Him. When the time was right He gave me the images I needed to step up the pace and finish the retreat preparations. Today was a calm day filled with enjoyable tying up of projects that I wouldn't have thought possible given the timetable.
Thank you, Father! I haven't messed up this badly in a while. Thank you for your forgiveness so rich and free. Please remind me to come to you right away the next time I sense the veil.
Once again the Lord has given me a glimpse into His goal for my life - to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever - and how to reach it. As I rest/remain in His presence as described in John 15, the trials of this life fade away into the background. As I contemplate His true character, the cares of this world are swallowed up in praise. As I seek His face, the desire to walk in obedience becomes overwhelming and the directions are clear.
Acts 17:27,28a explains, "God did this [carried out His sovereign plan] so that men [Sandra] would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being."
Monday, October 8, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #6
Okay, so I missed a week. I was out of town for most of last week and missed my regular blog writing time. That’s okay, this entry is an important one so let’s get back to the saga.
I chose to use my cane regularly in order to speed along my adjustment to my new, more limited lifestyle. I wasn’t ready to use the electric chair at church, but I knew that could be coming soon. While not fully embracing what looked to me like a boring future, I felt I’d come a long way toward living with my permanent disability. At least that’s what I thought until I met Dr. Christine Sullivan, the new GP I found when I was searching for an orthopedist.
I made an appointment to meet Dr. Sullivan and discuss my coming under her care. She was gracious and professional which put me at ease and gave me confidence. She was pleasantly surprised that the only medication that I took regularly was a multi-vitamin. I was pleasantly surprised that she only worked three days a week in order to leave time for her family. My knee injury was the only dissonant point in our interview. Imagine my surprise, when after listening carefully to the details, she asked if I might be interested in receiving some physical therapy. The orthopedic specialist had never even hinted at the idea which had contributed to my feelings of hopelessness.
I’m sure my eyes lit up. Those of you who know me are aware that everything I’m feeling shows on my face. Here was a medical professional suggesting that my condition could be improved. Wow! The possibility shot through my nervous system like a jolt from a taser gun. Nobody was handing me a magic pill or waving a wand over my leg, but just the idea that maybe the picture wasn’t as dark as Dr. M had made it sound was enough to kindle a spark of hope. Of course, my response was a resounding, “Yes.”
I fairly skipped out of the examining room as I made my way to the departure area, if it’s possible to do that with a cane and a hurting knee. Okay, so maybe it was more my imagination than reality. At least my heart was lightly skipping as I made my first PT appointment for the following week. I headed home with a whole new set of thoughts and prayers. Maybe God wasn’t finished with me yet. Maybe the rotten meniscus wasn’t the end of my life as I knew it. Maybe there was a way that my life of service to my King could be redeemed, at least some of it.
My ride home was the total opposite of my ride to the medical center. The future that I’d refused to contemplate came rushing back into my mind. Sure there would be hard times. Everybody knows physical therapy can be really demanding. But for the first time in weeks I had been given a tiny inkling of a suggestion that my life wasn’t completely shut down. With a tiny touch of hope the whole world had opened up for me. Hm, how did that match my spiritual life?
God gently reminded me of the lessons He’d taught me earlier about hope. First, I’ve come to recognize that when I get to the end of my rope a feeling of hopelessness washes over me. “What’s the point?” is often the phrase that comes to mind. When that happens, the Holy Spirit gently reminds me that I am never without hope because Christ, the source of hope, lives in me. Colossians 1:27 I’ve come to understand that when the Holy Spirit "taps on my shoulder", I need to pay close attention. His intervention is enough to turn my thoughts 180 degrees in the right direction.
- I was reminded that the rotten meniscus couldn’t regenerate itself, but that my rotten soul had already been regenerated by Christ Himself. Ephesians 1:7,8
- No matter what my physical condition might be now or in the future, God has clothed me with the righteousness of His Son and has prepared tasks for me to accomplish. Ephesians 2:10
- Regardless of circumstances or feelings or diagnoses, God has a hold of me and will not let me go. Romans 8:38
- The hope that God has given and is developing in my life does not disappoint. Romans 5:1-8
- The truth is that God has a plan for my life with expectations I cannot fathom, but I choose to embrace with all my heart. Jeremiah 29:11 and Romans 8:28-30
May the Hope of all creation bless you as you rest in Him.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #5
The best and most exciting part of this point of the saga is that the diagnosis came within one week from finally getting an appointment. God had moved in miraculous ways through the medical community to bring me to this position. I was elated. Curt came with me as we went to hear the verdict about this annoying health problem. I'd put it off for a long time. Then when I knew I needed help it took some time for me to find the way. Now I was on the verge of getting the information I needed to take the steps to get my knee back to the way it was before the injury.
Dr. M came into the room and greeted us. He took the MRI films and put them on the light box. We were not surprised by the usual hemming and hawing we heard as he considered the images in detail. The good news came first, "Well, you have good strong bones. Just a little bit of wear that's normal for your age." (I wasn't exactly sure what that meant.) Still no surprises there. He looked a bit longer then flopped down onto his stool with a sigh. He blurted out the bad news, "This is the worst possible scenario." I was shocked as I stammered, "What do you mean?"
"See these little dark patches here? They show that your meniscus, the little pad on the inside of your knee that sits between the lower and upper leg bones, is completely deteriorated at the center." Again I stammered, "Isn't there anything we can do about it?" "No, if it were torn or something I could operate and repair it. I can't do anything with this. The center of the meniscus has no blood vessels. It can't heal itself and I can't fix it." The absolute finality in his voice was obvious, but I'm no quitter.
"There must be something we can do," I pleaded.
"No, not really. There isn't anything anybody can do," Dr. M reiterated.
It appeared that my life as I knew it was ending. I wasn't about to just walk out the door and settle for this "worst possible scenario" without a fight. "Would it help if I exercise?" I needed to know if there was anything I might be able to contribute that would improve my situation. Dr. M wasn't about to be baited into any type of real hope. He made a tentative offering, "Well, I suppose you could strengthen the surrounding area somewhat. Just take a sock and put a couple of soup cans in it. Hang it over your ankle and use it like lifting weights."
I really wanted some details, "Do you have any kind of information I could read or directions I could follow?" He took a couple of minutes to shuffle through folders on the counter. He handed me a sheet with drawings on it with a face full of hopelessness. It seemed that he was already preparing to meet his next patient. I still wasn't grasping the full impact of what he'd told me.
"What does this mean about my future?" I needed to know what the medical establishment was giving me for a lifestyle. He was happy to share his prognosis, "Oh, you'll be able to get around and when it finally tears or shatters you can come back and I'll repair it for you." My life as I'd known it passed before my eyes. It felt the way people who've had near-death experiences express it. I followed Curt out past the receptionist and to the car. I'm not sure I even said good-bye to anybody. I think I held my breath for about a mile down the road. I was having trouble processing what just took place.
