Uplifted in a Broken Down World

     Always, (no matter the who, what, where, when or why scenario) God is in my, and your, corner.   No matter how dire the mire we get ourselves into, God stands in our corner ready to come to our rescue.   Even when we are dead set wrong, God stands in our corner with forgiveness, understanding, encouragement and healing for each of us.   God, out of love for all of His children, places Himself in our individual corner.   Never do we ever need doubt this.   However, we, each of every one of us, should ponder where we place God.

     While God is always in our corner, never should we place God in a remote corner of our lives.   Instead, as Christians, we are called to place God in the center of our lives.   We can fly on autopilot in regards to knowing God is in our corner.   Placing God in the center of our lives is not a destination that can be reached without requiring constant manual control by each of us human operators.   To place, and keep, God as the center of our lives, we need to continually focus and think about God being our center and our life’s journey orbiting around Him as our core.

     Growing in the Lord, with Him as our center, is never a full grown achievement.   It is ongoing for as long as we walk the space of planet Earth.   It’s routine to stop and fill our bodies with three squares a day to be able to run the rat race of earthly life.   Sadly, it’s not as customary to daily stop and nourish our souls with the one center who can win our greatest race – eternity in heaven.   Per diem, we fill our plates with food to keep our bodies living.   What nourishment do we place in the center of our lives to keep our souls from dying???

     Lately, the strides of my lake walks have revolved around the stride of wondering why Jesus chose the words of Mark 10:51(ESV) – “What do you want Me to do for you?”   Jesus spoke these words to the blind man, Bartimaeus, who, sitting by the roadside begging as Christ passed, shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47(ESV)  

     Jesus, as member of our Trinity God, is all knowing.   Thus, the need for Him to ask a human what was needed seemed baffling to me.   My belief is Christ always chose His words carefully – meaning them to be thought provoking, not randomly blurted.   Over and over, I pondered why Jesus vocalized “What do you want Me to do for you”; for the answer appears obvious.   Bartimaeus was blind.   He was seeking sight!!!   So, why did Jesus ask what Bartimaeus wanted???

     My eventual, and enlightened, perception of Jesus’s choice of words was not a short excursion where the answer was mapped out during a speedy trip around the block.   In honesty, days of walks mulled through this before inspiration, from above, removed the scales from my own blind eyes.   My focus had been on “what”.   Could it be, Jesus intended to bring light to “want”?  

     Too often, we, Christians, sit back and wait for God to abracadabra solve our needs and make things right – or more accurately, to our liking.   Passively, we look to God as the one who actively is responsible for delivering our answers.   Problem here is we are looking for answers and not answered prayer.  

     Prayer, herein lies my perception of core vision behind why Jesus asked, “what do you WANT Me to do for you?”   Christ was signaling the need for us to go to Him with our wants, in other words, to pray.   The real question then becomes do we actively spend time with God, talking in prayer?   Or, do we passively wait for God to use His power and magically deliver our desires?    It boils down to, do we go to God for a “D”; or do we go to God with a “T”?   Do we wait for God to wave a magic “wanD”; or do we cry out to God, and, into His miraculous hands, entrust our “wanT”???   Wands are for make believe fairy tales.   God is real – both His power and His caring for, and about, us and our “wanTs”.

     Jesus asked Bartimaeus (and us) what do you want?   This requires two way relationship, not one sided gifting.   Jesus’s words signaled conversation as means for communication.   Today’s lazy tendency is for us to save our breath and expect God will telepathically know our needs and, as a magician waves his wand, make them appear/disappear.

     Many, many centuries ago, Jesus blatantly directed Bartimaeus to tell Him his wants.   Christ’s instructions ring the same for you and me today.  Thus, next time we are in need, let’s not forget Christ didn’t say, what do you “wanD” Me to do for you.   He asked, what do you “wanT” Me to do for you.   Then, and always, may each and every one of us, prayerfully, place our “wanT” into God’s miraculous, not magical, power and care.  

     For as far back as I can remember and too many times to count, I’ve tilted my eyes to the heavens and implored, “Lord, I need You; please carry me.   Can’t do this alone.  I’m out of fuel and need a lift.”   Recently, while repeating this chant for the umpteenth time, I sensed the Lord chat back, “Child of Mine, I’m leading you, not driving you!!!  Do you know the difference???”

