Unveiling Hope

The Calm in the Storm

 I’ve been going through some memories – searching for times when strength and peace seemed to come with much more ease.  It those “remember when” moments that a person’s faith is strengthened by the courage that carried them once upon a time.

In less than one month, I'll be back in this very place. The calmest and most relaxing moments of my trip to Israel last year was a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The water was calm; the weather was warm and sunny – a perfect day. I began thinking about the night the disciples were on the boat and a storm began. Jesus – walking on the water – came to their rescue. Peter however mustered all the courage he could and took a step in faith.

When the skipper stopped the boat I began looking out upon the water. I wondered, if a storm kicked up right this minute, would I step out? Would I be brave enough not to take my eyes off him – even for a second?

He gave me a revelation on the Sea. He showed me that I don’t have to be on the Sea of Galilee to walk on water during a storm. Life is filled with opportunities to practice. When the winds of life are blowing and the waters grow rough, I know what I need to do. Today, I may take only a few steps, but I know that during the next storm, I’ll take a few more, and a few more the storm after that as I learn to focus on the Calm in the storm.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own,” Matt. 6:34.

No Magic Potions

I’ve never met a satisfied believer and I hope I never do. I’ve never heard a believer say, “I’ve had enough. We’re good. I’m completely happy with the level of intimacy I enjoy with the Lord.”

Jesus said all the law and prophets hinged on His two greatest commandments. God is love and there is nothing more important to Him than love. He is all about entering into and maintaining intimate relationships; His ten commandments are evidence of this. The first four commandments concern our relationship with Him and the last six involve how He wants us to relate to each other. It’s altogether uncomplicated. He wants us to get life right.

I’m not one for making generalized statements about any given group of people but in this case I’m going to make an exception. I find far too many people, myself included, make being in relationships complicated particularly relationships with God.

He made it so easy for us. He gave us His Spirit and His Word yet so often we participate in conversations, and read book after book, in order to determine how best to relate with Him, how to take our relationship with Him to the next level. The truth is, there is no magical potion or formula, He’s been upfront on what to do and how to do it.

Jesus made that way for us; He is The Way. The Spirit of God is our Helper and there is nothing He wants more than to guide us in this most important and excellent endeavour. There is only one thing that we can do to grow in our intimacy with Him: “draw near to God and He will draw near to you,” James 4:8. All we have to do is want it.

He’s already done His part, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness,” Jer. 31:3.

This is how we draw near to Him:

·         Read His Word

·         Study His Word

·         Speak His Word

·         Meditate on His Word

·         Behave in accordance with His Word

He said it, not me. “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful,” Joshua 1:8.

Be unsatisfied and love it.

Girl's Treasure or God's Treasured?

I was speaking to a friend recently, trying to get to the root of an issue, when suddenly I remarked, “Not this again!” You would think after all the work that God has been doing in my life to remove the root of pride that, by now, there’d be nothing left! Sadly, there seems to be no short supply.

In my BC days, it seemed that I spent most of my waking moments trying to polish myself up for the world. It wasn’t because I was extraordinary in any way or form. In fact, I was quite the opposite. I was very insecure, filled with anger, and so brimming over with false pride to cover it all up that I kept a constant buffing vigil to make sure people wouldn’t see that it was only my surface that sparkled.

When I became a Christian, I was sure that my transformation would be spectacular, something for the world to see. I’ve watched God carefully chisel away at many of my facets. I believe I secretly expected that one fine day, He’d be done and I would be a precious gem, perfectly cut, and flawlessly displayed on His finger, at just the right spot, for His Light to shine through. Yes indeed! I’d be so filled with Light that I would just bedazzle the whole world with my glory – er – I mean His glory. Okay, I meant my glory. OY! Not this again!