First, I tried to get a hold of the dramatic turn of events and my reaction to it. I'd gone into the appointment figuring surgery of some type would be recommended. I would not be happy about the pain and recovery time, but it would be worth it to correct the problem. That hadn't happened at all. I'd been released from the need to set aside a hospital date, change my schedule for the recuperation period and actually go through the pain and discomfort. That was a good thing, right? So why was I so disturbed? What a fickle people we humans are.
My next round of thoughts followed this path: Okay, my meniscus is rotten at the core and there isn't anything I can do about it. It can't heal itself because it doesn't have the potential to do so. This one little part of me has massive influence on my entire life.
I was left with no hope for my future, either short or long term. I began crossing things off my list: enjoying days off with my husband, skiing with my grandchildren, walking with a friend, working in my yard, sightseeing, etc., etc., etc. It began to feel as if I had no real life left and there wasn't anything I could do about it. Hopelessness overwhelmed me. I thank God that He never leaves me in that place!
I turned my situation over in my mind. Fresh insights began to flow into me. Many of the aspects of the diagnosis took on fresh meaning. The meniscus was rotten at the core, just as my soul had been dead in sin. My meniscus was not able to restore itself, just as I was not able to heal myself from my sinful position before a holy God. There wasn't anything I could do to even contribute to my healing, just as my redemption from sin was solely up to God. Dr. M couldn't do anything to help me, just as Mankind couldn't do anything to heal my relationship with my Father. The problem I had with one little part of my body was affecting my entire life, just as the one "little" problem of sin had kept me from the abundant life. Though the Lord didn't give me relief immediately, He began to use the loss and discouragement to teach me.
A smile did not come over my face, but I was thankful to come before my Savior and Lord - to thank Him for His healing blood that cleansed me from all unrighteousness, to sit in His presence in this newly recognized "laboratory" where He wanted to teach me about Himself and His love for me, and so much more. The circumstances did not evaporate, but the knowledge that I was and am the chosen child of the loving, triune God was more than enough to keep me. And oh, the glorious things the Master has and is showing me in this ongoing parable.
The report doesn't end here. I admit that I spent a fair amount of time in the Pit of Despair. Being a regular human being who lives in a fallen world there were plenty of reminders of what I'd lost and how dear it was to me. My own powerlessness would sweep over me from time to time as well. There were days when the spiritual battle was biting and bitter. I can't tell you that I've been the bravest or most skilled member of God's army through it all. I can tell you that there are many twists and turns yet to share with you. I can also tell you that God has never waivered. His faithfulness has carried me along day-by-day, step-by-step, and moment-by-moment. Maybe I should have titled this the Love Story of the Knee. :-)
Okay, I'll give you a hint about the upcoming Glimpses. Curt and I have bought passes for the upcoming ski season. I've also purchased a lovely lady's cane. I trust those two pieces will keep you coming back to discover more of what the Lord is revealing to me through this Parable of the Knee. No, slowing down was definitely not the lesson God had for me. It is so much richer!
Dr. M came into the room and greeted us. He took the MRI films and put them on the light box. We were not surprised by the usual hemming and hawing we heard as he considered the images in detail. The good news came first, "Well, you have good strong bones. Just a little bit of wear that's normal for your age." (I wasn't exactly sure what that meant.) Still no surprises there. He looked a bit longer then flopped down onto his stool with a sigh. He blurted out the bad news, "This is the worst possible scenario." I was shocked as I stammered, "What do you mean?"
"See these little dark patches here? They show that your meniscus, the little pad on the inside of your knee that sits between the lower and upper leg bones, is completely deteriorated at the center." Again I stammered, "Isn't there anything we can do about it?" "No, if it were torn or something I could operate and repair it. I can't do anything with this. The center of the meniscus has no blood vessels. It can't heal itself and I can't fix it." The absolute finality in his voice was obvious, but I'm no quitter.
"There must be something we can do," I pleaded.
"No, not really. There isn't anything anybody can do," Dr. M reiterated.
It appeared that my life as I knew it was ending. I wasn't about to just walk out the door and settle for this "worst possible scenario" without a fight. "Would it help if I exercise?" I needed to know if there was anything I might be able to contribute that would improve my situation. Dr. M wasn't about to be baited into any type of real hope. He made a tentative offering, "Well, I suppose you could strengthen the surrounding area somewhat. Just take a sock and put a couple of soup cans in it. Hang it over your ankle and use it like lifting weights."
I really wanted some details, "Do you have any kind of information I could read or directions I could follow?" He took a couple of minutes to shuffle through folders on the counter. He handed me a sheet with drawings on it with a face full of hopelessness. It seemed that he was already preparing to meet his next patient. I still wasn't grasping the full impact of what he'd told me.
"What does this mean about my future?" I needed to know what the medical establishment was giving me for a lifestyle. He was happy to share his prognosis, "Oh, you'll be able to get around and when it finally tears or shatters you can come back and I'll repair it for you." My life as I'd known it passed before my eyes. It felt the way people who've had near-death experiences express it. I followed Curt out past the receptionist and to the car. I'm not sure I even said good-bye to anybody. I think I held my breath for about a mile down the road. I was having trouble processing what just took place.
First, I tried to get a hold of the dramatic turn of events and my reaction to it. I'd gone into the appointment figuring surgery of some type would be recommended. I would not be happy about the pain and recovery time, but it would be worth it to correct the problem. That hadn't happened at all. I'd been released from the need to set aside a hospital date, change my schedule for the recuperation period and actually go through the pain and discomfort. That was a good thing, right? So why was I so disturbed? What a fickle people we humans are.
My next round of thoughts followed this path: Okay, my meniscus is rotten at the core and there isn't anything I can do about it. It can't heal itself because it doesn't have the potential to do so. This one little part of me has massive influence on my entire life.
I was left with no hope for my future, either short or long term. I began crossing things off my list: enjoying days off with my husband, skiing with my grandchildren, walking with a friend, working in my yard, sightseeing, etc., etc., etc. It began to feel as if I had no real life left and there wasn't anything I could do about it. Hopelessness overwhelmed me. I thank God that He never leaves me in that place!
I turned my situation over in my mind. Fresh insights began to flow into me. Many of the aspects of the diagnosis took on fresh meaning. The meniscus was rotten at the core, just as my soul had been dead in sin. My meniscus was not able to restore itself, just as I was not able to heal myself from my sinful position before a holy God. There wasn't anything I could do to even contribute to my healing, just as my redemption from sin was solely up to God. Dr. M couldn't do anything to help me, just as Mankind couldn't do anything to heal my relationship with my Father. The problem I had with one little part of my body was affecting my entire life, just as the one "little" problem of sin had kept me from the abundant life. Though the Lord didn't give me relief immediately, He began to use the loss and discouragement to teach me.
A smile did not come over my face, but I was thankful to come before my Savior and Lord - to thank Him for His healing blood that cleansed me from all unrighteousness, to sit in His presence in this newly recognized "laboratory" where He wanted to teach me about Himself and His love for me, and so much more. The circumstances did not evaporate, but the knowledge that I was and am the chosen child of the loving, triune God was more than enough to keep me. And oh, the glorious things the Master has and is showing me in this ongoing parable.
