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Hands Lifted High

Posted in community, Faith, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #handsliftedhigh, #intercession on January 20, 2019| Leave a Comment »

So there was a day of frustration, of sorrow, of hopelessness. A day I didn’t know what to do. Prayers had been prayed, with white-knuckle faith, with peace beyond human understanding. Chin up, saying my amens expecting the (right) answers any moment.

Nothing.

No grand answer to prayer … not even a hint that anyone was listening.

Ever been there?

Ever had your chin so far up that the air seemed too thin to provide the oxygen needed to breathe in, breathe out? Ever had your hands folded in prayer ’til they were so white-knuckled that their white-washed bones were shining through your paper-thin skin?

In frustration, in exasperation, as hope and faith fade and we cry out:

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?”
Psalm 13:1-2

Then, from my pit, I reached out to others, sharing my story, my struggle.

In just a few days, change dawned one morning. Complete, beautiful, better-than-I-could-have-hoped-for answer to prayer.

So, why? Why did the many months of prayers in faith result only in silence? Why did answers only come when I shared what was weighing on my mind and soul with others?

For an answer, lets look to Moses (Exodus 17:8-16).

While the Israelites were still wandering, they were attacked by Amalekites. So Moses told Joshua to choose some men to fight, and that he would stand at the top of the hill, with the staff of God raised above his head.

This all sounds a bit weird, except that this staff is the staff that could be thrown down and transform into a snake. It is the staff that tapped a rock and water came from it. It is the staff that was used to bring on the plagues of Egypt. It is the staff that parted the Red Sea. It is the staff of God.

So, as the story goes, as the staff was raised, the Israelites were winning, but whenever the staff lowered they began to take losses. Battles do not end in minutes, but hours and days, and Moses could only hold his arms up for so long. So, along came Aaron and Hur and they sat Moses on a large rock, and they stayed at each of his sides, helping to keep his arms held high.

“As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.”

Now when Moses raised the staff in the air it provided at least two purposes. One was that of a visual encouragement to those in battle. The other was that of intersession to God.

That staff had been the symbol of the presence of God for these wandering Jews. Moses lifting it up was not a power that Moses had in his own strength, but with the help of Aaron and Hur. Together they were holding the symbol of God’s power acknowledging that they did not have any power without God.¹

Matthew Henry’s Commentary speaks of this intersession, and of the help Moses received from Aaron and Hur:

“We should not be shy either of asking help from others or giving help to others, for we are members one of another.”

We have, at our very hands and sides, people who can and will hold us up when we get tired, when we are weak. Others who are willing to intercede on our behalf. That is the encouragement, the help that we need when in the thick of life’s battles.

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Rhythms of Life

Posted in WONDER on January 17, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Statistically, this is when well-intended resolutions or new habits begin to crumble.

It is now the third week of the new year.

Have you lost your motivation? Slipped up along the way? Found your weakness to be stronger than your strength?

It can be so very frustrating, so very discouraging when we are weak, when we do not live up to the goals we have set for ourselves. We can even interpret such as character flaws, or outright personal failures. For some, the consequence of such can be self-damaging, if we have put far greater value in our goals than, perhaps, we should.

2 Corinthians 4:16 tells us:

“Though our outward man perish,
our inward man is renewed day by day”

Our human existence is all about the rhythms of life that bring us renewal. We have seasons of life, seasons of the year and even each of our days contains the rhythm of awake and sleep. These natural rhythms provide for us time of renewal, refreshment as well as opportunity to reestablish our personal goals, hopes and desires for change … both inward and outward.

Tomorrow is a new day, a fresh start, a chance to try again.

Keep moving forward. Don’t get stuck on momentary struggles.

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Better than Money

Posted in life, WONDER, tagged #betterthanmoney, #payday on January 15, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Work should never be passionless, pointless or just something we do for payday. The reality is, though, that oftentimes we do our jobs, day in and day out, hoping that we have achieved what we most wanted to do … make a difference.

Last week I had a pay-off day, that is still paying dividends this week.

A letter handed to me, by a senior student made my day. His typed words were confirmations that I had managed to accomplish what I had most hoped … and I am still smiling.

The thing is, no matter what job we do, it is not a regular experience that our good efforts get noticed. We complete our tasks, go the extra mile, give our all and can often be left with just a paycheque in the end.

Don’t get me wrong, payday is a very good day, but there are other methods of payment that last much longer and are received with more delight than a direct deposit paycheque.

Such was my letter from a student.

Years ago, when I taught a work experience program, I always started the program by teaching the following verse:

“Don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance.” Colossians 3:23-24

This verse is a good focus for those more common, regular days, when we don’t receive the pat on the back, the raise in pay, the ‘well done’ from our boss, or the letter from a student/client. It reminds us that our purpose is higher, that our calling and our ultimate boss is the one who placed our gifts and abilities with us.

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Morning Sky

Posted in life, tagged #freshstart, #merciesneweverymorning, #morningsky on January 13, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Though every morning there is a morning sky, there is a morning sky that speaks more intimately to my soul.

It is the sky that is free of clouds, with the horizon splashed with oranges, corals, even pinks.

