Roses

Yesterday I spent some time weeding a landscape bed in my front yard.  What I discovered was an enemy unseen and a whispered reminder from God’s Word.

Several rose bushes I had planted produced some beautiful early spring roses. But, hidden under that beauty was one rose bush that had died and next to it a crazy-strong grassy weed.  Maybe that weed had strangled that poor rose bush hidden under the umbrella of all the roses from the surrounding bushes.  So, I dug out the weed and then managed to dig out the dead thorny bush.  Shovels, leather gloves, dirt, thorns, sun, scratches, blood, tugs and sweat  ---- a struggle to fight an enemy, cut out the casualty and protect the hope of future beauty.

A sure example of how sin and neglect of my relationship with God can strangle me and threaten the beauty in my life – my loved ones, our blessings, our joy. Thorns can protect from some enemies but our enemy is crafty.  If he cannot suck the life and beauty from us one way, he will find another, underground perhaps, sending his demons to attack from all sides.  Is this the “slippery slope” that often describes the sin that is so close and can be so devastating?

This moring I was guided down a pathway through morning devotion to this verse.

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.”  2 Chronicles 7:13-16

This was God’s promise to Solomon after he built the temple of the Lord.  But now I am His temple, and He wants His name to be on me. This is His promise to me.  He has chosen me but will I do my part? What does He expect of me?  When I am sick, when I am thirsty, in need of sustenance (physical or spiritual), when I feel attacked - STOP. I need to humble myself, pray, SEEK God, and stop sinning.  If I do this, God will hear me (he stopped listening before this?), forgive my sins and heal my situation (my land? – my living situation, my financial means, job, home, physical body).  v15 – When we are humble, praying and not sinning; God will be attentive to our prayers.  God does this for us so that His name will be on us (glorified?), and He will always see, hear and love us. (v16)

This sounds to me like a conditional promise.  I must live a certain way (humbly, praying, seeking God, turning from sin) and then He will listen.  I cannot embrace other Gods (2 Chronicles 7:22).  This isn’t about salvation; He’s already saved me.  This is about whether I will choose to live a life in obedience to Him, recognized and heard by him, or choose to continue in sin and risk a life of suffering.  Will I let the weeds strangle out life’s beauty, my blessings, my joy?

Lord, help me to recognize the sin in my life.  Help me to be humble.  I want your face.  I want you to hear me when I pray.  Help me to pray.  I want your heart. Amen

A Half Marathon

This past Sunday, 18 months after his cancer diagnosis, my husband ran a half marathon, 13.1 miles.  Last fall as he was completing his treatments and surgeries, Mark made an agreement with several friends to run the Oklahoma City Memorial (half) Marathon.  Our good friends from the Marine Corps traveled from Pennsylvania to join him (a Marine never leaves his brother’s side – Semper Fi), and he ran with many colleagues from work (Christ’s Body who laid hands on my husband and prayed him through every step of his treatment and recovery).  Loved ones that had prayed him through cancer now prayed for endurance and strength through 13.1 miles.  This was a celebration of life and healing recognizing that only God's grace has brought Mark to this place of renewed health and ability.  

Mark’s training had been disciplined but not as he had hoped.  The 6am runs weren’t always doable as planned.  Unexpected fatigue, late nights coaching little league, weekend tournaments, or bedtime lingering to answer questions about feelings and thoughts of changes to come often bumped the marathon training goals. Everyday life pushed away personal plans in exchange for God’s plans - relationship priorities. 

Thus, Mark had never actually run the distance he would tackle in the half marathon on that rainy Sunday morning.  But as He always does, God took over.  Experienced runners brought race-day techniques; encouragers served pasta for last minute energy; and loved ones prayed.  God allowed an opportunity for Mark to see His strength fill in all the training gaps.  Mark humbly entered the race with confidence not in his own power but the promise that God has spoken to him all though his journey.  “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 2:9

The untested final five miles were met with a spirit of adventure and uncertainty.  What would God make of this last stretch?  Mark recounted this time to me with the tear-filled eyes of emotion that I hadn’t seen in 18 month.  But this time it wasn’t the pre-battle emotions of the unknown as he prepared to endure the medical battle.  I heard about God’s severe mercy as Mark saw a glimpse of God’s glory and felt his power through sweat, pain, blood, and rain.  As Mark saw the finish line ahead, pain gripped his calves, rain poured upon him, and he felt the freedom and power of God’s grace and sufficiency.  It was just a glimpse of God’s glory.

Thank you Lord for showing Your glory, sharing Your power and giving us undeserved mercies.  Thank you for rejoicing with us!  Amen

“Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! 
Shout in triumph, O Israel! 
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, 
O daughter of Jerusalem! 
The LORD has taken away His judgments against you, 
He has cleared away your enemies. [Cancer!] 
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; 
You will fear disaster no more.  In that day it will be said to Jerusalem: 
’Do not be afraid, O Zion; 
Do not let your hands fall limp.  The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. 
He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”  Zephaniah 3:14-17