God is With You Through Everything!

They waved from the window at Danny and me as I watched him working on our Fiat’s engine. I was there to help if something needed pressing or holding. Our two daughters at the time were 5 and 8 months. They were laughing and playing inside and the oldest was “watching” the youngest. Melody kept waving at the window, but from our view they looked very happy.

The waving and coming to the window ...kept happening so I went to check. To my horror my sweet little 5 year old had a nasty gash that was bleeding profusely! They had indeed been playing and she had stumbled against the cedar chest in the living room.

We ran to the hospital and got her stitched up. The scar remains and every time I look at it I am reminded of that waving little girl who looked so fine but in reality was in a scary situation. I would bet she looks at the scar and remembers calling out to parents who assumed she was just waving.

Often we are met with disasters that we didn’t know were coming. We enjoy life and stumble over a trial or a temptation and we’re cut to the quick. Other times we are enjoying the scenery of our daily travels and we’re hit with a rock square in the jaw! We fall to the ground and writhe in agony. We’re overcome with pain and we don’t know if we can make it. We’re injured and we’re not sure that we’re going to make it. We’re not sure if anyone cares. We don’t know if the perpetrator meant it intentionally or not, but we’re injured just the same. We wonder if anyone else saw what happened. We want to defend ourselves and fix ourselves but to no avail.

God speaks to my heart: Oh beloved! I AM watching you. I AM aware of every stumble, every hit, every sorrow. Although the gashes of life may be horrendous you will not bleed out! Because I bled out for you! You will not be destroyed for I AM the one who has overcome the destroyer for your sake! You will not have permanent scars as long as you give Me the wounds and let Me sow them up with My tender, loving care. I see you waving the flag of surrender and I say beloved, you have nothing to surrender except your life. And I will redeem that surrender with truth and joy. The more you surrender, the more you walk in humility, the more you are still and recognize I AM that I AM the stronger and more invincible you will become!

Rejoice beloved that your King has everything in the kingdoms of this world and the next in His hands. All things work together for good – for you are loved and you are called according to His purpose alone.

1 Chronicles 29:11 Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is Your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things.

Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.

Psalm 3:8 Victory comes from you, O LORD. May you bless your people.

Psalm 105:4 Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them.

Do You Have a Bridge to Cross?

A friend from my hometown posted a photo of an old local bridge. It reminded me that I have had my moments with bridges. There’s the old river bridge outside Murfreesboro that had no rails. I remember asking Danny to stop and let me walk over that one. The old grated bridge over the Mississippi River. We went over that one on the motorcycle.  There’s also a 7 Bridges Road back home that had old wooden bridges, 7 of them, to ride over. There are low water bridges, draw bridges and foot bridges.

Some bridges are long and rickety, nearly as old as Methuselah. Others are built tall so that ships can go under them. Whatever kind of bridge there is, it usually must be crossed to get where you need to go.

There are bridges that cannot be avoided. Then there are bridges that must not be avoided.

Danny has never been much to fear anything. He likes bridges. He likes high bridges. He likes to look over the sights while riding on high bridges. He especially loves riding the motorcycle on bridges! For the most part I’ve just looked straight ahead and held on tightly, hoping I live through it.  I’ve always been thankful to have my fearless husband take me places because then, even though I feared it, I was able to experience it.

There are lots of different bridges in life.  Some of them are low water bridges. They must be crossed even if the water seems it will overtake you.  It won’t.  There are the high suspension bridges. They make your ears pop and your heart pound, but they will get you over things that cannot be scaled otherwise. There are the rickety bridges, the kind that seem to move with every step. There’s no way to go but one step at a time. They’ll hold, but you don’t know it till you get over it.

God speaks. There are lots of bridges in life. There’s the bridge from fear to faith. It’s only a step and you’ll be carried over by the Lord Himself. But you and I must take that first step. There’s the bridge from sorrow to joy. It’s a high one, long and tall, appearing to disappear in the clouds of your life. Other bridges may include life to death, but for the believer this bridge is the best one for beyond it lies reward and worship and the presence of God forever. Other bridges must be crossed individually: remorse, guilt, anger, depression, rejection. Even the bridge to purpose and to fulfillment must be crossed.  Each of these bridges looks too rickety, too dangerous and just fearful, but must be crossed to the other side so they can be replaced with God’s best.

