Two Truths for Hard Times

The question at hand – How do I rest when the bottom falls out? Two truths will take us far. This week I have had to live them. Most of you know our son, Josh (20), is in Hospice Care. This week took on new dimensions when Joe (17) took an ambulance ride to a children’s hospital 3 hours from our home last Monday. On Monday Joe had surgery to remove a benign tumor from his spinal cord.

This is not our first crisis. It won’t be our last.

How do I find rest when life turns upside down?

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone. My hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

This page in my Bible is tear stained. It’s water-logged, my friends. Soaked to the brim.

In January, 1999 God set into motion a passion for the Rest of God in times of crisis through the promises He revealed to me in Psalm 61,62 & 63. Whispers from His heart. If I have learned one thing in 47 years, it is this: pain ushers us into the Presence of God. In the Presence of God we find a rest that some never have the privilege of experiencing. Here in this hospital I see it first hand. Far from being absent in this place of pain and suffering, God is alive and well.

Truth #1

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone. My hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

• Fly Heavy. It’s an aviation term used for Air Force One. It means the plane is equipped with two jet fuel tanks. Upon arrival at a destination overseas, if the plane encounters a crisis of any kind, it is prepared to safely fly the president back to US soil. It is prepared. A second tank remains full. Spiritually, do you fly heavy? It makes a difference when the world turns upside down.
• Home Base. It’s a term I learned from Sheila Pritchard. When emotional overload threatens every fiber of my soul, I go “home.” In crisis a few years ago “home” was saying out loud, “I will trust Him.” I declared it through whispers, clenched teeth and blinding tears. This week home base has found me at the feet of Jesus. My tears splash on his feet. I hang on every word. His hand rests on my shoulder and He has yet to take His eyes off me. Home base.
• Name and Claim. For me, the greatest villain of crisis is fear. My hardest hours are when fear consumes, when it dismantles trust and triggers my deepest vulnerabilities, my panic, my deep discord. Left on my own, I am defenseless against this assault, but in it, I have a choice to make. Name the fear. Claim the promise that will reign it in, that will place God back on the Throne. This week, Joe and I began to focus on the Names of God through a horrendous week of unknowns. We dove into the promises of the Good Shepherd (ah! ). Next we searched Isaiah 9 – Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. We have only just begun.

Truth #2

Know what you need. Know what you need—bottom line, specific needs. They might shift by the hour. A solitude that is honored. A shoulder to cry on. Every moment of sleep possible. Music that restores. Time beneath the wide open sky. A timer to remind you to breathe. People who can handle gut-level honesty. Heroes from Heaven that rise up to bless. (Receive them and embrace their acts of kindness.)

Needs. My needs? I don’t function that way. I suspect many of you don’t as well. I tend to focus on others’ needs. What do I need right now. (What did I grab in 5 minutes while flying out the door to the hospital last week?) My Bible. Paper/pen. My medicine, pillow, wrist braces and Diet Dr. Pepper. What do I need in a hospital setting? A window view. Moments of quiet. A song to hum.

What are your basic needs in a time of an emergency? Know what you need and where to go to ask. Don’t be shy.

Begin on your knees.

Jehovah-Jireh, the One who provides, will not disappoint you.

Onward.

 

First time here?

Welcome! We’re a group that gathers around the theme, “There has to be a better way.” We’re finding it in the 4-word mission statement, “Run hard. Rest well.”

• It’s a journey into the heart of God. It comes our way through an on-going exploration of four biblical rhythms that revive, replenish and restore: Sabbath Keeping, Sleep (and other simple stress-reducers), Stillness—personal retreat, and Solitude—personal retreat.
• It’s an expedition that challenges us at every turn. It convicts us in deep, tender places. It alters the our priorities and plans. It’s not for the faint of heart.
• It’s adventure at its best – as we learn to run the race in a power not our own.

First time here?