02.19
It’s good to be back home. (Before I go much farther, I want to pause and thank Nate for taking the lead on the blog while I was in Belarus. Good blogs take a great deal of time to write and Nate did a wonderful job. Thanks Nate!)
Now, where was I??? Oh yeh… It’s good to be back home. There’s just nothing like it, is there? When I’m in Belarus, I stay in the same hotel, The Victoria. It took me several trips before I discovered The Victoria, but it’s the best – affordable rates, comfortable mattresses, DSL internet, non-smoking floors, roach-free rooms, and best of all… no phone calls in the middle of the night asking me if I want “sex or a massage.” (Seriously.) I even used the fitness room on this last trip. It’s no LA Fitness, but it’s better than nothing. Since I discovered The Victoria, I haven’t stayed anywhere else. It’s my home away from home in Belarus.
Funny thing, though. No matter how many nights I stay in The Victoria, I still sleep the best when I come home. There’s something about the comfort, security, and love of home that gives me the best rest I can possibly experience… anywhere.
When Jesus was “humbling himself, becoming obedient to death,” He knew this wasn’t His home. In fact, that knowledge is how He endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus kept His eyes on heaven – His home – and that got Him through life on this sinful planet.
I started counting the times I think of heaven during the day. It’s not much. But I’m starting to realize that perspective on life is everything. We live in The Victoria, complaining that the nights are lonely and there’s no room service, when we really should be focused on our home.
I’m going to make a conscious effort today to think more about heaven – especially when I’m frustrated. The Victoria has its pluses, but there’s no place like home.
How do you make it through the humbling times of life? What’s God teaching you?
“being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” reminded me of another verse John 17:21 “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”. Connectedness to God, oneness with God, one in spirt and one in purpose…not by any human agency but by a close walk individually and collectively with God is “so that the world may believe that you have sent me”. It doesn’t sound like most of the activities that Churches typically undertake. It sounds like “Rooted” to me. Rooted in the Word and Rooted in God are the things that connect us to God, and therefore, to a oneness of purpose that can only come directly from Him. Walking with God as individuals and as a body is the way a world believes that God the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ to save humanity. This message, this passage in John, has been on my heart ever since the first year I was saved. And everything I’ve lived since has confirmed the Word of God. When Jesus died, the curtain that led to the Holy of Holies, where the mercy seat was placed, was ripped from top to bottom. A Way was opened for mankind to approach the throne of God through the cross of Jesus Christ. Before we are all changed in the twinkling of an eye at the Rapture, we need allow God the Spirit to change us in our innermost being so that between now and then, we can allow God to do His work through us…reaching out to those he has called according to His purpose.
Making it through humbling times…..What is God teaching? I know that I’m extremely thick headed and it sometimes takes a long time for things to get through to me. Over the years I’ve been humbled dealing with Cindy’s illness. Guys are, by nature, “fixers”, that’s what we do and when faced with chronic illness in the life of your spouse you get to a point (it takes some of us longer than others) when you realize that you “can’t fix it.” No matter how hard you try, no matter how deep your desire is to “fix” the problem….you simply can’t. Because you can’t fix it, you think you’re a failure as a spouse and a man and that can quickly erode into resentment, anger and depression. In my case that’s the road that was required for God to get me to the point where I had no where to go, no where to look, nothing to do, but to look to Him, to look up, to humble myself and admit that I can’t do it on my own and to also acknowledge that the popular poem “Footprints in the Sand” is so, so true, it just took a series of events, time and patience from God for me to understand the simplicity and clarity of that poem. Isn’t it odd that we often “see” things like “Footprints in the Sand” but we don’t really comprehend the depth of the message being delivered?
I mentioned in a previous post, I KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that is God’s grace alone that has sustained me through the years in dealing with chronic illness. I KNOW that the single set of footprints in the sand are those times when He carried me. Even now as Cindy is most likely nearing the end of her journey, there is an unbelievable, unexplainable presence of peace that can only come from God…..He’s carrying both of us.
Cindy’s attitude is probably the most humbling event that I encounter on a daily basis. Lately it seems her health is deteriorating on a daily basis, yet her spirit remains upbeat, her faith remains unwavering and her love for Jesus Christ is demonstrated each day. She has stated more and more lately that she’s looking forward to heaven but that the only reason she hasn’t “let go” is because of me…….what a testimony of her faith in Jesus and her love for me, which is beyond humbling for me.
I stand in humble awe of my creator and am forever thankful for His mercy, grace, compassion, love and salvation. I pray that each day is filled with the anticipation of His return and that we can all be “Jesus with skin on.”
Tom, I hope you know that your attitude is so flippin encouraging to me…and what you said about Cindy’s perspective just blows my mind. I can only hope that I would have half of the trust that you have if faced with a situation like this…thank you so much.
Thank you for the kind words Tory. I’m a very blessed man to have Cindy in my life as she is an inspiration to me.
It’s so funny how God works. Humbling times…you know, i think my perspective of “humbling” times is more, “hey God, I suck at life, could you throw me a bone!??” times. Ha! It’s crazy how much i miss the opportunity to learn when I go through times like these…well actually, it’s more of a time like THIS.
I’ve really been down on myself and just flooded with insecurities recently, and i’m starting to see just how flawed i really am…like, emotionally and in the way i think…what’s really insane, though, is how my Jesus has just been so adamant about pointing out that literally EVERYONE in the bible was hopelessly flawed! Just thinking about it, i realize that they all understand something that I don’t…The effectiveness of power of Christ has nothing to do with how “strong” i am in my faith, but what creates strength in my faith is the admittance and acceptance of my failures. THAT’S when Christ’s power is the most evident! it’s just hilarious how sometimes it just seems so unfathomable to me that I literally have zero control over someone experiencing God.
so, the humbling times….?
in a way i wish that i could not be wrapped up in myself long enough to experience it all the time…cause that’s when i really get what Christ is about, and that’s when he is soooo real to me.
Tory…..I can relate to your post! Many times I’ve pleaded with God to “throw me a bone”. Looking back I can see that most of the time He did, and most of the time I couldn’t see the bone because I was so wrapped up in resentment and anger at Him and that was because I allowed satan to take my bone! I failed to see the “effectiveness of the power of Christ” because I too was so wrapped up in myself. I remember sending a note to Ken once that, looking back, was so self centered on my part, but I wanted my bone! I couldn’t help but grin about your comment on “zero control” – what has happened to me is that is seems that God has a habit of showing up when I least expect, in circumstances that catch me completly and totally off-guard. At times the experience is calming, other times I’m overwhelmed, but it’s always a blessing when He shows up “unannounced”.
Thanks for sharing, Tory! I enjoy reading honest posts like yours.
Speaking of “our home” – if you haven’t heard the song, you need to listen to a new song by Carrie Underwood call “Temporary Home.” It speaks to this very subject.
I could do with a little less character building about now……please pray for Cindy as she’s being admitted to Kennestone tonight with multiple issues.