The report doesn't end here. I admit that I spent a fair amount of time in the Pit of Despair. Being a regular human being who lives in a fallen world there were plenty of reminders of what I'd lost and how dear it was to me. My own powerlessness would sweep over me from time to time as well. There were days when the spiritual battle was biting and bitter. I can't tell you that I've been the bravest or most skilled member of God's army through it all. I can tell you that there are many twists and turns yet to share with you. I can also tell you that God has never waivered. His faithfulness has carried me along day-by-day, step-by-step, and moment-by-moment. Maybe I should have titled this the Love Story of the Knee. :-)
Okay, I'll give you a hint about the upcoming Glimpses. Curt and I have bought passes for the upcoming ski season. I've also purchased a lovely lady's cane. I trust those two pieces will keep you coming back to discover more of what the Lord is revealing to me through this Parable of the Knee. No, slowing down was definitely not the lesson God had for me. It is so much richer!
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Interruption Glimpse
I'm doing my best to be faithful to the Parable of the Knee saga. It was and is an amazing journey learning about the Lord in this particular health issue. The problem is that God is not limited to only one area of my life, nor is He limited in time or space. That means that while I'm trying to relate the glimpses He's giving me of who He is and how He works in the lives of His people from my knee experience, God continues to open other areas of my life and offer me glimpses into His loving presence and wonderful ways.
I've been thinking about using the term Interruption Glimpse for these little asides that appear to be cropping up. In one way I don't like it because it implies a disruption of the normal flow of things. That has a negative aspect to it that I'd like to avoid. On the other hand, when God shows Himself in a powerful way it certainly is an interruption to the daily routine. When the angel came to tell Mary that she was going to have a baby, it could easily have been seen as an interruption in her day. My paperback dictionary says that "to interrupt" means "to break in upon an action."
Well, I want God to break in upon the actions I witness in this fallen world. I praise and thank Him for the times He shows Himself in such a way that it stands out in mighty contrast to the confusion and insanity that goes on around me. Every tiny peek He brings to my attention catches me up and reminds me that He is there and this is not all there is. Hallelujah!
Oh, how I long for the day when I will be able to set my eyes on the Lord to such a degree that the things of this life would become the interruptions. I want to be so close to my Father that it is His perspective that I see as I make my way through my days.
Back to the Glimpse:
Last night at Ladies Bible study we were treated to a visual representation of the call God places on our lives and a glimpse of the way He uses us. It wasn't a complicated process yet I'm not sure any of us who were there were able to grasp the full extent of what He showed us.
First the main business of the meeting was completed; offering the welcome, making some announcements, passing out the books, and reviewing the guidelines. Then a brief outline of the truths found in Matthew 5:14-16 was given. When the speaker turned out the lights, the ladies began to wonder, but when the candle in the center of the table was blown out they were on high alert. What was going on?
The speaker pointed out that the late-September night that invaded the room was a good example of the darkness of the world in which those outside of Christ must live. Without God there is no true light. As everyone's eyes adjusted to the dark it was noted that there was a bit of light shining in one corner. The speaker had carefully set a light source in an adjoining room with a small window in its door. The source of the light was out of sight though so none of the ladies could figure out any of the details about it - where it was exactly, what type of light it was, what it looked like, etc. The ladies were thankful that the room wasn't pitch black, but they were encouraged to stay in their seats because the light was insufficient to allow them to move around safely. This scenario was a good example of a question that is often asked, "How do people without the Lord make their way in this world?"
The speaker then went over and opened the door to the adjoining room. The light was more obvious at this point and the ladies were able to make some observations. They decided that the source couldn't have a shade on it because its rays were quite glaring. They could tell it was set in the corner because they still couldn't see it directly. But they were still unable to figure out the rest of the details about where it was exactly, what type of light it was, what it looked like, etc. The ladies were able to relax a bit with the increased light. They could make out the general layout of the room and the people in it. However, it was still too dark to move around easily or even clearly see each other's faces. It was certainly too dark to be able to read or do any detail work. This setting was a good example of so many people's lives who stumble around in the darkness. They have some sense of what's out there, but cannot make their way because they can't make out the details.
Finally, the speaker took a mirror and held it in such a way that the rays from the light source were directed at the ladies gathered at the table. Though it took their eyes a minute to adjust to so much light in the darkness, they were finally able to describe its source. The small wrought iron electric lamp was sitting on a child-size blue chair. It had a regular shaped bulb but no lampshade. They could not see the lamp directly, but were able to discern these truths because of the reflection provided by the mirror. The mirror also provided sufficient light for the ladies to clearly see each other's faces. Those who were in the direct line of the reflection could easily have gotten up and moved safely toward the speaker who held the mirror. Oh, what a wonderful example of the way God reveals Himself to us and the power and confidence we have to share Him with others.
The Scriptures are filled with references to God being the source of light, among them 1 John 1:5. As Creator, God spoke and the heavenly lights came into being, Genesis 1:3. Psalm 27:1 tells us, "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?" Jesus, His one and only Son, declares in John 8:12, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
God made Man in His image, therefore we are able to reflect His image of light. As long as we remain in our sin that imageness is tarnished and the reflection is fatally flawed. When we come to God in humility, asking forgiveness, He applies the blood of His Son to clear our debt. God clothes us in the breastplate of the righteousness of Christ, a reflecting surface . Just as the mirror in the demonstration was able to bring details of the source of light to the ladies in the adjoining room, so those clothed in Christ's righteouenss are able to bring details of who God is and how He cares for His people to those living in darkness. As we bask in His presence we are more able to reflect the true Light of life.
Let me quickly add a couple of observations here about the mirror in this demonstration.
I'm sure as you ponder the various aspects of this demonstration the Holy Spirit will show you a number of other truths represented here. Feel free to share them with me for my edification and/or the edification of others.
I've been thinking about using the term Interruption Glimpse for these little asides that appear to be cropping up. In one way I don't like it because it implies a disruption of the normal flow of things. That has a negative aspect to it that I'd like to avoid. On the other hand, when God shows Himself in a powerful way it certainly is an interruption to the daily routine. When the angel came to tell Mary that she was going to have a baby, it could easily have been seen as an interruption in her day. My paperback dictionary says that "to interrupt" means "to break in upon an action."
Well, I want God to break in upon the actions I witness in this fallen world. I praise and thank Him for the times He shows Himself in such a way that it stands out in mighty contrast to the confusion and insanity that goes on around me. Every tiny peek He brings to my attention catches me up and reminds me that He is there and this is not all there is. Hallelujah!
Oh, how I long for the day when I will be able to set my eyes on the Lord to such a degree that the things of this life would become the interruptions. I want to be so close to my Father that it is His perspective that I see as I make my way through my days.
Back to the Glimpse:
Last night at Ladies Bible study we were treated to a visual representation of the call God places on our lives and a glimpse of the way He uses us. It wasn't a complicated process yet I'm not sure any of us who were there were able to grasp the full extent of what He showed us.