A diamond is the hardest natural substance known to man. What people get often forget is that a diamond was diamond before it fell into the hands of a diamond cutter. Sure, who would want to wear a chunk of uncut diamond around town? That, my friends, may be the point. I think that’s the very part of the diamond that God prefers. God doesn’t need shiny and sparkly to know that there is value to a gem. We’re all gems to Him. I have spent so much time, since giving my heart to Christ, trying to be a gem that I forgot that anything I make has no intrinsic value. And, anything I make – I take credit for. I can polish myself up until I cause blindness, but I’ll never be as precious in any one else’s eyes but His – just the way I am – the Hope diamond – cut by the Master for the Master.

I see value in the natural; if it twinkles in the light, it’s got to be real. God sees precious in an entirely perfect way. If it twinkles in the Light, His Son must be in there somewhere. I believe God is taking me from the journey of worldly clarity and cut and making me a cut above in His eyes, not mine, and certainly not anyone else’s, lest I boast, which I do.

“God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification and redemption,” 1 Cor. 1:28-30.

Diamonds may be a girl’s treasure, but a diamond in the rough is God’s treasured.

Trying Too Hard

If you’re anything like me the struggle to live in balance is like sitting on a teeter-totter at the exact moment that your friend leaps off. The most often heard words for the first 15 years of my life were “you’re not trying hard enough!”

I always wondered, and still do, if you are trying is it possible to try harder? Is it a question of quantification? Can a person try harder than their best? If you try less than your best, are you even trying? Is it any wonder that people get stressed out in life?

At the beginning of my relationship with the Lord there was a great sigh of relief in my life. I think for the first time I can remember I actually felt relaxed. I felt accepted. I felt loved. I felt as if I was enough, but wasn’t limited to remaining as I was. I just was – no need to try – I just was.

It only took a few years however for me to realize that, occasionally, I find myself straining under the pressure of being, striving, and achieving to be better than . . . well – better than that – whatever that is. It’s in these times – when the vein in my forehead starts to pop – that I hear the Lord whispering to my spirit, “Don’t try so hard.” I like that. Are you trying too hard?

“Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” Matthew 11: 28-30.

Guilt, Fear and Promises

My grandmother was a wonderful, God fearing woman. I lived with her for some time. She was the only person in my life who told me that she loved me and nothing would ever change that. When my parents weren’t around she would take me to church – something they would have never approved of. She had significant influence over my life and my beliefs.

Every morning, Grandma would make herself a cup of tea and place two sugar covered mint leaves on the saucer beneath her cup. She had a tiny silver spoon that jingled as she stirred the milk into her tea. She’d take a sip and give me one of the mint leaves. I loved that spoon. The only time she used it was in the morning when she sat with me. It was shiny and special. One morning I pilfered it and hid it inside a napkin and placed it under my pillow.

That night, Grandma was getting ready to tuck me in. I had been feeling guilty all day. I loved her so much but I really wanted that spoon – something to remind me of her when she wasn’t with me – it was like a little piece of her. I knew she was upstairs waiting to tuck me in and my fear that she had found the spoon under my pillow made me queasy. I didn’t want to disappoint the only person I was sure loved me. Gran sat on the side of my bed and pulled the covers back while I got in. She gave me a kiss on the forehead and began walking away. I couldn’t let her walk away but I was afraid to face her. “Grandma,” I called out as I took the spoon from under my pillow, “remember you said you’d always love me, no matter what? I took your spoon.” I stood on the promise she had made to love me no matter what and faced my fear because of my guilt.

Jacob had a similar experience. He had stolen his brother’s blessing, but Jacob didn’t hang around to face the music - he high-tailed it out of town. Years later he heard that Esau and his posse of 400 were on their way towards Jacob and his family. Guilt and fear abounded. Jacob sent his men ahead with a peace offering but the fear didn’t subside - the fear for himself and his family. So what did he do? He did what he knew best to do – he prayed. He prayed to God. He wrestled with Him until he was blessed and he stood on the promises God had made him. He walked behind God to meet his brother and was met with an embrace.

Not everyone we’ve hurt will embrace us when our paths cross; reconciliation does not always bring about restoration, but one thing is sure, if we ask Him, God will go before us. We can always stand on the promises of God.

