Showing posts with label carry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label carry. Show all posts

He Will Lift You Up

James is one of the shorter books in the New Testament, but it is certainly full of many key scriptures. From James we learn about how to control our lives with our tongues! This is really one of the most interesting letters written by these early apostles. But in James it seems that to me personally, chapter 4 has always stood out.

 Verse 8 has been a mainstay - Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. I have read it, taught it and practiced it for years. But this morning a different verse grabbed my attention. It's on down in verse 10. It simply states: When you bow down before the Lord and admit your dependence on Him, he will lift you up and give you honor. Many would like to stress the latter portion of this verse - but I want to major on the first part.

 When we can come to the point that we remove ourselves from the picture and realize that our strength does not and cannot come from ourselves - He will give us strength. And His strength can carry us much further than we can in our own. This is one of those verses that sounds simple. It's easy to say, O, I get it - sure! I need you to carry me Lord for I depend on You. And then get up and go about our day in our own strength once again. It's much more difficult to carry out than it is to read or say! lol!

 Today I will concentrate on my heart's position before Him. I will keep my heart in a place of humility; a place that humbly needs Him to carry me. As caregivers even though we are very much aware of our weakness - we tend to think we are superman/superwoman! But today let us lay aside our own strengths and rely solely on Him. We will not be nearly so tired at the end of the day!

Are You Wearing Clothes?

Well, of course you are! And the birds are still singing too! These two things are sure signs that God is still at work and has not forgotten us.

Matthew 6:25-33 is a familiar and wonderful passage about God's concern and care for us, His children. He explains that we cannot add one little inch to our height or one hour to our lives by worrying about it. Of course, we actually know the opposite. Worrying effects our body in very negative ways and it can actually mean a shorter life if we spend lots of time worrying.

I found out early on in my life of caregiving that worry didn't help anything! It didn't bring in money, make my son better, or for that matter, make any part of the day better. And in this passage, we are reminded that God sees all of that...and more! He is fully aware of our troublesome situations, He is aware of the loneliness, and He is not ignorant of our struggles. If He takes such good care of birds and grass why would we think He would do less for us?

Now at first I was wondering just how He clothes the grass of the field. Then I pictured a patch of lush, green pasture. He didn't have to make the grass green - He could have made it clear and see through! Wouldn't that be something? But He built an elaborate scientific process called photosynthesis that keeps the grass green most of the year. He made sure grass was covered, and He will cover us too.

We have clothes, food and shelter...He does provide for us. He will be our comfort and emotional support as well. He is not more concerned about our body than He is about our spirit - or vice-versa! He is interested in taking care of our entire being.. we just get our focus more on the natural sometimes. Let's decide to make today a "no-worry-allowed" day. Every time a worry comes up - jot it down on a piece of paper to deal with tomorrow. Take care of obligations of course - but jot down the things that nag at you and put it "on hold" until tomorrow.... you might be surprised how freeing it is to let go of the things you cannot change right now!

Who's Gonna Carry Me?

Recently I watched a very inspiring video. A college student hit her first ever home run but tore something in her knee and couldn't make it past first base. The other runners ran for home but she was stranded on first. Her team couldn't help her because it would forfeit the run and make it only a two run single. A couple of young ladies on the other team picked her up and carried her across the rest of the bases to home plate! I was so inspired...then I started thinking about it...I've been in this pain (which can be immobilizing at time for the cargiver) for 2 and a half years. What if I cannot get past a "first base" that may come up in our lives? Who would carry me to the goal?

In the video it was the opposing team's members who carried her. Now you know, our opponent is Satan and he ain't gonna help us out in the least! lol! But when I am wounded, or hurting, or can't go on...Who's gonna carry me?

The church disappeared a short way into this journey of caregiving. So I cannot really count on them. I have a few friends here...but will they carry me?

So I began a short search for scriptures and found one most interesting. Deuteronomy 1:30-31 states this The Lord your God who goes before you will himself fight for you, just as He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and in the wilderness, where you have seen how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way that you went until you came to this place.

 Somehow it was a very comforting thought that He intentionally went after His people who were bound in Egypt, set them free, then carried them through the wilderness to safety. He certainly didn't make all their problems and obstacles disappear (that would of course be my choice!) but He did not abandon them to the wilderness either! He will carry us through when the pain is too much to bear. I love the thought of Him carrying me like a father gently carries his son!

The Chase

  This morning, I was reading about Benaiah in 2 Samuel 23. He was one of David's mighty men, and these three or so verses are all we kn...