First the main business of the meeting was completed; offering the welcome, making some announcements, passing out the books, and reviewing the guidelines. Then a brief outline of the truths found in Matthew 5:14-16 was given. When the speaker turned out the lights, the ladies began to wonder, but when the candle in the center of the table was blown out they were on high alert. What was going on?
The speaker pointed out that the late-September night that invaded the room was a good example of the darkness of the world in which those outside of Christ must live. Without God there is no true light. As everyone's eyes adjusted to the dark it was noted that there was a bit of light shining in one corner. The speaker had carefully set a light source in an adjoining room with a small window in its door. The source of the light was out of sight though so none of the ladies could figure out any of the details about it - where it was exactly, what type of light it was, what it looked like, etc. The ladies were thankful that the room wasn't pitch black, but they were encouraged to stay in their seats because the light was insufficient to allow them to move around safely. This scenario was a good example of a question that is often asked, "How do people without the Lord make their way in this world?"
The speaker then went over and opened the door to the adjoining room. The light was more obvious at this point and the ladies were able to make some observations. They decided that the source couldn't have a shade on it because its rays were quite glaring. They could tell it was set in the corner because they still couldn't see it directly. But they were still unable to figure out the rest of the details about where it was exactly, what type of light it was, what it looked like, etc. The ladies were able to relax a bit with the increased light. They could make out the general layout of the room and the people in it. However, it was still too dark to move around easily or even clearly see each other's faces. It was certainly too dark to be able to read or do any detail work. This setting was a good example of so many people's lives who stumble around in the darkness. They have some sense of what's out there, but cannot make their way because they can't make out the details.
Finally, the speaker took a mirror and held it in such a way that the rays from the light source were directed at the ladies gathered at the table. Though it took their eyes a minute to adjust to so much light in the darkness, they were finally able to describe its source. The small wrought iron electric lamp was sitting on a child-size blue chair. It had a regular shaped bulb but no lampshade. They could not see the lamp directly, but were able to discern these truths because of the reflection provided by the mirror. The mirror also provided sufficient light for the ladies to clearly see each other's faces. Those who were in the direct line of the reflection could easily have gotten up and moved safely toward the speaker who held the mirror. Oh, what a wonderful example of the way God reveals Himself to us and the power and confidence we have to share Him with others.
The Scriptures are filled with references to God being the source of light, among them 1 John 1:5. As Creator, God spoke and the heavenly lights came into being, Genesis 1:3. Psalm 27:1 tells us, "The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?" Jesus, His one and only Son, declares in John 8:12, "I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
God made Man in His image, therefore we are able to reflect His image of light. As long as we remain in our sin that imageness is tarnished and the reflection is fatally flawed. When we come to God in humility, asking forgiveness, He applies the blood of His Son to clear our debt. God clothes us in the breastplate of the righteousness of Christ, a reflecting surface . Just as the mirror in the demonstration was able to bring details of the source of light to the ladies in the adjoining room, so those clothed in Christ's righteouenss are able to bring details of who God is and how He cares for His people to those living in darkness. As we bask in His presence we are more able to reflect the true Light of life.
Let me quickly add a couple of observations here about the mirror in this demonstration.
- The mirror on its own was just a piece of glass with fancy backing. It had to be in the presence of the light source to be useful.
- The mirror had no value by itself. Its basic use and purpose was to simply re-direct the light energy from its source.
- The mirror couldn't position itself to be effective. The speaker had to set the mirror at the proper angle to send the reflecting rays into the dark room.
- Although the lamp was sufficient to light up the whole room, the mirror was not able to reflect enough light to illuminate the entire room where the ladies were gathered. The mirror provided information about the lamp, but the ladies needed the lamp itself to be able to function fully.
I'm sure as you ponder the various aspects of this demonstration the Holy Spirit will show you a number of other truths represented here. Feel free to share them with me for my edification and/or the edification of others.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #4
It’s been an amazing week with God. He’s pouring out so much from His Word that I feel as if a fire hose has been directed at me. The analogy breaks down a bit though because the stream isn’t hard-hitting or damaging. It’s just full on, powerful and totally drenching. I simply can’t take in all that He’s showing me.
As a matter of fact, the problem is becoming so severe that I’m beginning to think that I may need to post more than once a week. Maybe I need to continue on with the Parable once a week and post one of my new lessons once a week. At least then I might have a hope of keeping up and keeping things straight.
Right now I want to take the next step in the process of addressing the weakness and pain in my knee. Having decided that the list of negative consequences was long enough to warrant serious attention, I turned my focus to seeking medical care. I’ll try to make this phase much shorter, sweeter and easier for you than it was for me.
I had decided a couple of years earlier that I needed to find a new primary care physician, but Maine being Maine I spent several days over several months to no avail. That meant that I had to start with the Nurse Practitioner whom I had been seeing. After a brief chat she assured me that the problem was not related to the bone. She informed me that since it had to do with soft tissue she would like me to see an orthopedist. Since the orthopedist would need to read any MRI films she let me know that it wouldn’t do any good to schedule such tests at this point. She then left the room to get me the contact information for a couple of orthopedists she recommended.
Curt was with me during the “examination” and we commented about her wizardry with diagnoses since she hadn’t even touched my knee but could rule out any bone problems – not to mention that she had immediately nixed the need for any x-rays. And all within about 15 minutes. Even though we were in awe of her expertise [a little sarcasm there], being the cynics we are, we affected a measured response. I graciously received the referral information, but assured her that I would contact the physicians directly and didn’t need the assistance of her office. We wanted to move our medical care to another hospital’s area of service anyway. So took this as a final stepping off place.
The next day I spent over two hours on the phone with our insurance carrier trying to find a physician, either a primary care or an orthopedist. May God bless the office person who carefully went through name after name to find someone within the proper geographic area who was covered by our plan. I ended up with two names to pursue that led me to make appointments with both an orthopedist and a primary care physician. The orthopedist appointment happened much sooner than the primary care, but that was fine with me.
Dr. M chatted with me about the original injury. He seemed a bit surprised that the Nurse Practitioner hadn’t ordered x-rays yet was able to diagnose that the problem didn’t have anything to do with the bones. [Curt and I shared a knowing look.] He examined my knee quite extensively and then, not to our surprise, ordered some x-rays. Evidently they do have a purpose in the world of medical diagnosis. Since there is an x-ray tech on site, the pictures were taken and we waited for the results.
Dr. M came back in and pushed the x-rays under the clip on the lighted board. He inspected them closely and said that the only problem appeared to be a bit of “wearing” on the inside surfaces of the __________ - you know, the knee bones. J I guess that was in order for someone “of my age.” Since bone problems were definitely ruled out, Dr. M let us know that it was most definitely a soft tissue problem and probably something to do with the meniscus. That’s the padding between the _______ upper leg bone and the _______ lower leg bone. He directed me to have an MRI done to confirm his suspicions.
