Ready for the Steeplechase

Couple days ago I was reading Jeremiah 12 when I was struck in my heart by verse 5. It says, "If you have raced with men on foot, and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?" The gist of the verse is that if you can't handle the challenges in your life right now, how will you handle what's coming in the future which could be far difficult?

I think people assume life will get better. It has to get better, I hear often. It can't get any worse. But the honest truth is, it can. God never promised us a life free of challenges, hardship and suffering. He did promise us an abundantly full life. But our life isn't about achieving happiness. It's about glorifying the One True God. In everything we do and say, in every circumstance, we're to glorify Him. Job was a perfect archetype of this. After losing his children, livelihood and servants in one day, he said (Job 1:21b): "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord."

We are starting a new year. And when a new year starts, the tradition is to make bold resolutions to be better, make better choices, do better things, etc. But the reality is, it may not go that way. Not to be a Debbie-downer, but I believe God has us go through certain experiences in our lives so we are stronger and more able to handle what's next, no matter what it is. And it may be just to give us empathy, grace and a servant's heart for others going through similar circumstances.

I've played the video game Candy Crush for about five years. I'm on level 2384. And every single level is harder than the one before. I cannot tell you how many times I've said, "This is impossible," and then later defeat it. And I often wonder how easy those first hundreds of levels would be if I went back to play them. But the reality is with each difficult level, I get better. And it doesn't hurt that I have a few friends who play the game who are far ahead of me, thus I'm encouraged that I can beat each new level I tackle. Likewise I am encouraged by the cloud of witnesses who have gone before me in this journey called life.

A steeplechase is a horse race over obstacles like fences and bushes. Do you know why it's called a steeplechase? It's because the races, which originated in England, were between towns, over streams, stone walls, etc, running from church steeple to church steeple. The steeples were easy markers to see in each town through the countryside as the finish came closer. What a beautiful metaphor in this race track of life! Lots of obstacles in the way, but achievable when keeping our eyes focused on God!

I have no idea what 2019 holds. I pray it will be a blessed one filled with new adventures and joys. And I also pray, no matter what potential trials, changes and heart-breaking events come, that I will glorify the Father in them, and end up stronger, more determined, more forgiving and more compassionate than I was in 2018. I'm ready for the race.

Praise The Lord, O My Soul

Last Spring, I walked around Jasmine Gardens in Wetumpka admiring all the blooming flowers, especially the azaleas which were in peak season. I was so moved by the beauty and color around me, I began to sing the "Gloria Patri" out loud in honor of my awesome Creator Father who made them.

Today I had a similar experience. I was walking around the McWane Science Center in Birmingham. I started on the ground floor in their World of Water. I stared in awe at the pike fish bobbing up and down, the seahorses with their tails curled around coral, the 2-foot hammerhead shark that let me stroke the top of his slimy body as he swam by and the moon jellyfish glowing bioluminescently as they gently and gracefully floated in the water. Then checking out the 13-foot turtle dinosaur skeleton, I stepped back in "Are-you-kidding-me?!" astonishment. Pictures of the Milky Way Galaxy brought reverent awe of Him.

I didn't burst into song this time. Instead my praise came in the form of tears. I was overwhelmed thinking how amazing my God is! Walking around the center I learned my God is brilliant, creative, powerful, precious and oh so loving ... especially when you consider He did this all for us.

About this same time, a friend of mine was eating lunch in the Space Needle in Seattle. She shot a picture from the location commenting on God's majesty in the creation of the snow-topped Cascade Mountains in the distance, above the clouds. Oh, how wonderful He is!

Two of my favorite passages in Scripture describe our Creator God in ways that always cause me to inhale deeply in an effort to draw in His fullness. One is all of Psalm 104 when the author describes what our Lord has created: "How many are your works. O Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures" verse 24 says. The other is Job chapters 38-41 when God has his longest monologue in the Bible telling of all the things He has made. Like an epic movie at its climax, you can feel your heart beat faster and faster with each verse. Like Job, we cover our mouth and bow to the ground humbly.

Last Sunday morning, my Sunday School kids and I finally finished our "go through the entire Bible" study. It took us more than two years, but we did it. We ended the study with a look at Heaven as John describes it in Chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation with its walls and streets of gold, clear as glass, gemstone foundations and pearl gates. Wow, it's sparkly. I can hardly wait to see! No wonder the multitude sings "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almightly reigns! Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!" (Rev. 19:6-7)

The more I thought about the Science Center, the more I realized it was misnamed. Everything about that place proclaimed the glory of God. It should be called the Creator Center, cause truly each room is almost as if God is saying, "Wait till you see what I've made!" I bet it makes God smile when we take a minute to stop, look at what He's done and say, if even under our breath, "That is so cool!"

"Yeah, it is!" I'm sure He's thinking, "Just wait till you get here! You ain't seen nothin' yet." Our God is an awesome God.

I sing with those in Heaven in Rev. 4:11: "You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Thank you, Father.