     Suddenly, the floodgates opened wide; and I fathomed a much needed enlightenment.   Our God is not a God who drives us around but, rather, a Father who leads us through.   This directly translates that our journey with God on earth, and to God in Heaven, is not meant to find us in the passenger seat lounging back, enjoying the scenery or catching a few ZZZ’s while He does the work.   Instead, through all the ups and downs, the thick and thin, the good, bad and indifferent moments of life, God leads us; and we find our way by following Him and knowing He will never abandon us on our own, if we remain HIS own.  

     God doesn’t say sit down, and I will do it all for you.   On the contrary, His very words are, “Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 (NIV)  

     …with you wherever YOU GO – no doubt about it, our feet must do the marching.   However, the soles of our shoes must find direction for the souls of our beings.   Herein, lies the essence of God’s promise to led us and be with us, no matter the riptides of life we swim against or the threatening precipices our lives must surmount.    

     With my perception, now, tweaked a tad, I chuckle at my past, foggy interpretation of how God delivers me through hardships.   No longer does He don a chauffeur’s cap.   Instead, with a flashlight in one hand, He shines direction through all darkness.   His other hand grasps mine and pulls me up and forward from occasional depths of despair.   And, His booted foot stands ready to (when absolutely necessary) kick start me in the right direction!!!

     “For You are my rock and my fortress, and for Your name’s sake You lead me and guide me.”  Psalm 31:3 (ESV)

     It’s been a long difficult week.  Bet many of you can identify.  Truth be told, I questioned God’s thinking, even with His help, Philippians 4:13 was going to win out.   (“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13 NIV).    As always, it did.   However, it took another walk around my backyard lake to decipher directional guidance.

     While revolving around God’s creation for the umpteenth time, I was in a whirlwind of uncertainty.   Kept asking the questions: “OK, Lord, so what now?   Ignore, fight or give up – I sure don’t know what’s right.   I need you to point me where you want me.  What way are you ‘WILL’ing me to go?”   Suddenly, I perceived His answer: “Are you sliding down a slippery slope or climbing up the mountain???”   Ouch, I was convicted!

     I’d been questioning how to get around the problem, when the answer needed was examination of my vertical direction.   Life’s journey is not a horizontal course around this world, ultimately reaching earthly paradise.   It is a vertical ascent up the mountains of life to the highest eternity with God in heaven.   Simply stated, the way to heaven is by climbing up, not slipping down.  

     When life’s mountains confront us, so easily we despair.   With the devil, gladly greasing our sweaty palms, we begin sliding down a slippery slope.   With each downward spill, closer and closer we edge into Satan’s snare; and eventually we are in a free fall, skidding toward the pit of hell itself.

     Jesus Christ, to save you and me from our sins, faced the hardest earthly mountain of all – crucifixion.   (Sort of makes my difficult week look like a garden stroll through the blooming daffodils.    How about yours?)   Talk about a symbolic message.   Christ had to carry His cross (yours and my sins) “UP” “MOUNT” Calvary to win victory over the tribulation facing Him.  

     So what about us and our trials – microscopically minuscule compared to Jesus’s.   Do we see them as unfair crosses pulling us down, our lives plummeting into an uncontrollable descent?   Or do we look up with weary eyes, yet loving hearts filled with trust in God, and understand (like Christ our Brother) life’s journey is filled with mountainous trials; but through Christ’s strength, our hope filled souls can climb each and every one?

       Are you sliding down a slippery slope or climbing up the mountain?   Can’t do both.   Remember, God decrees; but you decide.

     As the saying goes, this week was one for the books.   Truth be told, the Book is the Bible.   Friday night found me parked in pitch black darkness outside an Emergency Room.   My very much loved and treasured (94 years young) Father was inside the hospital – without me or any family.   Herein, lies one of the tragic realities of present day, pandemic life.

     It was a long night.   Not until dawn was about to break, and test results were trickling in, was it decided Dad would be admitted – again with strangers as his escort.   However, the story to be shared is not a narrative of darkness, fear and separation.   It is a vision of light, peacefulness, and unity – a time when the Hand of God was working through the fingers of so many of His children.