Frankly, I began to wonder if I was going to have to wait another couple of months to get one of those special procedures scheduled. I know how much the MRI machines are in demand. Thankfully, the new hospital is quite efficient and my knee would be able to be photographed three days later. I am so thankful that God has given me a flexible schedule!
The staff at the hospital was wonderful. I was able to bring my own CD to listen to during the procedure. I chose Carry Away by Shane & Shane and it truly did carry me away. The noisy clunking and buzzing was over before I knew it. If anything, it reminded me of a dryer with a dozen pairs of sneakers bouncing around in it. It wasn’t too bad, but I was glad when it was finished. Now that I’d done my part, I was looking forward to Dr. M's report. From the first orthopedist appointment until the final diagnosis was only going to be one week. I was pleased!
As I report on this phase of the process through which God was bringing me, I can see the repetition of so many situations in my life, maybe even life itself. I’m faced with a nagging problem and I choose to disregard it and continue on with what’s in front of me. I make adjustments and think everything is fine while the underlying problem continues to have its far-reaching affect. This process carries on until I can no longer ignore the buried issue. Then everything else stops while I finally address it.
I’m sure you’re right beside me in realizing that if I’d just taken the knee seriously at the beginning I would have avoided a lot of things. I would have saved myself a lot of distress, inconvenience, pain, etc. I’ll go a step further and admit that everybody around me would have been spared a bunch of disruption as well. [Sorry, guys!] Who knows what other effects I’m unaware of that would not have occurred if I hadn’t tried so hard to sidestep the obvious. [pun intended]
Suddenly I’m reminded of my life before Christ. No, I’m not that old. I was born in the A.D. calendar not B.C. :-) I mean the time before I came to recognize and receive the gift of eternal life Christ offered me through His sinless life, crucifixion, death and resurrection. There was a nagging problem in my life that kept me off-balance and in pain. I was in distress and I knew it. I wasn’t able to function properly and it was obvious to me. Yet, I chose to disregard it and continue on with what was in front of me. I made adjustments and acted as if everything was fine while the underlying problem continued to have its far-reaching affect. This process carried on until I could no longer ignore the buried issue.
On that great day in 1972 I put a halt to the hiding, the avoiding, the ignoring. I called out to God to end my weakness and pain. The sin in my life was overwhelming before this Holy God. I confessed it and felt the sweet relief of the truth found in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Looking back over the time leading up to my conversion, I’ve come to realize that just as with the process of seeking medical care for my knee, God was leading me all along the way.
God allowed and even caused the weakness and pain and its affects on my life. He used everything at His disposal to draw me unto Himself. Just as He took me slowly, purposefully through the justification process, He is leading me through the various, less-than-perfect situations in my life. He does what He needs to in order to get my attention and He takes me where I need to go, to be. The glory of it all is that no matter how painful or endless or hopeless it all looks, God is right beside me working it all out for my benefit. Romans 8:28 Oh, I am so thankful!
So what was the final diagnosis, you're wondering. Well, I’m not ready to divulge that information. There are still a number of chapters to go in this parable and I don’t want to rush ahead. Please do check in again to find out what Dr. M had to say about my MRI. Until then, may God bless you with your own glimpses of who He is and how much He loves you.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Interruption Glimpse
I know I'm in the process of sharing my Parable of the Knee, but God gave me a glimpse of who He is this week that I can't keep to myself. That's why this is called an Interruption Glimpse.
A friend gave birth to a baby girl and I called to congratulate her. In the process of sharing her experience she mentioned that the Lord had drawn her to read Psalm 18 during the delivery. When the phases came when she wasn't able to read it herself, she had her husband read the God-breathed message to her. With a recommendation like that, as soon as I hung up the phone I pulled out my Bible and turned to this precious portion of Scripture.
The first thing I noticed is that this psalm is a song that David sang when the Lord delivered him from the hand of his enemies and specifically from the hand of Saul. I like to get an idea of the setting and/or background of what I'm going to read so that was helpful. I read my way down through the verses alternately overwhelmed by the greatness of God and my own unworthiness.
I've had a fairly standard walk as a Christian with plenty of struggles and opportunities to rely on God. Verses 16 and 17 spoke clearly to the way the Lord rescues His people from deep waters, powerful enemies, and strong foes. I affirmed the Lord's provision of support in the face of confrontation as outlined in verse 18. The imagery was flowing along as expected until I came to verse 19, He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
The word delighted jumped me out and stopped me cold. The word was familiar to me because a dear friend has been sharing her efforts at delighting in the Lord in the midst of life in a fallen world. It's not a word that I use a lot, but my friend and I have been considering Psalm 37:4, Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. This familiar verse directs the believer to delight in the Lord BUT Psalm 18 says that God is the one who does the delighting. It was a shocking surprise!
The basic concept made sense to me with what we know about God. God is the Creator and we are the creatures He made in His image. Scripture teaches that God is the definition of love. 1 John 4:16 We, as His workmanship, are able to love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 The more we understand, rest in, and enjoy the love God has for us, the more we are able to share that love with those around us. It's not something that we need to stir up or work at or develop on our own.
I was reminded of the John 15 passage where Christ is described as the vine and His followers as the branches. The word remain is mentioned 10 times in the analogy. We are taught that branches that remain bear fruit. It doesn't say anything about stirring up, working at or developing anything. The branches need to remain which means "to continue to be as specified; to remain at peace." It's not a matter of effort, it's a matter of resting as is.
As I thought through verse 19 I realized that God's Word was telling me that the reason He rescued me is that He delights in me. What a light and pleasant way to consider God's thoughts and motivation toward me. Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary says that delight as a noun means a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; or rapture. As a verb delight means to give great pleasure, satisfaction or enjoyment; to please highly. The great God of the universe rescued me because He takes pleasure in me. God is satisfied with me. I bring God joy!
Once again God has opened up a whole new world to me. This time with one word. It is too much to take in! Tears flow unchecked.
I emailed my friend who is focusing on delighting in the Lord about what God was showing me. We talked about it on the phone. We're both trying to grasp all the Lord has for us in this glimpse.
The comparison with love is easy to make. God is Creator and we are His creatures made in His image. God delights in us. Therefore, we are able to delight. The more I soak up, understand, and revel in the truth that God Himself delights in Sandra, the more I will be able to delight in Him as He directs me in Psalm 37:4. Wow, it really is all about God.
I'm still sitting in the Lord's presence understanding, soaking up and reveling in this awesome truth. Why don't you consider the words of Psalm 18 yourself. My prayer is that you will be blessed with a similar awareness of how He delights in you. Amen Emmanuel
A friend gave birth to a baby girl and I called to congratulate her. In the process of sharing her experience she mentioned that the Lord had drawn her to read Psalm 18 during the delivery. When the phases came when she wasn't able to read it herself, she had her husband read the God-breathed message to her. With a recommendation like that, as soon as I hung up the phone I pulled out my Bible and turned to this precious portion of Scripture.
The first thing I noticed is that this psalm is a song that David sang when the Lord delivered him from the hand of his enemies and specifically from the hand of Saul. I like to get an idea of the setting and/or background of what I'm going to read so that was helpful. I read my way down through the verses alternately overwhelmed by the greatness of God and my own unworthiness.
