Well I sit here to write without a solid thought in my mind. I hurt my back this weekend and have not been in this much pain in a long time. It hurts to sit, hurts to stand, hurts when I lie down. I'm feeling weak and a bit useless. It's also election day. What a brutal campaign season this has been. It's been worse than watching a UFC match, at least they have some rules. This has been painful to watch and has stirred up so much anger and dissent it is hard to imagine a healed cohesive country again. I just want to sit here and cry; for the physical pain I'm in, for the fear and uncertainty in my heart, for the anguish that I am feeling for our country. I feel hurt and lost and alone.
But then I look up and my cat has jumped up on the bed. She tries to crawl on my lap as I am writing this. I tell her give me some time, I'm a bit busy. She gives a meow and then sprawls on my legs behind my laptop and just sits. And waits. And gives a little meow once in awhile to let me know she is there. She rests in knowing that even though I am busy, I am here. I give her a little scratch between the ears every so often and she is content.
I am that cat and the world and it's issues are the laptop. I need the Lord's attention but with all that is going on around me, I sometimes feel alone and isolated. Where I can only juggle a couple things at a time, He can and does hold all things, knows all things and sees all things. And while Minx sits on my legs and rests, she has no idea of the turmoil I am in, that the world is in; she just rests knowing that I am here and that is enough.
Jesus dealt with this when He told His disciples what was to come in the days before His arrest and crucifixion. They were afraid and angry and confused. He tells them in John 16:33, "I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (The Message) He was telling them that they had not even seen the worst of it yet, but to rest in the knowledge that He had given them, to rest in the relationship they had with Him. And that also, when He left that there would be another to come be with them. The Holy Spirit would come. “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught," John 14: 26-27 (The Message).
Peace. Peace in the midst of the the turmoil. Peace and rest while the world seems to by flying apart. Peace in the middle of our pain and uncertainty. Peace resting in the Father's lap. Minx doesn't stress, she rests. She isn't wringing her little paws because I haven't stopped typing, she is assured because of her proximity to me. She knows I am here, therefore everything has to be ok. I am here, what is there to be anxious about. She is near to me and that is enough.
That is my lesson for today. No matter the pain, no matter the chaos, if I am near to Him, that is enough. It doesn't matter how I feel, if I crawl up onto His lap I can rest. It is all about proximity.
So for today please don't stress. Remember Who is in control and remember that He is always near, He has promised us that.
Joshua 1:9 ESV “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do
not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Isaiah 41:10 ESV “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you,
I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord
your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Matthew 28:20 ESV “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with
you always, to the end of the age.”
Romans 8:38-39 ESV “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matthew 6:25-34 ESV “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what
you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious
can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. …”
But then I look up and my cat has jumped up on the bed. She tries to crawl on my lap as I am writing this. I tell her give me some time, I'm a bit busy. She gives a meow and then sprawls on my legs behind my laptop and just sits. And waits. And gives a little meow once in awhile to let me know she is there. She rests in knowing that even though I am busy, I am here. I give her a little scratch between the ears every so often and she is content.
I am that cat and the world and it's issues are the laptop. I need the Lord's attention but with all that is going on around me, I sometimes feel alone and isolated. Where I can only juggle a couple things at a time, He can and does hold all things, knows all things and sees all things. And while Minx sits on my legs and rests, she has no idea of the turmoil I am in, that the world is in; she just rests knowing that I am here and that is enough.
Jesus dealt with this when He told His disciples what was to come in the days before His arrest and crucifixion. They were afraid and angry and confused. He tells them in John 16:33, "I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” (The Message) He was telling them that they had not even seen the worst of it yet, but to rest in the knowledge that He had given them, to rest in the relationship they had with Him. And that also, when He left that there would be another to come be with them. The Holy Spirit would come. “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught," John 14: 26-27 (The Message).
Peace. Peace in the midst of the the turmoil. Peace and rest while the world seems to by flying apart. Peace in the middle of our pain and uncertainty. Peace resting in the Father's lap. Minx doesn't stress, she rests. She isn't wringing her little paws because I haven't stopped typing, she is assured because of her proximity to me. She knows I am here, therefore everything has to be ok. I am here, what is there to be anxious about. She is near to me and that is enough.
That is my lesson for today. No matter the pain, no matter the chaos, if I am near to Him, that is enough. It doesn't matter how I feel, if I crawl up onto His lap I can rest. It is all about proximity.
So for today please don't stress. Remember Who is in control and remember that He is always near, He has promised us that.
Joshua 1:9 ESV “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do
not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Isaiah 41:10 ESV “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you,
I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord
your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”
Matthew 28:20 ESV “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with
you always, to the end of the age.”
Romans 8:38-39 ESV “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Matthew 6:25-34 ESV “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what
you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more
than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your
heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious
can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of
the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not
arrayed like one of these. …”