2020 is winding down. In just a few weeks, we will be in 2021. What a year it has been! And when I ponder on this year, I see God's hand as a constant.
I often ponder lessons from my preschool kids as I work. Being a preschool teacher is something I get to do and something that brings immeasurable joy to me life. This week, they have enjoyed trying to balance on the rim around the playground. It's quite interesting. They like to try to do it themselves and aren't too bad at it but always wind up asking me to hold their hand. They think holding my hand is just to help them balance but it's also to break their falls and guide them.
As their tiny feet balance on this rim, they are often shaky but confident and determine. My grip is dependent on their needs but I am ever present. They start to fall and I break it. It doesn't prevent them from falling but by breaking it, they get back up faster and with more confidence then if they were to fall on their own.
I think faith is like that ---- a balancing act. We are often shaky but we're determined. As Christians, many of us want to walk the walk of faith. Sometimes we try to do it alone, but faith isn't really faith without risk. Nor can you have faith in a God you do not really involve. That's belief not faith. And even the Devil believes God is real, but there is no faith there.
Life sways us and knocks us down, but if we are walking hand in hand with the Lord, He breaks our fall. The falls are not eliminated and sometimes not even lessoned but we are able to get back up again.
Romans 8:37 says that "We are more than conquerors (or victorious in some versions) because of Him who loved us."
Verses 38-39 continues to expand on God's love by saying: "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord."
2020 has grown my roots and expanded my love of God in that all that I am and do needs to be rooted in God. I saw a passing quote on Facebook the other day by an unknown author that says, "I love others best when I know I am loved."
And it's true, I balance best when I know I am loved. Many would state that egotistical and selfish. But it's not. Self worth is crucial to our growth. And where better to discover our worth than in our Creator? I could do a whole post on identity and maybe I will, but back to the balancing act.
God's love steadies me, challenges me and makes the balancing act of faith and life easier, even to the point of cushioning my fall. What my kid's fix their eyes on as they walk the rim is of equal importance to their ability to balance.
In this world, peace is not a thing and pain is a regular occasion. All matter of things can shake us. Not even something as big as a pandemic, but anything that promotes fear. Fear of the unknowns. Fear of other's opinions. Fear of self.
Fear. It's a powerful emotion and driver. And that's not to say there is no cause to fear, but dear friend: We know how the story ends! One thing Jesus is not is inconsistent. He is faithful and good. Today. Tomorrow. Last week. In 2020. Every day forever and always.
2 Corinthians 4:18 challenges us: "So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever."
What are your eyes fixed on? I'm not saying by unobservant and live in a bubble, but understand that where our focus is is where our steps will take us. We don't always get to choose what life gives us. COVID, toilet paper or the lack there of, ugly people, challenges, but we DO get to choose our focus.
As the holidays progress, may we be ever aware of the hand that holds us in our walk of faith. We celebrate at Christmas as the time He came as Emmanuel --- God with us. And that has not and will not change. He is with us. With you. With me. Now and always.
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