The Rock That Does Not Change

Change can be troubling.  It is like shifting sand.  Time and circumstance changes things we thought would never change.  For instance, friends can become like family - then as we journey through time and pass through the landscape of hills and valleys, they slowly fade from sight.  We switch our dependence on them to someone or something else.  The storms of life change things - indeed change US.  They strike indescriminantly in both the valleys and mountain-tops - often with little or no warning.  We are forced to look in different places to fulfill what once was not a need.

An example of this wound be the death of someone dear to you.  Or perhaps the rejection of someone who once loved you.  In such cases everything changes.  In such cases even our beliefs of who God really is can be challenged.  We may arrive at false conclusions or lose our bearings completely - not knowing which way to lean.  It's very painful to go through these winds of change - these storms of life.  It IS inevitable, however.  Ours is not a perfect world.

At one time it was - but those days are forever gone.  When sin entered the world, all of creation was cursed.  We were hopelessly bound to strive - to pursue life by the sweat of our brow and yet never quite reach fulfillment. 

What kind of God would leave us in such a hopeless condition?  Not a good God!  Not  OUR God!  In the midst of a changing world filled with changing people amidst changing values, we have a ROCK.  One that is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).  HE is my stability in the shifting sands of the desert of human allegiences, human understanding, human needs, human judgements and all other variables.

I rejoice with the Psalmist who writes, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies."   Psalm 18:2

And like the psalmist:  the next time the cords of death encompass me, and the torrents of ungodliness terrify me, or the cords of Sheol surround me, and the snares of death confront me - the next time I am stung by cruel words or rejected by a friend, or devoured by the ravages of disease - in my distress I will call upon the Lord and cry to Him for help - because His love and His kindness and mercy never change....

He is my ROCK.

Death to the Seed!

Have you ever planted a seed? Have you ever really looked at this tiny little thing? If you put it in some soil, it will sprout and 2 tiny little "leaves" grow atop the longer stem. The seed also sends down a root. There are scientific names for all of this but I have forgotten what they are. If all goes well, the sprout in time becomes a full grown plant, which will flower. It yields a crop of hopefully many fruits. I have to say, that from the seed's point of view, this isn't great. It must lay down it's life to exist in darkness (soil) and just wait for something to happen. It must have enough food (hope) stored inside the seed to sustain the beginning of the little life that has begun to grow. As it grows it reaches for the sun and as it absorbs the sunlight, a chemical process called photosynthesis starts. Without this there can be no growth or development. Have you ever thought of your life as a seed? You who have PD (or any other giant of a problem) may be feeling the darkness of your condition. You have felt a death to your pre-pd life. You may just be existing on the last flickers of hope for better days. But don't despair! Reach for the sun (Son), knowing that He can transform the old "you" into someone new. Without the breaking of the seed (breaking of the old you), there will be no going forth from death to birth (this means death of the old you). Without the darkness and waiting there will be no development - no transformation. And without the light that is God, there can be no bearing fruit. It's not always easy, is it? But take comfort in this: Life is not a series of random events. There is a Gardner. He has plans for the garden. And He tends each plant. His plan for you is LIFE! John 12:25 CJB: "He who loves his life loses it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it safe right on into eternal life!"

Pills or Not........

How do you feel about having to take meds? Do you feel guilt and shame for not being able to function without them? Shouldn't we be able to "overcome" our problems and successfully meet our challenges without aids and crutches? Do you think, "I have prayed for a miracle - I've prayed for healing and relief, but my dependence on these meds only increases as time goes by."? Well that's what I used to think. But I have come to realize that my meds are actually the answer to my prayers. Dependence is not the issue, because every day we are dependent upon Him for life and necessities and happiness. We just don't want to rely on those pills. Obviously, if the only way you can move is by taking your meds, then He is saying no to healing without them at this time. Miraculous healing may indeed come at a later time, but He has His reasons for saying no right now. And I think sometimes we must be worked on in time to become worthy of the good gifts He wants to give us. If you were suddenly and completely healed today, would you spend as much time with Him, or be as interested in obeying Him, or would your life be the witness that it is to the sufficiency of His grace? God is not mean and He does not withold good things from His children, but He also does not give His gifts indiscrimently and without preparation. Wouldn't that be like giving a child a loaded gun? The world desperatly needs to see living examples of real people living through the toughest storms that may come. God loves all people so much that He is willing to let you suffer (like His Son) so that others might be saved. Our distress is momentary compared to the glories He has lovingly prepared for all who will come to Him.

Worries

I often fret over what will happen tomorrow. What will the headlines be? What will the state of my health be? What will my family be facing and where will we be? Do I need to have an emergency plan or a route of escape, and if so, for what type of emergency and where would I go?
For the first time ever in my life I think these are legitimate questions. The world of yesterday is forever gone. There was a time when I didn't worry about "the worst" happening. But we watched as Haiti tried to dig out from a devastating earthquake and piece body and soul back together. We saw when Katrina raged through New Orleans like a crazed bull - leaving countless people without home or health. We wept as two commercial airliners slammed into the towers - and again as they fell.
Every day there are "smaller" tragedies leaving scars in our lives like notches on a belt.
But I STOP! I remember that God says not to worry about tomorrow. Each day has enough to worry about.
I am His and He is mine. Whatever tomorrow will bring, He will be there. He will not leave me to face tomorrow alone, He will take care of His children. He sees all, knows all, has all love, and is all powerful. He will make the sun rise, and His children will rejoice in every new day.
It's true - this world is diseased. Things have gone awry. It's not what it was intended to be any more than a body broken with Parkinson's Disease. But I have learned patience and I will see God who brings beauty from the ashes - heal and restore when the time is full.