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Posts Tagged ‘STRENGTH’

DADDY, IT’S DARK AND I’M AFRAID

Posted in A Nation Divided, tagged , , , , , on March 1, 2013| 2 Comments »

What mom or dad hasn’t heard these words? Many times. And what did you say to that frightened child? Be quiet and go to sleep? Did you fuss and tell your child you needed to sleep? Or did you get up, go to your son or daughter and lovingly give them proper comfort and instruction?

But where does a parent go when shadows fall like a shroud and pitch you into the depths of unknown terror?

If you haven’t been there yet, just wait. It will come.

Twenty years ago my husband had an aneurysm rupture in his leg. Petrifying weeks followed as we waited to see if he would loose his life or his leg. Waited to see if he would be able to work or still have a job. Waited for that time of unequivocal darkness to pass.

Until job loss, heart attacks, financial distress, deaths—all long black tunnels of fear, sucked the light from our lives and plunged us into the inky abyss of anguish. We couldn’t hop over ‘em, dig under ‘em, or run around ‘em. I sobbed, “Abba, Father, it’s so dark and I’m afraid.”

And when I cried, my Father was faithful to hold me, comfort me, and give me His strength. Strength to put one foot in front of the other.  One step at a time. And travel with Him through the sightless night back into the light. During that time I feared I might stumble and die in the process.

But God taught me there were lessons I must learn in the dark. Lessons I can’t see in the bright light of day. Lessons I must learn in the discipline of darkness.

This discipline required me to walk in lock-step with the Lord Jesus, forced me to focus on His face, instead of the things that creak and groan in the night. And reminded me to call out, “Daddy, I’m afraid.”

I only do that when I’m forced to abide behind the sooty curtains of heartache.

God shines the truth of His love on me in the light of day. But in the darkroom of trouble He develops the knowledge and understanding of my faith in Him. Then I see the profane and unclean things lurking in my mind, things I have refused to acknowledge in times of blessing. I see pitfalls and traps that would have entangled me, had I not slowed my pace and clung to Jesus. And I am convinced it is better to walk with God in the dark than to stand alone in the light.

But as sure as day follows night, turmoil will pass and His light, like the sunrise, will disburse trials and tragedies. I will blossom again, strengthened by His comfort to know when darkness returns all I have to do is cry “Abba, Father—Daddy— I’m afraid.”

And if you’re His child, He will wrap you in His arms of comfort and carry you through ’til morning. Because He loves you.

“For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but  you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:15 NAS).

“What time I am afraid I will trust in Thee” (Psalm 56:3 NAS).

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A QUIET SERVANT, A GENTLE FRIEND, OR A FIERCE QUEEN – CAN’T I BE ALL THREE?

Posted in A Nation Divided, tagged , , , on April 29, 2012| 2 Comments »

 

 

For years I have desired and prayed for a gentle, quiet spirit.

Those who know me chuckle and say, “Ain’t gonna happen. Not in this lifetime.” My husband’s recent comment stung a little more. “DiAne, I don’t see any evidence of a gentle, quiet spirit. Why sweetheart, you’re just like your daddy with his hair-spring temper.”

Of course, I fell silent.

And he quipped, “See. Just like that. Now you’re angry.”

Tears gathered around the rims of my eyes but I managed to voice, “Have you ever considered my silence is not anger?”

How many times have my actions and emotions been misread by those who think they know me? More than I’d like to admit, especially by those who love me most. Could it be we have misinterpreted what a gentle, quiet spirit is?

Mama used to tell me, “Sit down, fold your hands and be quiet. Be a good little girl.” Do I have to sit down and be quiet to be a good little girl? To have a gentle quiet spirit do I have to be a silent door mat?

Our pastor addressed that interpretation this morning. He said gentleness or meekness is an exhibition of power under control. And quietness is defined as being composed, tranquil, temperate, and sober.

I thought about my three favorite women of the Old Testament. Deborah, Esther and Jael. Three women who shared a common thread—they were each engaged in a battle of the Lord’s choosing. And not one of them refused to fulfill the task God gave them.

Deborah was called to be a judge during a dark, dangerous period in Israel’s history. The men of Israel had turned away from God’s vision for the nation and were hiding. Evil flourished. God allowed Jabin, king of Canaan and the commander of his army—an evil man named Sisera, to oppress Israel for twenty-five years because of their disobedience to God’s principles and precepts.

God instructed Deborah to call Barak and tell him, “The Lord, the God of Israel has commanded you. . .” She told him to gather an army, wage battle against Jabin, and that the Lord would give him the victory. Read the account in The Book of Judges, Chapter 4.

Barak said no. He wouldn’t go unless Deborah went with him. Hmmm, to paraphrase she said, “Okay, I’ll go, but you won’t get the glory for this—a woman will.”

Meanwhile, Heber the Kenite, an in-law of Moses, didn’t want to be involved in the ruckus, so he moved his family and made peace with this evil King. But the battle followed Heber to his new digs.

Enter my second heroine—Jael, Heber’s wife. The Lord routed Sisera and his army before Barak and Deborah. However, Sisera managed to escape and fled on foot—straight to Jael’s tent.

Ms. Jael invited him in, cleaned, fed, and convinced him she would hide him. As soon as this enemy of Israel went to sleep, Ms. Jael seized a hammer and drove a tent peg through his temple and into the ground. She came out of the tent, flagged Barak down, and told him to come get the body. The honor for this victory went to a woman—Jael. Just like God said it would.

Then there was Esther. A beautiful Hebrew orphan, required to walk the runway in a beauty contest for a place in King Ahasuerus’ harem. But God had another plan. Esther became queen of Persia. And in this foreign land, she became another woman who had the courage to stand for her people.

She engaged in a battle of wits with evil Haman who plotted to destroy the nation of Israel. The complete account of her life and this victory is recorded in The Book of Esther. We see her courage in an exchange she had with her uncle. He challenged, “And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” And she replied, “I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.”

Three courageous women that God placed at a particular moment in history to bring about His plan.

Deborah—a woman of wisdom given by God. A woman who didn’t squirm at the prospect of going to war with the man God chose to lead Israel—even when the man showed himself to be a coward. God was in control and Deborah knew it.

Jael—a loyal wife and homemaker, didn’t say “I’m afraid. Oh, I can’t possibly do that and besides God, the blood will mess up my living room rugs.” No, the enemy camped on her doorstep and she knew God would give her the strength to defeat this enemy of her people.

Esther—an orphan who lived her life in strange surroundings, waiting for the exact moment God would use her. When He appointed her to be the necessary tool in His hands, she met the challenge that would save His chosen seed.

While I doubt these three women would ever have been seen on the 6 o’clock news, I’m pretty sure they never dreamed of being historical event changers. Yet they were. And I know these three never considered balking when God placed the mission before them.

You and I have been placed at this moment in history according to God’s purpose and plan. He has given each one of us every characteristic and personality attribute we will need to accomplish the goal He has set for our lives, our families, and the life of our nation.

What about you? Men, are you going to hide from these tumultuous times or will you lead the battle? And ladies, will we chose to listen and obey God’s call? Will we quake with fear? Will we sit down, fold our hands, and be quiet like good little girls?

Or will we act with courage and strength that rises from a gentle, quiet spirit when called by God to accomplish His will in our lives—as Deborah, Jael, and Esther did?

 

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