Thank You, Father. Another picture of rest.
I know we have to brave the brisk temperatures, drizzling rain, and cold wind in a few minutes. Mr. B needs his walk, and well, I need to be reminded one more time of God's presence and His treasures of beauty all around...even in the hard, the dark, the unexpected.
Funny, isn't it, how the colors of the leaves seem to shine more magnificently on the cloudy, rainy days? Is it the contrast between grayness and brightness? I don't know...but it's always appeared that way to me. Those reds and oranges startle more in the gloom...and surely bring more smiles of wonder.
Sometimes life's most precious treasures come packaged in unexpected and unwanted ways.
Sometimes glory is revealed most profoundly and powerfully in brokenness.
Sometimes suffering allows the love and grace of Christ to shine through those broken, cracked places in ways we never would have seen in some perfect, unbroken life.
I've learned it in my own life, and oh my, I've seen it demonstrated so beautifully in others' lives. And nothing, nothing, nothing makes me want to bow down in awe, recognizing I'm on holy ground, as seeing such beauty in brokenness in the lives of others.
I've recently begun reading the story of Kara Tippetts--a young mother of four who has stage 4 metastatic cancer. And her story brings both painful tears and profound wonder. I just read these words she wrote: "Suffering is not the absence of goodness, it is not the absence of beauty, but perhaps it can be the place where true beauty can be known."
We have a number of dear friends right now facing tough battles of cancer and of other less obvious, but no less difficult, struggles. Relational. Addictive. Long debilitating diseases.
Battles can wear us down. Cause us to forget Whose we are. Make us miss the beauty even in that brokenness.
So Father, I lift up everyone right now facing those battles. Living in those hard places of brokenness and restlessness and wondering if You will come through today. Father, they need You to break through the clouds and darkness today and remind them You are there.
For you are. Always.
Help them to feel, to know, to see Your tender love and sustaining grace in every hard, broken and beautiful moment of their day today. And that will be enough for today. Because we know, we know, we know You will be there tomorrow as well. And Your grace is always sufficient.
So we only ask for today. Today's manna, today's grace...for today's needs. "Give us this day, our daily bread." (Matt.6:11) And we'll trust and know that tomorrow's manna and grace will be just what is needed as well.
Thank You, Father, that no matter how we might feel, no matter what we might be going through, no matter what the world says, You are our unmovable, forever faithful, ever-sustaining Anchor. "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf." (Heb.6:19)
Jesus--our Anchor through the fiercest storm. And our Anchor will never ever fail.
Mr. B and I are headed out into the winds and rain and darkness...but we do not go alone. Oh no, our Anchor goes with us. Always. Shielding us, holding us, and showing us His treasures even in the storm. Thank You, Father.
To God--our Anchor who holds us firm and secure and brings beauty from brokenness--be all the glory.
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