"Strengthen the Feeble Hands, Steady the Knees That Give Way."
Series
On Being Made Part III
Dec 21st
It was as though the whole universe was pressed into the size of a baby’s fist; as if eternity was forced into a moment of time; as if all goodness, grace, and love took human form; as if the All-Powerful One somehow made himself quite vulnerable; as if the all knowing one dressed himself in ignorance and walked among us. There He was, the One through whom all things were made, frail and needy, being held ever so cautiously in the crook of Mary’s arm. What do we make of the maker becoming one of the made?
It is understandable that we are being made. It makes sense that we are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory. That is because we are frail creatures, faulty and broken souls. We desperately need to be remade—God does not. It is we who have a need to be made new, a need to be made more human. It was for our sake that Christ became human, for our sake—Bethlehem!
I have many friends in many places and I love them all. But there are moments, hours, days of self doubt in which I might cling to the closest soul if they would just More >
On Being Made – Part II
Dec 6th
I was blind but not deaf. I couldn’t see them, but I heard them very clearly mumbling to one another as they walked my way. All my life I had swallowed these accusations from people who knew nothing of who I was. They asked, “Who sinned that this man was born blind?”
Who sinned? I’ll tell you who sinned. Whoever made me this way sinned. Whoever carved me out of some faulty clay sinned. Whoever left me to endure life like this sinned. I was born like this. My parents are not perfect and neither am I, but many with sight have done far worse. If this is my punishment—where is theirs?
I thought these things, but as usual, I said nothing. I hoped that they would soon pass by and I could go back to the silent world of darkness that was mine.
I heard approaching but assumed they would pass as they always do—with quiet disdain. But one of them touched me. I almost ran but could not. The man spit on the ground, mixed it with His hands and lifted it to my eyes. Mud. He placed mud on my eyes. It didn’t hurt but it was mud made from More >
On Being Made – Part 1
Nov 15th
Between our yesterdays, what we were and what we are to become, between our failings and our perfection—is the place of being made. While I am certain that one day I will be who God has me to be I am hardly comfortable with His means of my perfecting. I am not at ease with the kneading, the pressing, and the cutting. I often wonder why He will not leave me alone, why He won’t leave me to be what I might become.Then as if shocked into consciousness I recall—He loves me.
He will not let me become just anything because He has plans for me, plans to prosper and not to harm. Instead of the hapless growth I conceive He prunes me for hope and for a future. Between the yesterdays and the tomorrows, drawing them both together into one unique whole—is the Father’s love, the Son’s sacrifice and the Spirit’s tending. Because He loves me, what I might become is simply not good enough.
Make no mistake; it is the resistance of the clay that prolongs the becoming. There is no lack within the artist for His hands are strong. Should He press just a little more—I would be crushed. More >
The Fairy Tale Romance
Feb 11th
If only these things were more simple. If only marriage itself were as easy as choosing a person to your liking and then (after the fairy tale romance) to live happily ever after. If only the pieces were all squares, circles, and rectangles, and so few that after a short process of elimination it appeared obvious to you and I that the round piece fits into the round hole and that this or that person should be ours.
But it is not that obvious at all. The pieces are just a little more complicated, and certainly more numerous than we would like. So the choice becomes more complex and not simply good vs evil, but rather between the good, the better and the best. I am not suggesting that God is waiting to give us the person who is the best but that He will always give us what is best and that this alone, this confidence in His faithfulness, should be our peace. If this does not bring you peace, I assure you, no person will.
These things, these longings and desires, they can be as difficult as they are joyous. Here, where the expectation is still for a hand to More >
