The Lord is Our Banner

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, took another swig of water, and ran onto the basketball court. There were only seconds left to play in the game and our team was down by one point. As the referee held the ball, the noise from hundreds of screaming fans with elephant feet stomping on the bleachers ricocheted off the brick walls at a deafening level. The coach had lost his voice trying to yell above the crowd, so his hands waved furiously to get my attention and call a different play. Our opponent had sent in all of their biggest players. The referee's whistle pierced through the confusing clamour and I glanced up quickly to the stands.

There was my mom. Though a thousand voices shouted, I could hear her voice. Though a thousand hands were waving, clapping, playing drums and shaking pom-poms, I could see my mom wave directly at me, give me the "thumbs up", and mouth the words "you can do it!" She was always my biggest fan. Every sport I played, whether I played well or poorly, I could always hear her voice through the crowd and see her cheer despite any obstacle. She hasn't changed over the years. As I felt the ball hit my hands, the clock started its countdown and I aimed for the basket with a giant in front of me...

Psalm 60:4 "Thou hast given a banner to them that fear Thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth." The Israelites were going through a time of great affliction when this psalm was written and the Lord knew they needed a rallying point. A banner was like a sign or flag representing that army (or their leader) raised on a pole in the midst of a battle to encourage the troops. As the soldiers would be fighting, one of the main strategies was to try and capture the opponent's banner to cause confusion, discouragement, and communicate that defeat was near.

So it is for us as Christians. The Lord has shown us that we are in a spiritual battle with eternal consequences...and only seconds left on the clock. 1Tim. 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called." 2Tim. 2:3 "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." But the Lord also knows...in any war, there are wounds that come. We have the term "battle weary" today as soldiers become weak, tired and weary from continual fighting. There are stresses, fears, and such extreme discouragement that come specifically from the battlefields that only soldiers can know of.

Therefore, the prophecy of Isaiah 11:10 says "And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse (Jesus), Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious." If you are not on "leave" but thick in the battle these days, Jesus is our rallying point. He is our Banner that was lifted up on a "pole" to bring us all into His ultimate victory. Through the clamor of the world, amidst the yelling of many voices, over the stomping of distractions and various people giving directions...look up to the One Who is your Captain.

You'll see His scarred wrists and His mouth will speak words of love and victory. His rest is and forever will be glorious. The celebration at the end will be unprecedented and everything we endured here on earth will seem unworthy to be compared to what awaits us. I think of all the smaller battles that Christ has wrought victory in my own life and the greatest one was for my heart. I was conquered by Christ's love. That's what Song of Solomon says...Song 2:4 "He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love."

Heb 12:1 'Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

Thankful Drivers

I loved this picture when I first saw it. I was able to download it freely and actually converted it into a black and white photo. Then I pulled only the red color out from the tree on the left, printed it, framed it and hung it in our guest room. Looking at it now brought something to mind.

It makes no sense to me why the designers of this road made it to twist and wind like a snake...it's not as though this was a mountain with cliffs requiring the curves. Why not make it a straight shot? Shortest distance between two points is a straight line! I like to drive that way...efficient; get there; don't get nauseous or wear out the tires going back and forth. Saves fuel. It makes no sense to me when I look at it.

But of course, what do I know about highway design? I'm not the engineer that had to calculate for the safest gradient with a knowledge of the terrain, calculate the safest speed as well as lane and shoulder width, horizontal and vertical clearances, and stopping distances for those deer that come out of nowhere. Yet, I would want to drive right down the center, breaking traffic laws by crossing the solid yellow lines between the two lanes. I'm certain I know less than the designer...but at times, I think I know best and want to make progress my own way. I don't think I've ever praised the Lord or thanked Him immediately when I get pulled over by a Trooper that was watching. I do remember getting pulled over for a speeding ticket and with that small delay, I missed a very big accident just a couple of miles down the road. I thanked the Lord then.

I should thank Him that He's the Designer of the road I travel all the time; whether it's full of nauseating twists, hidden turns, boring stretches, dark tunnels or cautionary speed bumps to slow me down. The Holy Spirit is a great Trooper in life. Pay attention to not cross the solid yellow lines in scripture, stay watchful and pray about your "speed limit."

Pr. 4:18 But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Rom.12:16d "Do not be wise in your own opinion."

Pr 3:5-8 Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it...

Strolling Down Memory Lane

I was missing my buddy Mary (Barrett) tonight. By now, I'd be itching to go down to Florida for the visit I always longed for but never made. She'd have rehearsed the temperatures to me during a nightly stroll with her dog Chopper and I'd say "Some day Mary."

I looked back over a few of the YouTube videos she made while they recorded her last CD coming out soon and I just love this one. It was the day before recording ended and 11 days before she went home with Jesus. The lyrics she is singing here are incredible. God made her a living testimony of His grace and power to the end. May you have a day full of Mary's exhortation-rejoicing in whatever may happen and whatever sorrows you bear. God bless you.

Weddings

I love going through old pictures. I notice that hairstyles always seem to change (no repeats on Beehives held up with 2 cans of hairspray nor "shags" that should've only been for carpet) but clothing styles just seem to make periodic loops. My niece from Chicago and her husband were visiting over the weekend and she'd asked to see my old wedding pictures. After doing virtual gymnastics through crawl spaces and weight training in our arctic attic, I finally found the lone box of photos. Ugh. I see my tanning history in them and now don the wrinkled remains and leathery moles as an unattractive invoice. Oh well.