     Getting my Dad out of my car and into the building, whose doors would shut me out, was not exclusively the struggle needed to be surmounted.   Dad’s physical weakness outweighed my strength to lift him up and settle him down in a wheel chair.   A total stranger, walking by us, did not pass us by.   Instead, his fingers offered a strength beyond my own.   He wore not only a uniform of blue, but also, compassion and commitment to the needs of others – at that moment, mine and my Dad’s.   My heart is so very grateful.

     Unable to look inside the hospital, I felt God whisper, “Look around you.”   And so, I did.  

     A group of mid to upper teens huddled inside a couple parking spots.   They were not tearing each other apart but holding each other together.   They wore smiles, not resenting frowns.   A second man in blue walked into their midst offering words I could not hear but a message to which our whole world needs to listen.   In particular, one pre-adult paid extra close attention, took a step away while wearing a smile that defied the night’s darkness.   Then, he abruptly turned around and shared with the messenger a “socially distanced” fist bump.   I’ll never know the inner details of that scene.   I, also, will never forget that moment in the dark when the light of God, through inner man, shone through.

     My head turned to see a fast approaching white pick-up nearing the neon lit ER guiding sign.   At first, I was surprised the truck did not sail up the lane in front of the hospital doors.   Instead, it veered to the left and halted in the parking spot closest to the entrance.   The driver jumped out and ran to the truck’s other side.   Darkness veiled his features, but inner light revealed his identity.   He was a Daddy, as God created man to be.  As he raced to the ER doors, a limp little girl, I’d guess to be 9 or 10 years old, had her arms securely clenched around her Daddy’s neck   And yes, those ER doors, with needed understanding and compassion, opened wide to both of them.  

     Immediately, I sent a whisper back to God.   “Father God, your children on earth are sick and need your healing as desperately as that little girl, tonight, needs her earthly Daddy.   God, please carry me, mine and all of Yours.”     

As the greatest Father on earth regains his physical health under the lights of a hospital, may we, all equally created to be God’s children, rally our inner strength and direction from our Heavenly Father’s light shining through all worldly darkness.   Our God leads and paints beautiful messages, if we are open to seeing all He sketches instead of focusing on the world’s sketchiness.

     O.K., so all who truly know me understand I’m an over the hill lady who has never abandoned the regiment of endurance exercise.   Thus, not a coincidence but a God incidence, a path surrounded, small lake rests outside my home.   Its distance is ½ mile, and my mornings start with a dozen laps. Never one who’s motivated by what others think of me, I walk forward, backward and, at times, even sideward to try and keep all my old bones in relatively good working condition.  

     Those, clueless to my inner spirit, occasionally stop me and inquire, “Don’t you get tired of ‘circling’ the lake?”   My reply is always, “I’m not ‘circling’ the lake.   I’m ‘revolving and evolving’ around the beauty of God’s nature – be it marveling at creation or overwhelmed by the amazing qualities of God’s character.”

     Worldly life, too often, rests in “circling”.   Spiritual life, never often enough, awakens to “revolving and evolving”.   Think about it.   In our world, when we are in a “circling” pattern, we are waiting in limbo for something to change or happen.   Be we circling the skies, the block, a parking lot, or life in general, we are getting nowhere, just waiting for the opportunity to get where or what we wish.   “Revolving” implies pivoting and orbiting — moving around the core.   “Evolving” equates to developing gradually.

No walk through life is ever meant to be “circling”.   No matter where our feet, or feats, take us, we are meant to be “revolving” around God’s presence and presents while “evolving” into not only better brothers and sisters to each other, but also, more humbled and appreciative children of God.  

Are you “circling” or “revolving and evolving” in your walk through life???

     When I turned sixteen, my Nani undertook the task of teaching me to drive what he labeled his “Machine”.   We spent many off hours circling the Sears parking lot.   When Nani felt my skills were adept enough to merit a license, he proudly escorted me to the DVM.   Let’s just say, it was not a good day!!!

