A friend and I drove past the golf course where I ‘golfed’ a
half of a lifetime ago! He laughed out
loud remembering my frustrations. My
golf game was often more about grim resolve than joy. Not a natural athlete, I tended to be too much
in my head, unable to find that balance between mind and body that some
enjoy. As a consequence, I tensed up and
hooked too many shots from the tee. On
the green, my putter did not swing smoothly, but appeared to attack the golf
ball. More than once I was coached not
to ‘overthink’ the game. I left golf behind years ago but that same kind of tension
still shows up in my life on occasion. As challenges come my way, I double my
efforts. But, there is a part of me that understands that not every situation
can be met with steely resolve or rigid strategies.
In Sunday worship where I am charged to lead His congregation
into the Presence of the Lord, I sometimes take on more than I should. If I start to get tense, trying to make happen
what only the Spirit can do, I hear those old words of my coach, “You’re trying too hard. Relax and accept my
promise to be among my people.” Take
a moment to let the truth of this text settle into your mind. "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy
One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’
Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.’
Therefore your pursuers will be swift!" (Isaiah 30:15-16, NIV)
Are you fighting with something in life that defies you,
that just won’t yield to your best efforts, that frustrates you? Perhaps this questions seems obvious, but “have
you presented it to the Lord and waited on Him for resources?” God is perfectly capable of accomplishing
His will in us. A favorite passage in
the Word reminds me of God’s desire to do “immeasurably more” in me and through
me! "Now
to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine,
according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."
(Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)
Could it be that we actually get in His way, that we make it
so much about ourselves that we hinder the work of the Holy Spirit?
Are we talking so much, thinking so hard, begging Him for an
answer with such desperation that our hearts cannot hear His voice?
Will we be quiet and listen for His lead?
I am not suggesting that we turn into passive people, that
we retreat into resignation, thinking that God will do whatever He decides to
do no matter what we do. The amazing and
humbling fact is this - the Lord of the
Universe works in partnership with us.
Me, you, mere finite human beings are given the freedom to resist or
cooperate with His purposes. Only the
foolish choose to sit like lumps waiting for God to do something. Being
lazy is unrelated to ‘waiting on the Lord.’
The Word urges us to engaged
attention to the purpose of God, even as we remember that He is Lord and we are
servants. "I lift up my eyes to you,
to you whose throne is in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of
their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our
eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy." (Psalm
123:1-2, NIV)
Let the Lord lead you, alert to His ways, attentive to His
word. There is real rest found in a
quiet heart. Instead of trying to wrest a blessing from His hands, we need only
to open ours to accept what He was ready to give. Are you trying too hard?
Pause, wait, reflect,
listen, give thanks, receive!
Here’s a word from the Word.
May your soul sing with the Psalmist about the glorious works of our
God.
"You answer us
with awesome deeds of righteousness,
O God our Savior, the
hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas,
who formed the
mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength,
who stilled the
roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the
nations.
Those living far away
fear your wonders; where morning dawns and evening fades you call forth songs
of joy.
You care for the land
and water it; you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are
filled with water to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained
it."
(Psalm 65:5-9, NIV)
___________
Lord You have shown Yourself to be
Never changing always
faithful
Lord You have shown
Your heart for me
The loving touch of a
caring Father
In ev'ry day that
passes
And all the world's
distractions
Through seasons and
life's changes
You always remain
faithful
To me with Your
Perfect love perfect
love
Casts out all fear and
shows me
That ev'ry word and
promise to me
Will be fulfilled will
be fulfilled
Faithful You are
faithful
Faithful faithful
faithful
Eoghan Heaslip
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