Sunday afternoons were times of required reading when I was a child; the stories of church history and martyrs and Christian biographies shaped me. As I get older, I’m realizing how vital it is to have a cloud of witnesses in mind as we follow the Lord.
The life of a Christian is one where steadfastness needed, isn’t it? An immovableness, or perhaps we should just say “the stubbornness of faith” that moves us to press forward in joy with unfulfilled desires and perplexing circumstances.
Early this morning as I was brewing the coffee and opening my computer, a picture from six years ago appeared in my photo memories. It’s Calvin, standing strong, eyes wide, a look of complete satisfaction on his face as he stood on his feet and lifted his head up.
It makes me smile just seeing that joy of accomplishment on Calvin’s face. Truth is, we’re not in the same place as we were six years ago.
While the house was still quiet and the coffee still brewing, I crawled in bed next to Calvin. I tried to straighten his back, suctioned secretions that he was choking on, and then reached over to hug him. His arms were stiff and unable to bend so I just rested them on my shoulders. I kissed his cheek and his mouth turned to find me. The joy in the picture above, still there. Strong. But the body weaker.
And so the ache.
And at the same time, whatever the aches in our lives are, this is where we have the greatest opportunity to realize the preciousness of the hope God calls us to.
Not a sort of sentimental wishing or flowering words, but the staking of our lives on the promises of God. The hope he offers us is a Person — Jesus Christ: the one who redeems us and providentially owns our losses, carries us in them, and is working through them to make us more like him.
It is a life of intentional centering our lives on the promises of God — prisoners of hope. It is a life of realizing our losses do not make us victims, but simply pull us closer to the one who makes us more than conquerors in Him. And that brings great joy and steadfastness.
A Prayer of Pressing On
We are here in the middle of broken glories; perhaps -
the relationship strained
the dreams altered
the loss felt
the shame realized
It is here, like the tired weary travellers on the borders of the promised land, that we’re tempted to look back and orient our lives around the hard things.
We look to you, our Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer, to remind us Your perfect character, presence, and promises — fully offered to us in Jesus Christ. Re-orient our lives around Him. Keep us from being paralyzed by fear, grief, and discouragment; give us instead a momentum of joy and a renewed pressing forward into Your promises.
Let Your Word be our Pillar of Light, that guides us by day. Let Your Spirit be the warmth and comfort that guides us in the Night.
Give us humility to let go of our claims, and faith and thanksgiving that You have claimed us. May we realize Your perfect power, glory, goodness, wisdom, and grace as we take small hesitant steps. Increase our faith.
Quotables
“Christian joy has a close connection with safety, for it implies unswerving faith, and, more than that, the presence of Christ.” (Pulpit Commentary)
“Whatsoever we are doing in business, in the shop, at a study table, in the kitchen, in the nursery, by the road, in the house, we may still have the supreme aim in view, that from all occupations there may come growth in character and in likeness to Jesus Christ.
Let sorrow and joy, and trade and profession, and study and business, and house and wife and children, and all home joys, be the means by which you may become like the Master who has died for this end, that we may become partakers of His holiness.” (MacLaren Expositions)
Dinner Plans
We’ve had a week of cooler temperatures and lots of rain this week in Michigan. My garden is loving it! There’s nothing like a hot dish of Pad Thai that feels homey and delicious on a cooler rainy day.
This is my go-to recipe for Pad Thai.
Summer plans: Strawberry picking, visits to Kool Kone, remodeling our basement, preaching (Darryl!), hoping to visit Oma and Opa, working on new projects, dinners with friends, campfires on the patio, new summer jobs for the older kids, drivers training, Lake Michigan, and with so kids at home - lots of cooking and cleaning on repeat. :) How about you?
Much Love,
Kara