I've had a fairly standard walk as a Christian with plenty of struggles and opportunities to rely on God. Verses 16 and 17 spoke clearly to the way the Lord rescues His people from deep waters, powerful enemies, and strong foes. I affirmed the Lord's provision of support in the face of confrontation as outlined in verse 18. The imagery was flowing along as expected until I came to verse 19, He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
The word delighted jumped me out and stopped me cold. The word was familiar to me because a dear friend has been sharing her efforts at delighting in the Lord in the midst of life in a fallen world. It's not a word that I use a lot, but my friend and I have been considering Psalm 37:4, Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. This familiar verse directs the believer to delight in the Lord BUT Psalm 18 says that God is the one who does the delighting. It was a shocking surprise!
The basic concept made sense to me with what we know about God. God is the Creator and we are the creatures He made in His image. Scripture teaches that God is the definition of love. 1 John 4:16 We, as His workmanship, are able to love because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 The more we understand, rest in, and enjoy the love God has for us, the more we are able to share that love with those around us. It's not something that we need to stir up or work at or develop on our own.
I was reminded of the John 15 passage where Christ is described as the vine and His followers as the branches. The word remain is mentioned 10 times in the analogy. We are taught that branches that remain bear fruit. It doesn't say anything about stirring up, working at or developing anything. The branches need to remain which means "to continue to be as specified; to remain at peace." It's not a matter of effort, it's a matter of resting as is.
As I thought through verse 19 I realized that God's Word was telling me that the reason He rescued me is that He delights in me. What a light and pleasant way to consider God's thoughts and motivation toward me. Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary says that delight as a noun means a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment; joy; or rapture. As a verb delight means to give great pleasure, satisfaction or enjoyment; to please highly. The great God of the universe rescued me because He takes pleasure in me. God is satisfied with me. I bring God joy!
Once again God has opened up a whole new world to me. This time with one word. It is too much to take in! Tears flow unchecked.
I emailed my friend who is focusing on delighting in the Lord about what God was showing me. We talked about it on the phone. We're both trying to grasp all the Lord has for us in this glimpse.
The comparison with love is easy to make. God is Creator and we are His creatures made in His image. God delights in us. Therefore, we are able to delight. The more I soak up, understand, and revel in the truth that God Himself delights in Sandra, the more I will be able to delight in Him as He directs me in Psalm 37:4. Wow, it really is all about God.
I'm still sitting in the Lord's presence understanding, soaking up and reveling in this awesome truth. Why don't you consider the words of Psalm 18 yourself. My prayer is that you will be blessed with a similar awareness of how He delights in you. Amen Emmanuel
Monday, September 3, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #3
Today is a beautiful day. The sun is shining and the temperature is just right. There's only one water skier on the lake so it's a pleasant afternoon. There's even a breeze. Who could ask for anything more?
It wasn't such a pleasant picture last May when I was looking ahead to a busy summer. We'd just gotten back from our conference in Bosnia which I'd thought was our last big responsibility. All of a sudden I started to realize that I had two events in June, a conference in Louisiana in July, and a set of seminars in August - on top of my regular activities. That might not sound like a lot, but I'd been thinking that I was going to have a break over the summer months.
Once the shock settled in, I realized that if I was going to be able to meet the responsibilities laid out for me I was going to have to be healthy. The members of the team we took with us to Sarajevo had practically carried me through that outreach. I needed to be honest with myself and get my knee problem corrected. The inconsistency of my physical performance was taking its toll on my life and the lives of those around me. I had to get the situation resolved.
Making the decision to see a doctor about an ongoing problem may not sound like a big deal to many people. For folks like me, it's a hard thing. Not only did I need to admit I had a problem that I needed help to solve, but I had to make time in my busy schedule for a doctor's appointment. Right there, the Lord spoke to me about my ideas of what's important and how precious this temple is that He's given me to house His Holy Spirit.
As I determined to go forward with addressing my knee problem, it dawned on me that Messiah was speaking to me again about my spiritual life. Yes, as mentioned in Glimpse #2, I need to be solidly centered on, completely consumed by God. Hallelujah! God draws me unto Himself and shows Himself to me for His own glory. What a treasure to learn that our relationship is not all one-sided!
God calls me to communicate with Him - not just my concerns for others, but the highest joys and deepest desires of my heart. My Father wants me to learn from and share myself with Him at every level. I thought about the inconsistent attention I'd been giving my knee and realized that my daily devotional time had been pretty inconsistent as well. This precious time alone with my Lord early in the morning is probably the closest time in our relationship. I'd allowed my hectic spring schedule to interfere and it looked like my no-to-quiet summer was threatening to do the same. I determined right then and there that I'd get back into my devotional routine.
My thoughts ran on ahead. 'Well, those times might be inconsistent, but at least I spend regular time studying in the Word.' Whoops, that was true in the spring, but our Bible study usually doesn't meet over the summer. Here was another area of inconsistency that was facing me. :-(
Maybe I'm not doing as well as I think sometimes.
One area I know I am consistent with is gathering together with other believers for worship. As a matter of fact, I am part of two groups that pray together before Sunday morning service. Phew, at least I'm not totally inconsistent. :-)
Sometimes I hear Christians talking about "God's part" and "my part" of doing things. I'm not really sure where or how one draws that kind of line. I just know that God loves me with a perfect love, even though He knows everything about me. He loved me from before the foundations of the world and will love me for all eternity. As a matter of fact, God is the very definition of love. 1 John 4:16 My ability to love at all is because He first loved me. 1 John 4:19
The first object of my God-given ability to love is God Himself. I love Him and offer my entire life to Him as a fitting sacrifice. Romans 12:1 His call on my life is to express my love for Him by obeying His commands. John 14:15 Maybe that's "my part." God also asks me to show my love for him by living in love and pouring it out on those around me. 1 John 4
Going through those basic standards for followers of Jesus reminds me how inconsistent I really am in my spiritual life. I had to face it with my knee, that I simply can't keep up with what's before me if I'm not healthy. I want to face it in my spiritual life as well, I simply can't keep up with what's before me if I'm not healthy.
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the view from your perspective. My heart is the thing that's most important to you. I need and want to guard it consistently. Thank you, Father, that even this is your work. Zechariah 4:6
It wasn't such a pleasant picture last May when I was looking ahead to a busy summer. We'd just gotten back from our conference in Bosnia which I'd thought was our last big responsibility. All of a sudden I started to realize that I had two events in June, a conference in Louisiana in July, and a set of seminars in August - on top of my regular activities. That might not sound like a lot, but I'd been thinking that I was going to have a break over the summer months.
Once the shock settled in, I realized that if I was going to be able to meet the responsibilities laid out for me I was going to have to be healthy. The members of the team we took with us to Sarajevo had practically carried me through that outreach. I needed to be honest with myself and get my knee problem corrected. The inconsistency of my physical performance was taking its toll on my life and the lives of those around me. I had to get the situation resolved.
