Day 47 - August 1 - Don't hit the wall!
You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. - Isaiah 26:3.
Thanks to you, O anonymous one, for posting that verse. I have been awake since 0400 this morning wrestling with my mind and my faith. Unable to sleep, I read the Bible and prayed, and pitted my faith in the unseen against the things I'm allowed to see. It's been a tough morning. So, seeing that verse posted up, gives me much-needed words of reminder and encouragement, as well as an opportunity for another quick blog.
When I was a wee tot, I had a little red bike with training wheels. I loved that bike, and rode it up and down the block at a furious pace (at least to me!), pedaling madly back and forth. One day, my dad decided it was time to get rid of the training wheels. Not giving me much opportunity for comment, he simply took them off and said "OK, let's go". I don't remember much about my state of mind as I got on the bike that day, but I do remember that I apparently had only one speed on that bike - as fast as I could go. So I climbed on the bike, my dad helped me balance a bit as I got going, and away I went, wobbling down the sidewalk as I left my surprised dad behind.
Down the street there were two houses that had a small rock wall between their yards. It was about a foot and a half high, and came all the way down to the sidewalk. As I careened madly down the sidewalk, my dad hollered "Don't hit the wall"! Wall? What wall? Oh, THAT wall! Of course this all happened in an instant, but as I approached the narrow spot between the wall on one side and the cactus on the other (I grew up in El Paso, Texas - we had a lot of cactus), all I could think of was to not hit the wall. So I looked at it, and looked at it, and looked at it - right up until I ran headlong into it! There was a big "BONK" sound, I fell over, my dad came running, there was a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth, and I was never going to get on another bike ever again.
Learning to ride a bike without training wheels wasn't the only lesson I started learning that day. The other one was that your mind takes you toward what you're looking at - a valuable lesson since I ride motorcycles now, but even more so in my spiritual life. It is very, very easy to focus on the problems that face us, and very, very difficult to keep my mind stayed on God.
Maybe one of these days I'll really learn to ride that bike.
posted by Eric Williamson @ 7:38 AM
11 Comments
Links to this post
11 Comments:
God has a positive answer:
YOU SAY
GOD SAYS
BIBLE VERSES
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you
(John 3:1 6 & John 3:34 )
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient
(II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5- 6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things
(Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able
(II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it
(Roman 8:28 )
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)
Got this in an email today. Thought it was full of good reminders.
Eric.....each day when I read your blog I am reminded about how faithful the Williamson family is and about how blessed Connor is...to have an earthly father that loves him so much and will be his advocate. To have a loving mother and sister the he can count on and extended family beyond that. When you are feeling helpless and even sometimes hopeless and are wrestling with all that is happening, there are countless people praying for you all and for Connor. When you are too tired to focus, others are focusing for you! God Bless you all today. You will be in our prayers lots and lots.
In Christ,
Claudia Rizzi
Norco, CA
Tex,
You've come a long way Baby! Just think, a little red tricycle with training wheels to big motorcycles on the highway. And so it is with your faith. You know, that stuff you asked for more of? Since you asked us to pray for your increased faith, I did a study this week on that. The bigger the challenge, the smaller my faith seems too. I will share with you some teachings that I found on The Blue Letter Bible. Author's name preceeds the teachings. I hope this blesses you as much as it did me.
Chuck Smith:
I cannot generate faith; I cannot produce faith. Faith is a gift of God. It is listed in I Corinthians chapter 12 as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Now it is glorious when God plants that faith in your heart, but if He doesn't I don't know what you can do about it. So I think it's proper with the disciples just say, "Lord, increase my faith."
Neal Pirolo:
But, you may say, I thought that “to each is given a measure of faith” (Romans 12:3) and that’s it. Yes, we are given a measure of faith. But what do we do with that measure? Do we exercise it? Do we plant it? Do we bury it in a cloth? We find in Scripture: “Lord, increase our faith” (Luke 17:5); “We thank God because your faith is growing exceedingly.” 2 Thessalonians 1:3 Each of these phrases in its context points to the growing nature of faith. And the formula for this growth is concise: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and that message is the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 Thus, we are driven back to the Word, the Source of our sustenance, our very life itself.
You may one day look at what you believe you have the faith to accomplish. And being dissatisfied with that amount, you pray, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.” Mark 9:24 Get into the Word. Let your faith grow. Sometime later you do another “faith check.” And though your faith has grown to believe God for greater things than before, you again are at a point of wanting more. So again you dig deeper into the message of the Word. And your faith grows. And you read and study and apply the Word to your life. And your faith grows some more. And the day will come when your faith is so large that your shield will cover you from the soles of your feet to the top of your head. You will be able to stand there against the enemy, knowing that that shield of faith is your protection, your defense, as you go out and overpower evil with good. With Paul you can shout, “I can do all things through Christ who is my strength!” Philippians 4:13 With the emphasis, of course, on “through Christ” and not on “my great faith.” (And be sure to read that Scripture in its context to understand what the “all things” were that Paul said he could do.)
