Always There

I love the stories of the Bible. I grew up on them yet am always amazed by how they can continue to speak to me and teach me deeper things.

One such story is that of Jacob in the Old Testament. I was recently reading again the account of the dream that he had – the “Jacob’s Ladder” story (Gen 28:10-22).

Jacob was en-route to his uncle’s place out of necessity. He had deceived his father and his brother and was in a very real sense running for his life. As he lay down to sleep one night he had a dream of a stairway reaching from earth to heaven with angels ascending and descending. In the dream, God spoke to Jacob with a promise of blessing and a promise of presence.

On awakening, Jacob makes this statement: “Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware of it.” (vs16)

To be where God is present and to be unaware…seems sad, even tragic…and yet…

I’ve been there. Have you? Those times when the “Where were you God?” and “Where are you God?” questions fall so easily from our lips and we doubt or forget that He is present.

At this point in scripture, God is not yet described as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but rather as the God of Abraham and Isaac. Jacob had a long road ahead of him, a journey to discover for himself the faithfulness of God.

Many years later, David asked “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psa 139:7) In the following verses he answered his own question. Nowhere. There isn’t a place to flee from his presence.

We turn to the New Testament and read these words:  “I am with you always...” (Matt 28:20b)

Then there is also the reminder that on his return to heaven, Jesus would send Holy Spirit to be present with us. Always with us. (John 14)

These are truths to know and to cling to because the reality is that although God is always present, always with me, I will not always feel it. Sometimes God is silent. Sometimes I am not paying attention.

When those times come, I need to trust in the truth of God’s Word and the faithfulness of his promise…in the faithfulness of God himself.

Immanuel…God with us…this is not just a poetic line for reciting at Christmas time. It is truth…enduring, unchanging and real. A truth that I can know and stand firm in when what I see obscures it and when what I feel denies it.

Jacob, while on a journey that would lead to the God of his father and grandfather becoming the God that he would not let go, discovered that God was indeed with him.

Where are you on that journey? Be assured that even if God is present and you do not know it, he is present. Like Jacob, don’t let go.

Ruth U 

Personal Challenge

I should probably make an admission right from the beginning of this writing. This one is personal.

Secondly, while this also may seem to be targeted to the folks in my age bracket (north of 50!), I don’t think it is exclusive so please keep reading.

In recent years my family has faced some losses. Not dramatic, really, but more just the stuff of life, the regular ebb and flow. My mom, my in-laws and just recently a very special aunt have all gone Home.

There is the usual grieving – if indeed there is such a thing…and the memories that bring both smiles and tears.

Something else came to mind this week though. Actually it was more like receiving a blow…it hit me hard.

With these losses, I and my family and my extended family have lost a significant portion of our regular prayer covering.

With that initial realization, I felt I could hardly catch my breath. I wrestled with the implications of that and my sense of loss deepened.

Then came the challenge:” Are you going to pick that mantle up?”

Immediately I am plagued with self doubt and questions.

I am not capable. What if I forget?

What if I am not faithful?

I am not nearly “spiritual” enough (whatever that means!)

But then a gentle rebuke: “I didn’t ask you if you are good enough or if you will never fail…I asked you if you would pick this up.”

Though of course the ‘right’ answer is yes, I continue to be challenged by these thoughts…am I going to pick it up?

I write this then to share this challenge particularly with those of my generation…we who are quickly heading towards being the older folks. Parent and grandparents are gone. We are becoming that generation. Whether we try to hide our age and defy the aging process at every turn, it is happening anyway. What are we going to do with that?

As the saints who we have come to depend on for our prayer support pass on to their reward, are we going to step into the gap for the next generation?

This does not mean that you are being relegated to the rocking chair! This is not a sidelines kind of thing. This is frontline, fight the battles kind of stuff.

We are told repeatedly in scripture to pray…for one another (Eph 6:18)…to carry each other’s burdens (Gal 6:2)…to pray unceasingly (1Thes 5:17).

Are you up for the challenge…for your children, grandchildren and extended family…for those younger than yourself in your church…for those younger than yourself in your community and outside your church doors?

Are you willing to support in this way the young “Joshua’s” among us who are being prepared and called to finish what our generation has not?

Are you willing to provide the prayer covering for those who are being called to very different, very difficult, even dangerous places and things?

Am I?

Ruth U

Lightness

We are starting up the weekly blog postings after having taken a break over the summer. As we get back into our fall routines, I trust this blog will be an encouragement, a blessing and even a challenging nudge to draw closer to our Heavenly Father.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 HCSB

Jo-Ann P

The following blog post is part two from Arlene's June 26th post.

In my last post, I wrote about our dark hours, and how God meets us there. http://bit.ly/YA2pFt The dark hours have gifts to give, if we are receptive and open. I have certainly learned much about God’s grace, patience, and compassionate kindness in my darkest times.

But then, there are moments of incredible lightness, too.

From time to time, without any warning… we are graced with moments that make us almost ache from their unbearable sweetness. When, just for a second, we are not looking forward or backward but actually breathing in the gift of this present moment…

Out of nowhere comes oxygen. A spacious breath of freshness and life. The tiniest whiff of spring after a long, frigid winter.

For a moment, I feel seen. Visible. Found. 

Moments when without a doubt we know that we belong. I am embraced. I am pursued.

Moments when we are fully present in our healing. The past is not my curse. I am not a victim. I am a new creation. And I know this with every fiber of my being.

Moments when there are no comparisons, no competition, no expectations. I am exactly who and where and what I am supposed to be. I am defined by who I am as a child of Creator God, and nothing and no one else.

There were moments after my son was born that felt electric with this lightness. I breathed “thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you” with every healthy wail, every touch of warm baby skin, every squeeze of tiny fingers. I stood in my kitchen, bathing my wrinkled newborn in the sink with tears rolling down my face and my heart exploding. 

The Giver of every good gift grants these surprising instants that shock us into being fully present in this rich, sweet life right this very second.

In both the bitter darkness and the exquisite lightness, God meets us.

Both our darkest hours and lightest moments are saturated with promise. The comforting promise that this dark hour is not the end of the story, that there are better things ahead…

And this sweet delicious moment, this is a promise, too. This flickering instant is a whisper… This is what we have to look forward to. There are even better things ahead.

Arlene M