Every bridge gets you somewhere. It’s meant to be there so that you can go from the past to the future, the mundane to the exciting, and the good to the best.  Every bridge in life takes you over the things that tend to hold you back, trip you up and keep you at the shore.  

I have a bridge to cross and I would bet you do too. It doesn’t matter what it looks like, what it is made of or how long, high or wide it is – it’s time to cross. Someone may have chosen that bridge for you but ultimately God is the only One Who decides what bridges you and I must cross.  It’s time to trust Him. 

God knows you did not choose the bridge that you must cross but you do choose the Savior, who guides every single step of your life. No other person on earth has the power or the will to take you to the other side. And even when it’s meant for evil or hurt or is just plain wrong, you will get over it. And when you do, you will dance on the other shore for you will see God’s will continuing, growing, blessing and guiding all the days of your life!

Oh beloved, run to the Lord this morning and let Him take you by the hand. Not one single bridge has to be crossed by yourself – He is with you!  He is beckoning you! He is showing you that what appears to be rickety, hard, high and scary is just a walk to a better future, a calmer life, His perfect will!  Give that bridge you are about to cross to Him. He will make it stronger, more secure and safe as you walk together into the future of good things He has planned for you!

Trust Him today, for what looks like the end is just the beginning of the rest of your life and that life is secure for God loves you and He’s for you and that’s always going to make the way for you!

Deuteronomy 31:8  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.

Psalm 78:72 He cared for them with a true heart and led them with skillful hands.

Exodus 33:14 And He said, "My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest." (NAS)

Heights to Conquer? You Don't Have to Go it Alone!

One of the things I noticed while we were visiting the Vicksburg National Park was how many stairs there were. Lots of stairs at many of the monuments. But we came to one tall round building with a gold eagle perched atop and I just stared.  I thought about those flights of stairs and I just told Danny I would let him go look. I don't like stairs and I don't like heights, so when faced with thirty feet of rising granite, I just didn't want to go.  So I stood at the sidewalk below admiring my husband who, at 64, still takes stairs in his stride. I would let him go for both of us. He can look at the interior and admire the view from up there for me, too.

Trouble with that is my husband is also an encourager! As soon as he went inside the round building, he began exclaiming, "Oh wow!" and "You gotta see this!" He came back outside and shouted down that I had to climb the stairs for this.  Of course even in my trepidation, I started up, gingerly holding onto whatever I could. I called out to him, "You have to meet me halfway. I hate stairs!"

 

Down my valiant husband came, to hold my hand, encourage me upward and tell me I could do this. All the while I was thinking to myself, just keep your eyes on the stairs. Don’t look down and don’t look around.  I was also sure I didn't want to think about the climb back down!

 

Once inside the building, I was astonished! Yes, it was well worth the fear, the stumbling, and the mumbling.  I spoke and my voice echoed in ricochets off the granite walls. Up above, about 6 stories was a huge opening where the sky could pour its light into the dark dampness. Every soldier from that state had his name proudly stamped in brass along the walls. Nothing else was inside.

 

As we stepped back out into the air, I was also astonished at the magnificent view! We could see the entire battlefield below - both sides with their now immovable cannons. From this outlook, we could truly grasp the vastness of it all and how beautiful this area was. 

I breathed quickly, grabbed hubby's hand and we walked back down together.  Only this time it was lighter steps I took because my fears had given way to beauty.

 Oh beloved, are you looking at something you're not sure you can conquer? Are you faced with an insurmountable task and wondering if you really want to do it?  Rejoice!  God has gone before you! He has trudged those stairs, covered that task and overcome that fear. Even when no one is there to hold your hand, God will hold you securely. You are never alone, you never have to face adversity or trouble  without help. He will always be with you, and He will always hold your hand.  And when you've overcome and He shows you the view, you will weep for joy as you realize just how wonderful your God really is! 

 You can be sure that whether you are in the valley or facing the high places, He loves you and He's for you and that's all that really matters.

 2 Samuel 2:33-34  God is my strong fortress, and He makes my way perfect.   He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights.

Psalm 121:1-2 I look up to the mountains -- does my help come from there?  My help comes from the LORD, who made the heavens and the earth!  He will not let you stumble and fall; the One who watches over you will not sleep.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. KJV

Psalm 63:7 Because You are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of Your wings.