As I smiled at the pictures of a husband I barely knew then but am madly in love with today, I remembered how terrified and excited I was. Due to a near Halloween-level makeover in the past, I opted out of having someone else put on my makeup for my wedding day. Big risk with no insurance, but at least I had some control over the result. I leaned over the mirror at church cautiously adhering to the kindergarten rule of "staying within the lines" and put on a blouse over my wedding dress...just in case.

I was almost at the end of the whole procedure, when my hands began to shake from hearing the whispered alarm, "We're ready for you" from my nerves-of-steel wedding coordinator. Out from my fingers lept the black eyeliner and like a slow motion movie, I watched it fall against my shirt, then skateboard down the front of a long section of my spotless white wedding gown.

I sat there stunned at the black blemish from any wedding nightmare. There was no one to help, no microwaveable dry cleaner, not even a Shout wipe within my vicinity. The door behind me slid open a second time and I heard the music preparing the people for my arrival. I threw off the shirt and prayed a spasmodic "Oh God, help Scott not to notice!" and began my journey down the aisle, arm-in-arm with my dear stepfather.

You know the story. Scott never noticed the black roadway my eyeliner created down the front of my dress. In all of the photographs, the white of the dress was too brilliant to see the slightest blemish. The wrinkles of abuse were seeming reflectors of the silvery flashes from pictures being taken every few seconds. Nothing could rob the joy, nor taint the beauty of the day God created for Scott and I.

I was praying for the Lord's bride last night. Thinking about how excited and anxious He must be to come and call us to the wedding feast with Himself. Remembering the scriptures of His singing over us and knowing that if I could cry for joy in heaven, I would...weddings always make me cry. Especially when I know that the blackness of my sin, the stains of my iniquity, and the tears from transgressions that SHOULD litter the white garment I wear, has been washed by His blood and made brilliant by His pure perfection...it makes me cry. He sees nothing but the love of His life. A spotless bride. Nothing in our past, present, nor future, will rob the joy, nor taint the beauty of that day that God created for us...the fulfillment of our long awaited wedding day to Jesus.

Zep 3:17 "The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing."

Hos. 2:19 "I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy; 20 I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD.

Success and Failure

When I was in college, a requirement for graduating with a psychology degree was conducting research and writing a fairly lengthy report. Though I wasn't walking with the Lord, adoration for children drove me to keep my job as a pre-school teacher while carrying a heavy school schedule. I decided to do my research paper on the 35 four-year old's in my pre-school and designed a study entitled "Learned Helplessness."

I divided the kids by gender and gave each of them an "impossible" task which they had to complete in order to get a reward. They were given 3 different puzzles that had a few pieces that did not fit. The boys responses were aggressive and violent. By the 3rd puzzle, they were angry and frustrated, throwing the puzzle on the ground, breaking pieces, or hitting things with their fist. The girls would end up crying or sulking, usually giving up after the 2nd puzzle and ignoring the 3rd. The 4th puzzle was designed to be extremely easy and they would be able to complete it successfully...if they tried.

I wish I remember exactly how many persevered and finished the fourth puzzle, but there were only a few. (Please don't worry about what happened to the kids-they were told at the end about the puzzles, given rewards and reinforced to the approval of "self-esteem" professors at the university.)

Repeated situations where success was impossible caused anger and emotional outbursts to some, while others became so discouraged they quit trying all together. Difficult marriage problems? Conflicts with teenagers? Employer never satisfied? Past attempts to serve the Lord brought heavy discouragement? Past financial mistakes? Failure...don't we hate that word?

I was talking with someone not long ago who had to shut down the family business. They loved the Lord and honored Him in every aspect of their business, but by having to close the doors and losing an extensive amount of money from their hard-earned savings, "failure" was stamped across their heart. More like...engraved deeply. How much tenacity and perseverance they have for future endeavors, only God knows. But I do believe this about our God.

There are no "failures" in the family of God. Once we're adopted He has stamped across our hearts "conqueror." Rom. 8:37 "...in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." He redeems our mistakes, bad decisions, detours, or circumstances that the "world" calls failure, with an aim to use it for a great testimony for His own glory and our eternal good. Sometimes, we've brought problems upon ourselves by acting out of the will of God....and in that, the Word says " Heb. 12:11-13 "Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed." The Lord is a faithful Father-our responsibility is to be trained by our mistakes. If we learn from them, He has promised to heal us and bring spiritual fruit from our lives with peace.

At other times, when there has been no fault of our own but we seem to be met with failure on every side, but the Lord has promised, Rom. 8:28 "And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Whether we see it or not, understand it or not, God has a plan. Jer. 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." The world's measurements of success and failure is never God's standard. The way others view our lives, even Christians, is infinitely limited in sight or purpose. Whether mother, father, spouse, friend or foe have been disappointed in their expectations of you, the Lord is committed to you for a lifetime in love and support and failing is not a part of His vocabulary unless you forsake Him. Deu. 31:8 "And the LORD, He is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."

No matter what has happened in your world, don't give up. Of all the things to learn, don't learn how to be helpless. Persevere. Be tenacious. You're more than a conqueror THROUGH Christ who strengthens you. Continue forward despite numerous setbacks. You have a Bible filled with promises that GOD will never fail to fulfill. Hear Him cheering for you?

Ps 46:1 "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

Rom. 8:31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"