I don't know if you're like me, but when the heat hits, my energy gets sucked into some sort of alien vacuum vortex and tends to stay there until the first crisp winds of Fall begin to blow and invigorate me again. I love Fall and all things Fall like and in the Summer I either want to be hidden away by the air conditioner or immersed in the refreshing tides of the ocean! A pool will do, but the ocean is preferred!
You know, seasons of life tend to mimic the seasons of the earth. There are Spring seasons when things are new and fresh and growing and we find ourselves thriving in the process of it all... Like when we met the one we knew we would marry or when we first held our new baby or when we finally tossed the rental agreement and traded it for our very first "real" home... And then Spring always turns to Summer with details of life heating up... Like when we realize that whole becoming One thing actually requires decision and effort and forgiveness, or when that precious infant face begins to express its own will and personality that shockingly clashes with our own at times, or when we begin to discover that there is more to home ownership than they tell you on HGTV! And to be honest... The Summer heat makes me tired.
And yet, I found myself today, finally taking a breather away from the pressure of it all to sit down with my Father. No, not the one with the California address... My heavenly one. I picked up the love letter He left for me and began to read about another generation who also found themselves tired. And I kept seeing reiterated over and over that they were not alone in their struggle. That there was a Divine way already laid out for their escape. I read things like this: "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak...". "I have chosen you and have not rejected you, so do not fear, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!". "a bruised reed he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.". "I will lead the blind into ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do. I will not forsake them.". "I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.".
And often, I read about this very generation and their choices that had led them far from God and over and over He says to them... Forget the former things! "I, even I am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more!!!" "I am bringing MY righteousness near, it is not far away!". What I read today was from the Old Testament also known as the Old Covenant where the law was established as the standard by which righteousness was obtained. And even in the middle of that establishment, all throughout... Woven in between each letter, each script, each chapter was the promise of His righteousness stepping in to mend the gap that would try to bring separation between God and mankind - promise and judgement. All along, He is crying out "I know you are missing the mark of my best, but I am right here!!! Look at me, I'm reaching out my arm to you... I've done the work! You don't have to stay in this struggle! Your redemption doesn't need to depend on you!!! I have a better plan and I've completed it for you!".
As I sit and think about all of this, I can't help but wonder... In my daily routine, in my schedule, my "right way" of doing things, in my attempt to settle in on the "narrow" path, how often has my pursuit of righteousness become another route to sin? Please don't freak over that term... Sin is just another way of describing the ways we "miss the mark" (that is the literal meaning) of His best plan! Of His grace! His goodness! His blessing! His resting place! His peace! It's what Martin Luther was trying to convey in the old hymn: "Did we in our own strength confide... Our striving would be losing!".
In the Summer days of my life, when the heat has left me feeling blistered and drained of all my strength, I want to allow myself the permission to give up my own fight and step into the refreshing waves of His grace and let His ocean of strength, His unending unwavering love wash over me. I want to rest in His provision and trust Him, following His every whisper until He has led me safely and gently to the crisp Autumn breeze where I can breathe again. It's not about how well I can do it. How nicely I can get it together. It's about what He's already done. Proverbs 3:5&6 says: "Trust in the Lord with ALL of your heart, lean not one your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He WILL make your paths straight.".
So, if you're like me and the Summer season has left you feeling tired, worn out, whipped, done... Find the place He's already prepared for you and immerse yourself in the refreshing waves of His presence. I once heard someone say that when you have an experience with God and you have a tangible interchange with His Spirit, that is not a place you have to strive for again. That is simply a starting point for your next encounter. He takes us from one realm of glory to the next and He always has more to give you! So, let me encourage you, today. Find a moment in the doing where you can encounter Him again, the way you did the and let Him lead you to new streams of refreshing... There is so much more waiting for us than we could ever imagine. Take a dip and cool off a little...Autumn's coming!
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