Making the decision to see a doctor about an ongoing problem may not sound like a big deal to many people. For folks like me, it's a hard thing. Not only did I need to admit I had a problem that I needed help to solve, but I had to make time in my busy schedule for a doctor's appointment. Right there, the Lord spoke to me about my ideas of what's important and how precious this temple is that He's given me to house His Holy Spirit.
As I determined to go forward with addressing my knee problem, it dawned on me that Messiah was speaking to me again about my spiritual life. Yes, as mentioned in Glimpse #2, I need to be solidly centered on, completely consumed by God. Hallelujah! God draws me unto Himself and shows Himself to me for His own glory. What a treasure to learn that our relationship is not all one-sided!
God calls me to communicate with Him - not just my concerns for others, but the highest joys and deepest desires of my heart. My Father wants me to learn from and share myself with Him at every level. I thought about the inconsistent attention I'd been giving my knee and realized that my daily devotional time had been pretty inconsistent as well. This precious time alone with my Lord early in the morning is probably the closest time in our relationship. I'd allowed my hectic spring schedule to interfere and it looked like my no-to-quiet summer was threatening to do the same. I determined right then and there that I'd get back into my devotional routine.
My thoughts ran on ahead. 'Well, those times might be inconsistent, but at least I spend regular time studying in the Word.' Whoops, that was true in the spring, but our Bible study usually doesn't meet over the summer. Here was another area of inconsistency that was facing me. :-(
Maybe I'm not doing as well as I think sometimes.
One area I know I am consistent with is gathering together with other believers for worship. As a matter of fact, I am part of two groups that pray together before Sunday morning service. Phew, at least I'm not totally inconsistent. :-)
Sometimes I hear Christians talking about "God's part" and "my part" of doing things. I'm not really sure where or how one draws that kind of line. I just know that God loves me with a perfect love, even though He knows everything about me. He loved me from before the foundations of the world and will love me for all eternity. As a matter of fact, God is the very definition of love. 1 John 4:16 My ability to love at all is because He first loved me. 1 John 4:19
The first object of my God-given ability to love is God Himself. I love Him and offer my entire life to Him as a fitting sacrifice. Romans 12:1 His call on my life is to express my love for Him by obeying His commands. John 14:15 Maybe that's "my part." God also asks me to show my love for him by living in love and pouring it out on those around me. 1 John 4
Going through those basic standards for followers of Jesus reminds me how inconsistent I really am in my spiritual life. I had to face it with my knee, that I simply can't keep up with what's before me if I'm not healthy. I want to face it in my spiritual life as well, I simply can't keep up with what's before me if I'm not healthy.
Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the view from your perspective. My heart is the thing that's most important to you. I need and want to guard it consistently. Thank you, Father, that even this is your work. Zechariah 4:6
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #2
Well, I had a week off and now I'm a couple of days late this week. What does that say about my reliability? It says that I'm not perfect. Isn't that a wonderful thing to recognize. Being less than perfect means that I'm not capable of satisfying God's requirement for the blood of a perfect lamb to be shed for the forgiveness of sin. Hebrews 9:22 There's no sense forcing myself through hoops in an attempt to accomplish that task because I'm simply not able to meet the standard. What a relief!
And yet the price must be paid for my sin before I can come into the presence of the One True and Holy God. Thank you, Father, for having that problem solved way before I ever saw the need. Christ, God's only Son, gave Himself as the sacrificial Lamb whose perfect blood atones for the sin of the world. The Messiah's willingness to yield to the Father's plan of reconciliation on a day and time in history resulted in redemption for my soul. What a glorious truth to embrace!
This week's Glimpse is about what God is showing me as I look back on the eight - 8 - VIII - count them XXXXXXXX - months I limped and struggled along before seeking medical attention for my injured knee. Yes, my mobility was seriously impaired and there was a fair amount of pain involved, but my condition was up and down. I kept going because I thought (read that word 'hoped') the knee was getting better. After all, the body heals itself if you give it a rest, right? Okay, so limping but carrying on a busy schedule isn't exactly resting, but at least I was moving more slowly. It was pretty bad the week of our family retreat, but it didn't hurt at all when I was skiing. :-)
As I look back I realize that even though I was going about my normal routine, my performance wasn't up to par. Frankly, I was off-balance everywhere I went and in every aspect of my life. I couldn't move with confidence because I was never sure if the knee would give out or if the pain would become too severe to continue. I couldn't trust the knee, my mobility, so I was never sure that I might not collapse. Yes, it took an emotional toll as well.
The comparison with my spiritual life is obvious. When I'm off-balance, not centered on God and His plan for my day, I can't move with confidence. When I rely on myself alone, I can't be sure if my own abilities will give out or the burden and stress will become too severe to continue. I can't trust my imperfect strengths, my abilities, so I can never be sure that I might not collapse. Yes, it took an emotional toll as well.
I did go about serving the Lord in this off-balanced way, but inconsistency and insecurity opened the door wide for, shall we say, unpleasant surprises. I know that my patience with myself suffered, so I have to assume that my treatment of others wasn't so good either. Looking back I am thankful that I know that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. Romans 8:28 I just wish I didn't contribute quite so many low performance days to the mix. As I look out over the lake and consider the changes I want to make, I've come to some conclusions:
Amen. Emmanuel
And yet the price must be paid for my sin before I can come into the presence of the One True and Holy God. Thank you, Father, for having that problem solved way before I ever saw the need. Christ, God's only Son, gave Himself as the sacrificial Lamb whose perfect blood atones for the sin of the world. The Messiah's willingness to yield to the Father's plan of reconciliation on a day and time in history resulted in redemption for my soul. What a glorious truth to embrace!
This week's Glimpse is about what God is showing me as I look back on the eight - 8 - VIII - count them XXXXXXXX - months I limped and struggled along before seeking medical attention for my injured knee. Yes, my mobility was seriously impaired and there was a fair amount of pain involved, but my condition was up and down. I kept going because I thought (read that word 'hoped') the knee was getting better. After all, the body heals itself if you give it a rest, right? Okay, so limping but carrying on a busy schedule isn't exactly resting, but at least I was moving more slowly. It was pretty bad the week of our family retreat, but it didn't hurt at all when I was skiing. :-)
As I look back I realize that even though I was going about my normal routine, my performance wasn't up to par. Frankly, I was off-balance everywhere I went and in every aspect of my life. I couldn't move with confidence because I was never sure if the knee would give out or if the pain would become too severe to continue. I couldn't trust the knee, my mobility, so I was never sure that I might not collapse. Yes, it took an emotional toll as well.
The comparison with my spiritual life is obvious. When I'm off-balance, not centered on God and His plan for my day, I can't move with confidence. When I rely on myself alone, I can't be sure if my own abilities will give out or the burden and stress will become too severe to continue. I can't trust my imperfect strengths, my abilities, so I can never be sure that I might not collapse. Yes, it took an emotional toll as well.