It is the sky that calls ones eyes to it, to watch and await the rising of the sun.

It is the sight of the sun rising that causes a smile of satisfaction, of further anticipation of the day.

Though the sky does not always provide such a morning sky, the potential beauty and, in turn, anticipation, can be ours everyday.

As our eyes and minds awaken each morning (even if that morning begins in what might seem the dark of night) we are given the opportunity to start fresh, to do things in new ways, to speak new words.

Lamentations 3:22-24 speaks to this daily refresh opportunity:

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.””

God gives us new mercies each day. We awaken each day with forgiveness and compassion offered anew to us … we do not have to live in the storms, the mistakes, the sins of yesterday.

We can start each day saying, from our souls, “the Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in him.”

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Sick and Tired of being Sick and Tired

Posted in WONDER on January 10, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Over a week of shifting from bed, to sofa, to chair to other sofa and finally I have made it a whole day without falling asleep on a soft, cozy piece of furniture wrapped in a blanket.

From nasal congestion, to ear ache, to sore throat, to headache to body aches to … well I had no idea it could be painful to open and close ones eyes! I have referred to it as the virus from the dark side, this over week-long bit of nastiness.

I watched movies and online shows (while snoozing through bits of all), played sudoko, ate soup (this is why it is always good to freeze left over soup) and drank hot drinks. The one thing I really wanted to do was read my novel, but I found my eyes struggled to accomplish that task.

I whined, I complained, I got pampered by family and a friend, I improved day by day.

Then I saw something that put my short time with a virus into perspective.

A woman I know posted of her joy of being able to read her novel for the first time in weeks. You see she is in the midst of treatment for cancer and the chemotherapy had made reading a struggle.

As I read her post, I experienced a huge lesson in perspective.

Though the virus I had was a nasty one, it’s course will be maybe two weeks. For someone doing cancer treatments, the sickness, aches and malaise might continue for months.

As I sat re-reading her post I was motivated to pray for her, for her family, her medical professionals who are helping her. I found my mind drifting to others in similar health situations, who are fighting long term. Then I thought of those who seem healthy but may be fighting invisible diseases such as Epilepsy, Crohn’s, Diabetes, Depression, etc.

It is good to have our momentary frustrations put into a larger perspective, reminding us to pray for those whose suffering extends much longer.

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Peace of Mind

Posted in GOD, life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #lifeanywherewithgod, #morethananinsurancepolicy, #peace, #peaceofmind, #peaceofmindandheart, #thegiveristhegift on January 8, 2019| Leave a Comment »

A catch phrase that insurance companies often use is peace of mind. The idea being that if we have our life and stuff of life insured, we would, in turn, have peace of mind.

Insurance is also something that some use to describe why people should accept God’s gift of grace. The idea being that if we have been born again, or have accepted Christ as our saviour, is sometimes viewed as an insurance policy, or guarantee for our eternity.

It is as though,
if we buy the plan of salvation
our eternity is insured against hell.

Though I think that the Bible does speak to our eternity with Christ, it also speaks to our relationship with Christ being about more than just a means of protection for after this life.

It speaks to a life with him … right now.

A few weeks ago, I came across the following words of Beth Moore. The setting is in the midst of the desert. Moses is there with the Israelites, and has opportunity to speak with God in the tent of meeting. God wants Moses to lead his people toward the promised land, but Moses is not terribly confident in his own abilities and expresses desire to not be apart from God.

This is where Beth Moore does a little paraphrasing (lets call it an unauthoritative, but very applicable, translation 😉 ):

“I’d rather stay right here in this howling hellhole of a desert and have You. Either we both go or we both stay. What I want is You” … then she goes on to say, “He’d tasted and seen. He knew. The Giver IS the gift.”
(Beth Moore)

Moses had experienced the freedom and ability to go to speak with God whenever he desired. All he had to do was to enter into the Tent of Meeting, and a cloud would descend on the outside of the tent, indicating that God was present. Moses knew the sweetness, the completeness of having access to the Creator, Father, Redeemer. He knew what it was to have the words of God spoken into his ears and onto his heart.

And he could not fathom life without him.

For Moses, he would rather live anywhere, even in the dusty desert with God … without him … presumably even the Promised Land.

His desire wasn’t for eternal insurance, for someday off in the future, he desired assurance of the presence of the one who wrote the policy and paid it in full.

It is true that we were created for a different world, but we were never created to live apart from our Creator …

and why would we choose to live without the assurance of his presence with us each and every day?

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Come Hell or High Water

Posted in life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #comehellorhighwater, #forgettingwhatispast, #foriamabouttodosomethingnew, #momentum, #newbeginnings, #newyear, #pressontowardthegoal, #whatisahead on January 6, 2019| Leave a Comment »

“Forgetting what is behind
and straining toward what is ahead”
Philippians 3:13

When one considers a new year, the verse (above) is a good place to start.

As we begin a new year, “forgetting what is behind” can be so helpful. We need to forget the frustrations, the failures, the events that caused us hurt, anger or sorrow.

