Upheld by His Hand

Upheld Playing In The Snow
Posted by Linda Jo on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 4:37pm
Winter hit us this past week. It really arrived after all. I thought it might be a mild winter, but the temperature dropped and the white stuff did, too. After work, I had to clear off the car before I could even go home and spend every evening shoveling my driveway. Not my ideal way to spend the evening after working all day. Not at all. This really cuts into my time! Though I don’t plan to shovel tonight, it’s snowing as I write this. And I appreciate the snow crews clearing off the streets – a bunch – but it makes the berm at the end of my driveway another chore. Ok, now that’s off my chest! The snow is truly beautiful. I always say no one paints like God. In any season. This one has frosted tip evergreen trees, and the hills across from my house are lovely with the varying shades of white to gray. A trail of turkey tracks cuts through my lawn. They have the funniest 3-prong shaped feet. Now I know where they go in the neighborhood. I can see where the deer lay at night. I used to go out and play in the snow. That was before I became a responsible adult. I built snowmen, forts, had snowball fights with other kids, we sledded down the hills. I can even remember shoveling snow off the roof of the family home and then jumping into the snow piles, just to climb up and do it again. Now I just shovel. Although a couple years ago, I considered doing the roof sliding thing. Funny, as an adult, you consider breaking limbs. Hmm. Maybe I’ll try snowshoeing this year. As I lamented the extra work that snow brings, I wondered why we can’t just be like Peter Pan and live in a child’s world always. What a fantasy. Mr. Barrie had it right. I do believe Jesus said something about that. As adults, maybe we carry too many burdens. Jesus said His burden is light and we can share with Him. I wonder if living in the child’s world is a little of what Jesus had in mind for us when he said that if don’t have faith like little children, we can’t enter the Kingdom of God? He also invited us to come to Him as children, trusting, loving, following, expecting Him to have our best interests at heart. Do we? “’Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the Kingdom of God. Assuredly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them” Mark 10:14-16.
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Upheld In Mounting and Soaring
Posted by Linda Jo on Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 4:23pm
God invites us to fly with Him, but sometimes, before we can fly, we must overcome. Isaiah 40 is most often cited when talking about eagles. It says our strength will be renewed and we will mount up with wings like eagles. When referring to that verse, I think most people mean that freedom comes from being mounted up with wings. But, from what I understand, a mounted eagle has positioned himself and stiffened his wings so they will not move in the face of up or down drafts from wind currents during storms. This majestic bird then “weathers the storm” and when it has passed, he spreads his wings and soars in the sun. The joy in the soaring comes from having been through the deluge. The storms come. We have no say about that. We live in a turbulent world. This is the way it will be until we leave this world. But while we are here, even in the squalls, we are given great opportunities for joy. Our God has given us the means to mount our wings during the gales. He continues to invite us to fly with Him. He is always with us, even through the worst that we imagine could happen. He constantly reassures us that yes, this is the way. He begs us to trust Him to guide us. He promises that if we will mount and wait through the storm, then once again we will soar with Him in the sun. “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles…” Isaiah 40:31a,b.
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Upheld In Flying
Posted by Linda Jo on Sunday, January 8, 2012 at 2:53pm
The longing to soar is sown into the fabric of man’s (and woman’s) soul. A favorite song of mine was written years ago by singer Russ Taff and his wife, Tori. It begins while they stand and watch an eagle fly. They wanted to soar. Their song made me long to soar, too. Then, they wrote of the magic of a newborn: “The image of two” – infinite mystery. Where does life come from? The third verse has us reaching for the Eternal One. He reveals His creation to us. He has purpose for us. As the song says, life begins with Him and He made our spirits to glide on the wind with His. What does that feel like? He shows us His longing for us. He shows us His longing for us to want Him. Imagine that! Our Creator wants to be wanted by us and isn’t afraid to say so. Is there anything more humbling? He invites us to fly with Him. To be free in His Spirit—His gift to us. I’ve been hearing so much about the New Year, resolutions and all the rest of that. That’s to be expected at this time of the year. But we are invited at any time of the year to come to the One who holds freedom in His Hand. And He reaches out that scarred hand right in front of us. Everything we have ever longed for is right there. He invites us to fly with Him. What will we do? Before the throne of God are four living creatures. “… and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle” Revelation 4:7d.
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Upheld In Epiphany
Posted by Linda Jo on Sunday, January 1, 2012 at 5:48pm
“Ah ha! I’ve had an epiphany! I now know…” I have heard friends exclaim as they discovered a new idea or a solution to a problem. So what is an epiphany? A sudden revelation? Maybe it’s an idea that pops up into your head and then you know for sure this must be “it”? Maybe a new direction laid out for you after having searched for a time? I grew up honoring a day called Epiphany. And yes, it did have to do with a revelation. The Kings, or Wise Men and their entourage arrived after following a star to share gifts and homage to the newborn Christ Child. It didn’t happen at His birth. It happened some time later. I wonder how these important personages knew to come? Did they have an “epiphany” and so set out on this trip? If so, how did this come to their attention? I don’t know all these answers, but I have gleaned some interesting possibilities in my readings. Scholars have a greater understanding than I, but it seems to me that the Magi were the prophets or Wise Men of their day. The Hebrew prophet, Daniel, was captured and sent to Babylon eons ago. He lived his life there. He became part of the Magi of the Babylonian administration. He wrote things down when God talked to him. The Medes (who were part of the Persian/Iran Army and now populate places in Northern Iraq) conquered Babylon for Persia. Could it be that these men, the Magi from the East (where the Medes and Persians resided), had carefully studied Daniel’s writings passed down through their generations? Perhaps they studied astronomy and searched the writings diligently to be ready when the time came for the Savior King to arrive on earth. How much dedication and determination did it take for them to follow up on what they learned? What does it mean to us now? The Christ Child has come. He has fulfilled His earthly destiny and now left it up to us to accept His gift of eternal life. Will we have the same dedication and determination to search out what generations before us have yearned to share with us? “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him,’” Matthew 2:1,2. Christmas
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Upheld In Contrast
Posted by Linda Jo on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 at 5:58pm
It always amazes me how Christmas time brings such deep sorrows and great joys – and all at the same time. I just returned from visiting and “doing” Christmas in Arizona. Warm weather! Yes! We had a great time. We shopped, ate, looked at lights, opened the gifts we shopped for, watched movies and just shared life. A friend told me she saw Santa Claus everywhere, and so he was – even on a motorcycle ho-ho-hoing in the shopping mall parking lot. It occurred to me that Santa may be everywhere, but only God is omnisicient. It’s been one year now since my family said goodbye to one of our Grandpas, and stood aside as he went to heaven. We missed him this year, the empty chair is still there. Just a few hours before he left, we joyfully greeted a new little boy member of our family. This year, on Ben’s one year birthday, his brother Nathaniel was born. What great celebration for us! Yet, in my friend Kathy’s family, they said goodbye to their husband and father. This time, they stood aside as he went to heaven. My heart ached for them. Another friend faces a health threat. She had to go through Christmas recovering from surgery; not yet knowing her results. And all along at Christmas, we celebrate as our families get together, open gifts and eat turkey and goodies. The lights are beautiful and music and bells are ringing everywhere. Every year, the contrast feels so extreme. Yet the one unalterable fact is that Jesus came to this world to save us from our sins and an empty, painful eternity. The Baby grew up and our Savior fulfilled His Father’s plan. He is constant, loving, forgiving, ever present when we call upon Him. Hope abounds. “For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” Hebrews 7:19. Christmas
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