Unbreakable Joy: Trust

Showing posts with label Trust. Show all posts

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Swimming Lessons

"Daddy will you teach me how to swim today?" Her inquiry came from the backseat of the vehicle as the family headed to a friend's house for a day at the pool. Dad's response was something like, honey we don't learn how to swim in just one day... "But I want to learn how to swim dad." Yes dear, but you'll need to learn how to listen first.

That was the gist of a conversation with my daughter the other day on our way for a swim. To say that she was excited would be a gross understatement. When she heard that we might go to the pool she began to dance around and sing with unbridled delight.

Our generous friends had graciously invited us to enjoy their pool. It was only minutes after our arrival that our daughter was splashing around in the shallow end where she could stand with her head well above the water. Her life vest on for added safety as she bounced around with glee.

Standing only a few feet away from her, where the water was a little over her head but not quite up to my waist, I reminded her of her request to learn how to swim. Come here and dad will teach you something. I held my arms outstretched to her and gave all the encouragement I had in my daddy tool belt. Apparently my supply of encouragement was not enough to overcome her supply of anxiety.

One of a father's main responsibilities is to care for and protect his child. This I have done to my utmost for the entirety of my daughter's 6 years of existence. Little ones often seem to desire a massive amount of assurance before venturing out of the realm of their control.

Anxiety has a way of blinding one to the realities that may be otherwise seen. This was the state my daughter was in as she refused to respond to her daddy's invitation. Though her daddy loves her more than she knows, though she could see that daddy was standing in the pool, though she has seen daddy swim in the deep end on several occasions, though she herself was wearing her life vest, and though mommy too was also only a few feet away, her anxieties blinded her to all of this and she succumbed to the familiar territory where she was in control.

Needless to say this caused me to ponder the reflection of the relationship between our heavenly Father and His anxiety prone children. As providence would have it, I had been reading in Exodus. Shortly after the encounter in the pool I read of Israel's encounter at the Red Sea. "Do not fear" (Ex. 14:13).

Providence again knocked on my door. I found these recent lessons simmering on the front burner as I encountered a rather troubling report during a recent physical. Though not a major issue, regular medicine will be needed to keep things on track. (By the way I am thankful for such availability to modern medicine.)

Oftentimes life teaches lessons without using words. All things considered, it seems that it may have actually been me who was learning how to swim.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Trust: The Antidote for Fear

Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

A canopy of grace envelops those who find the Lord to be their light, their salvation, and their stronghold. This is a firm foundation for those in the midst of storms. The author of this Psalm, David, was very familiar with intense storms. Few situations in this world are as intense and fearful as that which David endured. Consider his predicament, running and hiding from an entire army bent only on finding and killing him.

Psalm 27:3
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

Psalm 27:5
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

Three reasons David would not fear:
1) He will hide me in His shelter
2) He will conceal me under His tent
3) He will lift me high upon a rock

The Lord is a solid rock foundation upon which we may stand resolutely in the face of the storms of this life. The Lord is our hiding place.

David preaches to himself and to us in verse 14.

Psalm 27:14
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

Noteworthy Quotes

Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly so worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I saw more clearly than ever, that the first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.
- George Mueller

If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.
- C.S. Lewis

A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, a spiritual man is hard on himself and easy on others.
- A. W. Tozer

Our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.
- Augustine

All men seek happiness. This is without exception. Whatever different means they employ, they all tend to this end. The cause of some going to war, and of others avoiding it, is the same desire in both, attended with different views. The will never takes the least step but to this object. This is the motive of every action of every man, even of those who hang themselves.
- Blaise Pascal

He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
- Jim Elliot

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.
- C. S. Lewis

He loves Thee too little, who loves anything together with Thee, which he loves not for Thy sake.
- Augustine

The men of this world are children. Offer a child an apple or a bank note, and he will doubtless choose the apple.
- John Newton

In the end the heart longs not for any of God's good gifts, but for God Himself. To see Him and know Him and be in His presence is the soul's final feast. Beyond this there is no quest. Words fail. We call it pleasure, joy, delight. But these are weak pointers to the unspeakable experience.
- John Piper

God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Him, because it is not there. There is no such thing.
- C.S. Lewis

It is well that we accept the hard truth now: The man who would know God must give time to Him. He must count no time wasted which is spent in the cultivation of His acquaintance. He must give himself to meditation and prayer hours on end. So did the saints of old, the glorious company of the apostles, the Godly fellowship of the prophets and the believing members of the holy church in all generations. And so must we if we would follow in their train.
- A.W. Tozer

If God contains the fullness of all good things in Himself like an inexhaustible fountain, nothing beyond him is to be sought by those who strike after the highest good and all the elements of happiness.
- John Calvin

God is most glorified in you when you are most satisfied in Him.
- John Piper

God glorifies Himself toward the creature in two ways; by appearing to their understanding, and in communicating Himself to thief hearts and their rejoicing in and delighting in Him, and enjoying manifestations He makes of Himself. God is Glorified not only by His glories being seen, but by it’s being rejoiced in. When those that see it delight in it God is more glorified than if they only see it. His glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart. God made the world that he might communicate and the creature receive His glory, and that it might be received both by the mind and the heart. He that testifies His idea of God’s glory doesn’t glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it.
- Jonathan Edwards