It is a good time to forgive those who “trespassed against us” … leave those offences in the past, so that they do not follow us into the new year. If the trespasses are ours, it might be beneficial to make apologies, restitutions. Do something that can close the door on the indiscretions of the past year. If it is to forgive, then forgive. If it is to apologize, then do that … and move on from the past.

To “strain toward what is ahead” is all about momentum.

Momentum is “the strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes” (Merriam Dictionary) and that is exactly what we need as we move, forward, into a new year, new week, new day.

To grow stronger, to move faster means face forward, feet forward, moving forward … straining toward what is ahead. Straining like a runner in a race, not looking back, not checking to see where we are in the pack, but moving forward, determined to make it to the finish …

As we move forward, there will be times when we are in unfamiliar territory, when the demons of the past whisper discouragements into our souls, when it is simply a struggle to keep pursuing our path. It is then that we need the reminder of the next verse in Philippians 3:

“I press on toward the goal
to win the prize
of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus”
Philippians 3:14

The reminder of this verse is that our pursuit is for a goal which has been seeded by God himself, and if he places the seed within us, well, it will grow … come hell or high water.

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The Hand of God

Posted in life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #fearoftheunknown, #godknows, #newyear, #putyourhandintogods, #thegateoftheyear, #thehandofgod on January 3, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Walking into the new year is kind of like standing at the mouth of a cave. You cannot see how deep it is, for the darkness hides it’s path.Though your voice comes back to you in echoes, it is never discernible as to how far or through how many twists and turns into the cave it has travelled.

There is only one way to move through the cave … take a first step.

When we are faced with a long trek, with little knowledge of where we might end up, or what we might encounter on our way, we can be temporarily paralyzed by our fear of the unknown.

I was introduced to a poem, recently, that touched my experience of fear of the unknown, fear of making a mistake.

Written by Minnie Louise Haskins, it was read by King George VI in his Christmas Day message in 1939, as the world feared the beginning of another war. Though Ms. Haskins titled it, “God Knows” it has become more commonly known as “The Gate of the Year.”

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied,
“Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!”

I know that, for me, I can be so cautious that I do not move forward at all. Yet, I live with the certainty that I never take a step alone, that I always have the support, the protection and the companionship of God himself.

As we move into the uncertainties of a new year, may be put our hands into the hand of God.

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Golden Opportunities

Posted in life, Walking with God, WONDER, tagged #anewyear, #dountoothers, #goldenopportunities, #happynewyear, #newyear, #newyearday, #newyearsresolutions, #resolutions, #thegoldenrule on January 1, 2019| Leave a Comment »

There’s barely yet time to have made any mistakes.

The new year has arrived in the midst of festive partiers, snoring grampas, stormy seas, soft fallen snow …

It has arrived. With it comes the temptation to make plans and promises, vows and verdicts, restorations and resolutions.

We make lists, and choose a word, and make dedications and say prayers … all in the act of making promises for this new year.

What if we just start with today,
followed by tomorrow,
each day vowing to
live the opportunities
that we are given?

What if we get to know the name of our daily barista, cashier, janitor or garbage man, our neighbour? and say it when we speak to them.

What if, rather than rant on social network about how the government treats refugees, veterans, women, homeless … we roll up our sleeves and do what we want the government to do?

What if, rather than complain about our jobs, we look our co-workers, our boss in the eye and say I am so thankful for you, for this place to earn my living?

What if, rather than complain about how little is done around the house by our kids, our spouse, we look them in the eyes and say thanks when we catch them doing something?

What if, rather than complain about men, women, millennial, seniors or children, we just treat all people as we would like to be treated?

What if we just live this year with one goal, a one-item list, and re-live it each day of the year, as each day provides us opportunities to fulfill it?

“In everything,
treat others as you would want them to treat you”
Matthew 7:12

There can be no greater goal, no better rule, than that which is gold.

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It Really is a Wonderful Life

Posted in FAMILY, life, WONDER, tagged #annushorribilis, #annusmirabilis, #auldlangsyne, #georgebailey, #itsawonderfullife, #newyears, #newyears2018, #nomanisafailurewhohasfriends on December 30, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Thirty years ago, when dating a charming young man, I was introduced to the film, It’s a Wonderful Life, starring Donna Reed and James Stewart.

I was captivated by the story of George Bailey’s life. A simple, relatable, regular and seemingly boring life, George encounters something he cannot fix or undo (something that was not even his fault, yet, because he was a man of integrity, he took personal responsibility for). It seems there is only one option … to end his life.

For fear of ruining the story for anyone who has not experienced this movie, I will cease my retelling.

In 1992, at a formal function, Queen Elizabeth II referred to that year, for her personally, as an annus horribilis, which is Latin for horrible year. As I have reflected on the past year (for each of the members of my family), I (we) might be inclined to echo the words of Her Majesty.

Then, I was reminded of the ending scene of the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. George Bailey is standing in his living room, surrounded by family and friends, and the well-wishes of friends that could not be physically present.

It is then that George sees a book … when he opens it up, inscribed on the inside cover is the following:

Those words of Clarence, “remember no man is a failure who has friends” are the words that can turn an annus mirabilis to a annus mirabilis … a wonderful year.

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine!
And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
for auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear
for auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

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