Charles Spurgeon:
Take heed of your faith, because Christ thinks much of it. There are three things in the New Testament which are called precious:—One of them, you know, is the precious blood of Christ; another is the exceeding great and precious promises; and faith has the honor of being the third thing—"To them that have obtained like precious faith." So that faith is one of God's three precious things, It is one of the things which he values above all others. I was astonished yesterday, when I met with an idea in an old divine, concerning the honor which God puts on faith: says he, "Christ takes the crown off his own head to put it on to faith's head." Mark you how often he says, "Thy faith hath saved thee." Now it is not faith that saves, it is Christ that saves. "Thy faith hath healed thee," says Christ. Now faith did not heal, it was Christ that healed, but Christ did uncrown himself to crown faith. He took the royal diadem of salvation from his own head and placed it on the brow of faith, and therein he made faith "the King of kings"—for it wears the crown which the King of kings alone can wear—"the crown of salvation."
The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" They went to the right person. They did not say to themselves, "I will increase my faith," they did not cry to the minister, "Preach a comforting sermon, and increase my faith," they did not say, "I will read such-and-such a book, and that will increase my faith." No, they said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." Faiths author can alone increase it. I could inflate your faith till it turned into presumption, but I could not make it grow. It is God's work to feed faith, as well as to give it life at first; and if any of you desire to have a growing faith, go and take your burden this morning to God's throne, crying "Lord, increase our faith!" If you feel that your troubles have been increased, go to the Lord, and say, "increase our faith!" If your money is accumulating, go to the Lord, and say, "Increase our faith;" for you will want more faith as you get more prosperity. If your property is diminishing, go to him, and say, "increase our faith," so that what you lose in one scale you may gain in the other. Are you sickly and full; of pain this morning? Go to your Master, and say, "increase my faith,' so that I may not be impatient, but be able to bear it well." Are you tired and weary? Go and supplicate, "Increase our faith!" Have you little faith? Take it to God, and he will turn it into great faith. There is no hot-house for growing tender plants in, like a house that is within the curtains—the tabernacle of God, where the Shekinah dwelleth.
http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0032.htm
Eric - I was sleepless last night too, and at 3 am could not figure out what it was...that soda I had with dinner? At 2:30 am Calif time, I decided to check the Connorwatch blog...(there were 3 other people on the site at that time of night). There are always some soothing and inspirational verses and posts there...I read, studied, prayed for your family, and also pondered the whole situation...God, what does this all mean? Why is this all happening to such a wonderful family? I looked at the maps....It's affecting the world for His Glory...I prayed for you to find an angel to help you with the hard earthly tasks of money and insurance...In those dark nights, God is with us...and our hearts and prayers are with you.
Eric,
Thank you so much for your oh so creative writing style. It has been an encouragment to me every day. We have been praying for all of you and my girls are noticing the difference in our family when it comes to prayer and compassion for others. Thank you for sharing the most private moments of your life! It is a true blessing. I don't have any scripture at the moment but I do have that list of sayings "God has a positive answer" on my bulletin board in my office at home and it encourages me every day to know that God is in command of my life! Blessings in Christ ~ Your friends and sister in Christ from West Hills ~ Mary Sue Rice
Eric -
As your brother I wouldn't dare tell all these people about your OTHER bike experience. You know, the one where you were racing on our street in El Paso with me and a bunch of my friends???
The one when you were in the lead and you jumped off the curb into the street only to watch your front tire come off the bike while you were in mid-air!!!
The one where the forks of your bike dug into the pavement with such force that they left gouges in the street that still have to be there to this day???
The one where you you laid on the asphalt like a bloody piece of roadkill and only had the strength to moan, "Get Mom!"
That's the one... I wouldn't dare say anything about that one!
BTW, did we ever find your front tire? It had to end up down by Watermelon's house somewhere!
Love you, Man!
Kent
I have 3 boys(men)....ya'lls blogs bring back funny memories for me too! Hang in there...the race sure can be tough but it'll be worth it all!!
lol Kent!
I'm sure Eric will thank you personally and privately for "not" sharing that story!
J
I found this poem today and immediately thought of you all.
He Knows
"Not Knowing” by Mary Gardiner Brainard (1837–1905)
Not knowing the things that shall befall me there.—ACTS XX. 22.
I know not what will befall me: God hangs a mist o’er my eyes;
And thus, each step of my onward path, He makes new scenes arise,
And every joy He sends to me comes like a sweet surprise.
I see not a step before me as I tread on another year;
But I’ve left the past in God’s keeping,—the future His mercy shall clear,
And what looks dark in the distance may brighten as I draw near.
For perhaps the dreaded future is less bitter than I think;
The Lord may sweeten the waters before I stoop to drink;
Or, if Marah must be Marah, He will stand beside its brink.
It may be He keeps waiting, for the coming of my feet,
Some gift of such rare blessedness, some joy so strangely sweet,
That my lips shall only tremble with the thanks they cannot speak.
O restful, blissful ignorance! ’t is blessëd not to know;
It keeps me still in those mighty arms which will not let me go,
And lulls my weariness to rest on the bosom that loves me so.
So I go on not knowing,—I would not if I might;
I would rather walk in the dark with God than go alone in the light;
I would rather walk with Him by faith than walk alone by sight.
My heart shrinks back from trials which the future may disclose,
Yet I never had sorrow but what the dear Lord chose;
So I send the coming tears back with the whispered word, “He knows.”
I pray that it blesses you as it blessed me upon reading it.
We continue to pray.
Kent...be sure not to tell THAT story! LOL!!! I love it!
Evalena
Williamson men,
Sounds like you all have had numerous angels protecting you throughout your life! Consider this trial your in now another time when the angels of God are protecting and watching over you all. Ain't God great! :)
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home