     Had I not been so frustrated, I would have been more sympathetic to Nani’s being personally affronted when I announced, “I flunked”!!!   My failure was so egregious, the examining officer accompanied me back to Nani’s side.   Being highly (and directly) offended, Nani took his close proximity to the offender to air his high opinion of my driving skill.   To which to examiner responded, “Sir, her driving didn’t fail her.   Her parking did.   SHE CAN’T PARK.”  

     As a tennis ball volleyed back and forth, I stood there with my fractional driving skill being slammed back at my complete parking deficiency, and vice versa.   The match ended with Nani shoving me into the driver’s seat of his “Machine” while shouting over his shoulder, “It’s a driving test not a parking test.”

     Goes without saying, I’m not, even today, known for my parking.   Actually, maybe I am, but it is cause of my lack of ability.   Add to this that I was born and raised in flat land Chicago, and you can also deduce my “Machine” education completely passed over the lesson concerning the emergency brake. To Nani, it was , indeed, non essential.

     Fast forward twenty some years to me being newly married and living in Seattle for Hubby’s fellowship year.   Suddenly, the, till then, unknown emergency brake became my Siamese twin.   Driving up the steep incline to drop off, or fetch, Hubby during rush hour, slow down traffic was terrifying.   Not kidding, when I say every single time traffic halted, in panic of sliding backward down the hill, I yanked on the emergency brake.   If I’d have had my druthers, I’d have left it engaged the whole trip up that hill.    However, the problem was, and still remains, while the emergency brake keeps one from sliding down steep mountains, its engagement, also, keeps you from successfully climbing the mountains of life.

     It is second nature when fear engulfs us, life seemingly defeats us, or the world destroys our confidence that our chosen gear is “park” with the emergency brake flashing “ON”.   Our initial observation is safety’s been achieved.   Deeper insight reveals while locked in place means not sliding downward, it also translates into no hope of going forward.

     We, Christians, proclaim our trust in God and His ability to get us through any, and all, steep storms.   However, on occasion we also wonder why God is so slow to move us beyond the slippery slopes of our trials.   Could it be our fears supersede our faith?   For God to guide us forward, we first must release our emergency brake of terrified paralysis.   When our brakes are locked, God can neither push, pull nor kick our fears and breaking lives toward healing and a new tomorrow.   Trust in God necessitates releasing all that keeps us parked in immobility into God’s Hands and allowing Him to propel our journey forward with the fuel of His wisdom and guidance.      

Guess the test that’s driving our lives and needing to be passed is whether we brake in fear or keep moving in trust.   All those decades ago, my Nani was right.   The passing of a test is about knowing how to drive and keep moving, not learning in panic how to park and cling to the emergency brake.

     Anyone who possesses HOPE, we declare, define and describe as HOPE “FILLED”.   So what does this mean?   Maybe, something extremely vital but often overlooked.   By saying HOPE “FILLED”, we are proclaiming HOPE’s presence inherently comes from, and rests, within.

     Wow, guess this shoots down thinking worldly possessions as the destination of a quest for HOPE.  Truth is, HOPE’s treasure chest is only discovered, opened and possessed if we search for it within our very selves.

     HOPE is an attitude, not an aptitude.   HOPE is an inner belief, not an outer relief.   HOPE is clinging to God within us, not a stronghold embrace of what outerly surrounds us.   HOPE is sure rooted, not lure footed.   HOPE is living in God’s peace, not surviving in worldly pieces. HOPE reflects WHOSE image we are made in, not camouflaged appearance through cosmetic make-up.   

     In this 21^st Century world, filled with panic and despair, HOPE, for many, seems so very far, far away.   How sad, the majority’s search for HOPE extends to the far corners of the globe; when its roots are planted deep inside each of us.

     To have HOPE, one must be filled from within, not decorated from outside.   HOPE is the song of God’s truth within us, soothing our fears and strengthening our beliefs.   HOPE’s opposite, despair, is the battle cry of the world blaring outside our beings, inciting our trepidations and weakening our securities.

     No earthly person, place or thing can gift us HOPE.   HOPE is a presence we can only unwrap for ourselves.   What is this presence, and where is its source?   The “what” of HOPE’s presence is God’s promise to each of us that no matter how difficult our path, if HOPE in our Lord is our inner compass, then no trial nor tribulation will overcome any of us.   The “source” of HOPE’s presence is the indwelling inspiration of the Holy Spirit living within us, in the depth of our souls and height of our hearts.

