Apples of Gold

I will be your God throughout your lifetime-until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you. Isaiah 46:4

A couple of months back our dog, Gus, suffered a serious injury to one of his hind legs. He recently underwent surgery to repair the damage. For awhile he was confined to a stroller on his daily walks.  Now that he is on the road to recovery we are slowly increasing the time he spends on his leg and have finally started leaving the stroller at home. He is very excited to head out independently again but there have been several times that he has completely worn himself out and needed some help. The surgeon instructed us to encourage him to push himself a bit more each day in order for him to gain strength. It was tough to watch him hobble along but I knew it was for his own good. My eyes never left him and I stood ready to scoop him up into my arms at just the right moment, carrying him until he was ready to try again.

Sometimes we find ourselves growing weary and discouraged during a struggle. Putting one foot in front of the other takes every ounce of strength we can muster.  God seems absent, or ambivalent. Our theology is at war with our reality. God is always good so why is this so hard? 

David, the man who holds the title for going after the heart of God found himself here too:

As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God. When can I go and stand before him? Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying, “Where is this God of yours?” My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be. Psalm 42:1-4

I find comfort in the fact that someone with such a powerful and close relationship with God also wrestled with the tortuous emotions that assault us from time to time. David was not instantly removed from his trials. In fact, he spent many years wandering and avoiding the traps set by King Saul. Even outside observers commented about the lack of intervention from God. Perhaps God was using this time to build something in David’s character and his skill set that would be needed in his future role as king. It was all part of God’s plan.

When we are out of breath and far from home we need to remind ourselves  that God didn’t blink. Just as I stood ready to intervene with Gus at just the right time, our Father is poised to step in after our challenge has accomplished his purpose.

The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. Psalm 103:13-14

We all want to be strong. We try to hold things together and push our way through whatever we are facing. And when we can’t-admitting it, much less embracing it, seems counterintuitive. 

The Apostle Paul built quite a resume. His conversion brought him from persecutor to ambassador. His great faith was used monumentally to birth churches, write Scripture, work miracles and shape the culture of the early church. Despite all of this Paul still struggled with his own weaknesses. When he requested relief God did not acquiesce but rather responded with:

My grace is all you need, My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ, For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

A drowning swimmer is prone to panic and can hinder their own rescue by resisting the lifeguard’s efforts to save them. In fact Lifeguards are trained to approach drowning victims from behind in order to reduce the chance of sabotaging their own rescue. 

Relaxing in the hands of the one trained to save you is the best course of action in our lives as well. There are times when we truly need to be carried by God. Life can wear us down to the point that we literally have nothing left and falling into the merciful arms of an understanding God is a necessary and welcomed reprieve. 

The thought of weakness being strength is a bit hard to comprehend. Admitting I am in need of rescue and handing control of everything over to my rescuer is necessary for my success. It might not be comfortable, it might not look like the best course of action, but God knows what he is doing. 

Stay the course oh weary one. Your Father is poised nearby. Your legs might feel shaky and your path may be steep but your Lifeguard is on the scene. Trust His process!

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Psalm 27:13