Another Year, The Unknowns That Lie Before Us Gives Us A Choice

 

I don't know about you, but me, when I'm asked to trust Jesus it's easy to say the words when not much is at stake, but in the trenches, my heart rushes towards fear. F.E.A.R.

From my often morning place of time with my Father, I see branches that in the morning light form the letter F.  Fear of all that was looming and is at times still looming.  Relationships fraught with tight pain.  I want to manage, to fix what is broken, to keep things from breaking, but, it's not mine to do.  It leaves me fraught with anxiety and stress.

There's another F word, Faith.  

That morning and many mornings that followed, I have a choice as I face the day, another year, Fear or Faith.  Which one will I reach for??

The way may oft times be laden with unclear, dark moments, but I know we have One who goes with us each step of the way.  He is the Way!  He parts waters, walks on waters, and calms storms.  He is the same today, tomorrow and each day!

One particular morning I was more fragile, weary, and worn in the battle, laying on the ground, wondering what I was to do?  Do I keep fighting or let go?  Oh, another F word (and by now, no I'm not swearing), Fight!

Faith. Fear. Fight.

I asked the Lord, "What do I do?"

(Fight, my daughter, fight) How do I keep fighting?  In Ephesians 6 we have the armour of God and in verse seventeen we are told the the sword of the Spirit is the word of God.

So, I take the word of God and wield my sword, even from the ground.

And then, I'm rallied by friends and family, coming alongside to aid in the battle to fight.

Friends, this new year that we're standing on the threshhold of can so easily have us reaching for fear and then control to manage it all.

But there is another choice, Faith, and that requires a letting go and a choosing to walk a path where many steps are not very clear, except to stay with Him, the Way because His steps are sure and confident.

Friends, I don't know what pain or ache or trauma your soul may be carrying, but I do know the One who we can be confident loves us and cares for us each step of the way, even if the steps are rocky and they cut deep.  

Picture with me as we're taking a hike.  The summer of 2023 our family took a trip west and did many a hike.  A lot of the hikes had easy places to walk, others places were quite the feat to master.  And sometimes my husband would take my hand to steady me along the way or my Majestick walking stick kept me quite steady as the way beneath my feet was anything but smooth.

So, our Father, with us, steadying, holding, encouraging us when the way beneath us is anything but clear or smooth.

As we step into 2024, we have a choice in our Fight - Faith or Fear.

And so I do both... I fight and I let go.  I let it go to God and wield my sword, the words of God.  As  only God can untangle all that is, I stay with Him and choose to believe His words with Faith and I Fight...

The Way Came to Show Us the Way

 

Jesus came.

Why? Why did He come?  He could have spoken words, created something, or did something else to make a way back to Him.  After all, He created the world out of nothing and with the spoken word.  He formed man with His hands out of dust.  He could have stayed in heaven and spoken words, used His hands to form something, but no, instead He came.

He came to show us the way back to Him and the way of His upside-down kingdom.  He came and used His hands to touch the leper. the blind, the lame with healing.  He touched, He cared, He lived the way.  He told us that we are to love, to care for those around us like He does, giving it because He loved us, unhinged on the behaviour of another. (Note, this is not condoning abuse or saying boundaries are not in order.  This is from the perspective of insult, our people not coming through for us like we'd like or they should.  We all fall short.  There is a difference between damaging relationships and simply human-fault ones.)

Jesus was ridiculed, slandered, rejected, denied, and betrayed.  Yet, He still loved, stretching out His arms and giving His life.  This sacrifice is for all and is open-ended on His part, because He is love. He gives love in the sunsets and sunrises.  He gives love in the grace extended and the invitation that is always open for  us to come to Him.  He stays with us even when we at times stray from Him in our disappointments, etc.  His love is not given considering my behaviour, His love is given because He is love.

He came because actions speak louder than words.  He came for you and me. 

This Christmas season, let that settle in your heart.  Let His love go deep and take it for what it is, His unconditional love.  Let it ground your doubts, settle the unrest of your soul, and whisper it's truth deep within. 

It will be the way through because He is the Way.

He is the Truth, and the Way and this reality brings us Life, because we have Him.