     To those overflowing with HOPE, God’s true peace and power fills you.   To those searching for HOPE, may this post help redirect your pursuit.   Remember, one can search the vaults of worldly kingdoms only to discover the treasure of HOPE solely (and “soul”y) flows from within your very own, God created and centered, heart and soul.

     “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.   They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)   

     Each journey through life in this broken down world has two (either/or) paths on which to choose to travel.   Either we can be chased by a nightmare, or we can be chasing a dream.   The decision is individually each of ours to make.

     Christ, too, while on earth and travelling through the human journey God the Father assigned Him, had this same choice.   Was Christ being chased by the nightmare of crucifixion, or was He chasing the dream of eternally redeeming you and me?   I believe the latter.

     The real question is do we, each and every one of us, feel chased by the nightmare of our trials and tribulations; or do we see chasing our dreams as the weapon to defeat our nightmares.   Additionally and of utmost significance, yet often totally overlooked, is the realization that our nightmares lack the power of our dreams.   Tragically, our fear of our nightmares keeps us from the power of our dreams.   Let me illuminate this by shining light on one well documented example most, if not all, of our lives has, at least distantly, viewed.   I refer to the nightmare of cancer.

     A mother or father is battling the cancer nightmare while planning his/her daughter’s wedding.   Highly skilled physicians state that the stage four cancer nightmare, in all probability, will end the parent’s human journey before the reality of the dream of seeing/walking their daughter down the church aisle.   But Mom or Dad defy the nightmare taking over.   Their prayer, focus and direction comes from refusing to abandon the chase for their dream.   The dream not only carries them, it delivers them to its fruition.

     I ask again.   What powers your journey through earthly life?   Are you being chased by your nightmares, or are you chasing your dreams?

     Since childhood, the image of Jesus bent over a rock and praying with droplets of blood trickling from his sweaty being, profoundly touches me.   The Garden of Gethsemane might have been its geographic setting, but its purpose now settles deep within my faith.   As a young girl, I wondered how Jesus ever mastered the ability to endure excruciating physical death so I (and you) could eternally live.   With age, and God growing my wisdom, I understood.   It was not because Jesus mastered the ability but rather that Christ never doubted the ability of His Master, God His Father.   From then on, the stone upon which Jesus’s body collapsed, and prayed, was viewed by me as a focal point.

     Let’s define focal point.   “The focal point of a lens or mirror is the point in space where parallel light rays meet after passing through the lens or bouncing off the mirror.   A ‘perfect’ lens or mirror would send all light rays through one focal point, which would result in the clearest image.” (Definition: Focal Point – Amazing Space)

     Indeed, my clearest image came from the rock becoming a focal point.   I must also admit, I shook my head that it had taken so long for me to perceive this imagery of the Gethsemane rock.    Christ, when most agonizing over His impending crucifixion, collapsed His human body upon the only rock foundation that the weight of His greatest worldly tribulation would not crumble.   Jesus clung to God His Father, His rock and fortress.   Christ understood God the Father (and He and He alone) could carry Him through even the fiercest of storms.   “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2 (ESV)

     Collapsing on the Rock – for Christ, it was the first and only way.   How sadly we humans often accept this only as a last resort.  

     God did not create us to be humanly strong.   He created us to place our human weaknesses into the hands of His divine strength.   The power to withstand, overcome and resurrect comes not from human force but from God as our source.  

     How many times do we try, with our own strength, to determine our steps and defeat our trials and tribulations?   Only after we are broken, do we place our pieces into God’s hands.   Again, God is not our first response but our last defense.   God can, and does, put our pieces back together; but He so longs for us to, instinctively and immediately, collapse on Him, our rock, and allow His (and His alone) strength to bring peace to all our worldly battles.  

     As our lives are besieged with one battle after the other, one question we should ponder.   How did Christ receive the strength needed to fulfill His battle for our redemption?   He collapsed on His rock – the strength of God His Father.   In the hours of our greatest needs, should we not do the same?   “Be to me a rock of refuge, to which I may continually come; You have given the command to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress.”  Psalm 71:3 (ESV)