I did go about serving the Lord in this off-balanced way, but inconsistency and insecurity opened the door wide for, shall we say, unpleasant surprises. I know that my patience with myself suffered, so I have to assume that my treatment of others wasn't so good either. Looking back I am thankful that I know that God works all things together for good for those who love Him. Romans 8:28 I just wish I didn't contribute quite so many low performance days to the mix. As I look out over the lake and consider the changes I want to make, I've come to some conclusions:
- I'm neither comfortable nor content living off-balance, especially spiritually.
- I need/want my life to be built on who God is.
- The more I learn about God from God, the more secure I am in God.
- Though things happen that I may be unaware of or unprepared for, when I rest in God I walk into and through them with confidence. John 15
- My heavenly Father's arms are wide and inviting, loving and all-sufficient.
Amen. Emmanuel
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Glimpse #1
It's been a busy and trying week, but here I am writing the post for my blog. That means I'm three for three so far. Hallelujah!
This time of reflecting is a grand opportunity to remember who God is and who I am before Him. I'm actually very thankful for the assignment. Sitting on the deck looking out, I'm tempted to think of myself as having matured past the stage of being a 2X4 Christian. You know, the kind of believer that God needs to hit with a 2X4 stick of wood to get their attention. I'm being convinced through this knee experience that I've only progressed to the 2X2 level. :-)
Don't get me wrong, I know that trials are one way that God uses to get our attention. That's why I took inventory before Him early in this saga and He seemed to be telling me to carry on.
I'm thankful for the folks who care about me and ask how I'm doing. My favorite friends are those who ask what they can do to lighten my load or help me get something done and off my plate. The truth is that although I do have things that only I can accomplish, there are lots of ways other people could support me with my To Do List. I'm only too happy to offer suggestions when asked, however, what I've noticed is that those who offer "spiritual" advice often speak more quickly than those who offer practical assistance.
While pondering this interesting dynamic, a few thoughts come to mind.
- God knows me perfectly, inside and out. Psalm 139
- God has a wonderful plan for my life. Jeremiah 29:11
- God's love for me is perfect and He will lead me rightly. I need to trust God with my whole heart, even more than myself. Proverbs 3:5,6
- God doesn't just have an idea of what I need. God knows for sure and He wants me to have it.
- God will take me wherever I need to go to get my needs met, according to His riches in glory. That's where I want to be so I need to be listening closely to His counsel.
The mom told me that she wanted to bring it up several times over the last couple of weeks, but she sensed the Holy Spirit telling her to be quiet. Hah, the Lord worked in my friend's heart and she spoke to the pastor herself. With prayers and not a single word, the Holy Spirit met the desire or her parents' hearts and moved this young lady in paths of obedience. My friend will be baptized tomorrow!
I've come to some conclusions for Glimpse #1:
If you have someone you're concerned about for any reason, pray for them and tell them how you feel.
Offer whatever you have at your disposal to help them meet the challenges they face.
If they give you suggestions about how you can help, undertake them with energy and enthusiasm.
If they decline your offer of assistance, let them know you'll be there if they change their mind.
Continue to pray, trusting God to care for them and lead them by the power of His Holy Spirit.
Amen. Emmanuel
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Parable of the Knee, Introduction
God is an awesome God. He displays His infinite attributes all around us. We enjoy tastes of His majesty and creativity through the sunsets He delivers across our lake. Each one is an opportunity to rest, rejoice, and be overwhelmed by our Father God. These magnificent images never cease to draw me in this direction, yet God is also found in the more mundane details of life.
Jesus the Christ used the common things of this world to teach great truths about His and our Father. His parables are some of the most well-remembered and oft-repeated portions of the New Testament. When the Holy Spirit adds heavenly wisdom to simple objects, powerful lessons and divine insights pour forth. It is this type of in-depth view of God through the world around me that I want to pursue. I don't want to miss a single expression of my Father's love for me.
God is faithful and shows Himself to me in the big and little things of life. Sometimes He teaches me things in the oddest ways. Who would ever believe that a knee could speak volumes to a seeking soul? I would have scoffed at anyone who made such a statement as recently as six months ago. Now I know better. You see, last October while on vacation I twisted my knee while walking on a cobblestone street.
It wasn't such a bad sprain as sprains go. I could still get around and if nobody was looking let the grimaces show. By the time we got home I was able to move without any one being any the wiser - at least at first. Slowly I started to lose ground. The pain increased as did periods when I had to stay off my feet all together. By January I was in serious discomfort most of the time. Little did I know even then all that God would teach me through the intricate part of the body called the knee.
Over time I began to realize that the Holy Spirit was using the condition with my knee to draw my attention away from the activity around me - important as most of it was. As weeks and months have been unfolding, so have the lessons and insights He's been showing me. It's amazing what is often hiding just below the surface of what we see around us. Thankfully I've been making notes along the way.
My plan is to share my lessons with you at the rate of one a week, deo volente. I trust that those of you who are interested in my educational journey will ask the Lord to keep me faithful to that commitment. I look forward to spending some time with you opening up the awesomeness of God together. May He bless you richly!
Jesus the Christ used the common things of this world to teach great truths about His and our Father. His parables are some of the most well-remembered and oft-repeated portions of the New Testament. When the Holy Spirit adds heavenly wisdom to simple objects, powerful lessons and divine insights pour forth. It is this type of in-depth view of God through the world around me that I want to pursue. I don't want to miss a single expression of my Father's love for me.
God is faithful and shows Himself to me in the big and little things of life. Sometimes He teaches me things in the oddest ways. Who would ever believe that a knee could speak volumes to a seeking soul? I would have scoffed at anyone who made such a statement as recently as six months ago. Now I know better. You see, last October while on vacation I twisted my knee while walking on a cobblestone street.
It wasn't such a bad sprain as sprains go. I could still get around and if nobody was looking let the grimaces show. By the time we got home I was able to move without any one being any the wiser - at least at first. Slowly I started to lose ground. The pain increased as did periods when I had to stay off my feet all together. By January I was in serious discomfort most of the time. Little did I know even then all that God would teach me through the intricate part of the body called the knee.
Over time I began to realize that the Holy Spirit was using the condition with my knee to draw my attention away from the activity around me - important as most of it was. As weeks and months have been unfolding, so have the lessons and insights He's been showing me. It's amazing what is often hiding just below the surface of what we see around us. Thankfully I've been making notes along the way.
My plan is to share my lessons with you at the rate of one a week, deo volente. I trust that those of you who are interested in my educational journey will ask the Lord to keep me faithful to that commitment. I look forward to spending some time with you opening up the awesomeness of God together. May He bless you richly!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Beginnings . . .
are not always easy. They may be exciting, but they are usually a lot of work and are often scary. That's why it took so long for this beginning to happen.
After being nagged for several months, I am beginning this blog with the hope that I will be able to maintain it with some dignity. I hope you enjoy my entries. Let me know what you think.
After being nagged for several months, I am beginning this blog with the hope that I will be able to maintain it with some dignity. I hope you enjoy my entries. Let me know what you think.
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