Warrior Power

The Word of God spoke creation into being (Gen. 1:3 – “And God said ...”). This particular use of “word” comes from the Greek “logos” which means a living voice has called forth or decreed something.

John 1:3 reads: “All things were created through Him (through the Word).” That is to say that Jesus – the Word – birthed life.

Hebrews 4:12 describes the Word of God as “living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

Words have power – our words have power. Many of us often feel as if there is little, if anything, we can do to change the world, but there is. The power of prayer is the greatest and most powerful gift God has given us by His Mighty Spirit.

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective,” James 5:16.

The Calling

We were walking together, holding hands as we often do. She was singing for me as if I was her King and she was my maiden. We came upon a fork in the road. The left side was a wide, dirt road. Alongside the road was a green pasture. The cows were grazing on the countless daisies beneath the warmth of the sun. It was inviting.

She looked to the right. The weeds and moss were overgrowing on the old stone road. Trees lined both sides of the road for what appeared to be miles; their foliage formed an arch over the thoroughfare almost giving the appearance of a labyrinth. The way was narrow and dark; it was almost foreboding, but she – she saw brief glimpses of light shining through to illuminate the way. She always looks for the light wherever she is.

I was almost certain she’d choose to go left. I felt her grip tighten when she’d look to the other side. I listened to her breathe deeply and watched her bite her bottom lip – the way she always does when she has a big decision to make. The wide path or the narrow; the sunny and bright, or the dark and dim. “Can’t live with regret,” she’d always say. “Did you hear that,” she asked? “Hear what?”

She closed her eyes and said, “Listen,” they all sing a different song but together they sound like a symphony.” The leaves of the trees were rustling. “It’s an invitation,” she said, “they’re calling me.” She looked at me with that child-like grin. Her eyes opened wide as she tugged on my hand, raising her brows as if to ask if it was the right way to go. I nodded. She tugged my hand and took the narrow path. I could see that she was eager to answer the calling.

We walked forward. I was proud that my little girl chose the road less travelled. I was glad that she brought me along. It hadn’t always been that way. I surely thought I had lost her that summer she went off on her own to experience life. She was so young. They stole her innocence. I hope against hope that she’d return to me. Every day I wondered if she’d come home so I could restore what they took from her...and here we were – walking together down the straight and narrow path. Was she afraid? Yes – a little – but not enough to keep her from moving forward. You see, she let me be her strength. She depended on me for direction. Sometimes she’d walk ahead of me, but never too far and never without making sure I was close by.

I love her spirit of adventure. I love how she longs to love me the way I love her – deeply, purely, unconditionally. I love that she tries so hard to love herself as she is but that she’s never satisfied with staying that way. I love that her greatest desire is to please me. I love my little girl.

I love my little girl.

In Transition

I have a friend who likes to mountain climb. She finds it exhilarating. She stands at the bottom and sees nothing but a challenge before her. The fact that it is physically strenuous is just a bonus for her. She says she does her best thinking when she’s climbing. I do my best thinking when I’m walking, on flat ground.

Before I gave my heart to the Lord, the smallest thing in my life could seem like a mountain, or a valley, more like a perpetual series of mountains and valleys; you can just imagine what the crises seemed like. There never seemed to be that nice stretch of in between – you know what I mean – the “I’m neither elated or deflated” feeling. I often longed for that somewhere-in-the-middle kind of life. Seeing something positive in a struggle was neither something I aspired to nor something that ever occurred. I always seemed to be in-transition.

More than once, I’ve heard people say, “God may take you over a mountain, around a mountain, or through the mountain, but whatever He chooses – He’ll be there with you.” Transition is an event – a journey – in which a transformation is meant to occur. We can drag our heels or look at the journey as a quest or challenge and meet it head on. Whatever that journey may be, whether over a mountain or through a valley, the peace of the Lord can be found; it’s there for the taking.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid,” John 14:27.