Diane Mickler's Blog

Where is your faith? he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked each other, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:25

The storms last week reminded me of those which came through our small town during my growing up years. My Mama had a healthy respect for storms, and when we were growing up, there were many occasions to go through them with her in charge of our safety measures. Remember, this was during the 50’s and 60’s where technology updates on storms were rare, but Mama seemed to have a second sense about them. She could walk outside, gauge the wind, the sky, and the atmosphere and somehow know we were in for a bad storm.

We lived in South Georgia, and we had no basement or other shelter for protection against tornadoes or hurricanes, so Mama insisted that we girls get under our beds as protection during the height of a storm. The three of us spent many hours underneath our respective beds singing songs or just talking. I’m a little claustrophobic, so if I’d had my choice, I’d have rather taken my chances on the bed rather than under it!

Storms are a given in life, and we all face them at one time or another. They often appear when we least expect them, and they can leave us confused, broken, and even desperate. We can hide under the bed, deny their existence, or we can face them and trust God to bring us through.

What do we know about the storms in life? We know for absolute certain that in this life we can expect trouble, sadness, disappointment, failure, betrayal, and the list goes on. This is a given.

When storms come our way, as they surely will, it would help if we remember a few things about them. First, storms can come out of nowhere, so it helps to be prepared. Around our house, if we experience a long stretch of calm, we start getting ready because we know a storm of some sort is brewing. We try to stay prepared by practicing a consistent prayer life and thankful attitude for each calm day. Even though a new storm can be devastating, we try to lean on God and all the blessings we enjoy.

Storms also provide the opportunity to practice our faith as we strive for trust in God over understanding. It is during the storms of life that God can move closer to us and us to Him.

We should all try to remember the words of Elle Sommer, “Where you are now won’t last forever. Big challenges usually bring big victories.”

The third thing about storms is that they usually move quickly through and the sun comes out. We look back on them and marvel at the freshness and new perspective we find after the storm. They have a way of humbling us while bringing us closer together.

Lastly, I think storms, no matter what kind, have a way of showing us the silver lining in this life. Storms give color to the normalcy of daily living and remind us that God’s plan is bigger than any storm. His covenant with us lets us know that there are miracles brewing in the midst of any storm.

The hymn How Great Thou Art was written during a storm. The story is told that Mr. Carl Gustaf Boberg, a Swedish pastor, editor and member of the Swedish parliament was on his way home from church when a strong storm began to form out of nowhere. The winds were howling, and it appeared it would form into quite a devastating storm. Suddenly, as he watched, the storm disappeared as mysteriously as it had begun.

As the church bells rang and he looked out over the calm Monsteras Bay, these words began to form in his heart, O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder; consider all the worlds they hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder; Thy power throughout the universe displayed.” There was such calmness after the storm that he returned home to write the rest of the great hymn. It has been translated several times and finally in 1949 was published with all the verses we know today.

There is for me a certain awe that appears after a storm which makes me realize how protected we are by God’s hand during these times. We will all get through the storms in our lives and marvel at how trivial they seem now as we look at them through God’s perspective! Oh God, How Great Thou Art!

If you are ever to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power, (Eph.6:10) your strength will be born during a storm. copied

Her children respect and bless her; her husband joins in with words of praise. Many women have done wonderful things, but you have outclassed them all. Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades. The woman to be admired and praised is the woman who lives in the fear of God. Give her everything she deserves. Proverbs 31:28-31 The Message

There are occasions in this life when you are afforded the opportunity to meet and talk with people, and you wonder at first why God put them in your path.? Later, His plan is revealed and you marvel at how it was orchestrated.

Such a time arose for me several months ago when a lady with a sweet smile and kindly manner started coming to the pool. There was a way about her that reminded me somewhat of my Mama. She kept mostly to herself, but she was always quick to smile and say “hello”. One day as there were only the two of us in the pool, we introduced ourselves and shared a few bits of small talk and questions of how each of us was enduring the pandemic. Her name is Marie, and she is a very special lady.

One morning Marie was visibly different, and I inquired about her health and situation. She began by saying she just didn’t feel well and although she had been through some tests, the doctors couldn’t find anything that made them worry. She commented that she just couldn’t remember things and wasn’t as strong as she had been.

As we continued to talk and speculate about what could be wrong, she said, “You know, I don’t worry about myself, but I just don’t want to be a burden to my husband.” It seems that her husband is 83 years old, active, eats well, and is healthy. He was a chief officer in three different companies during his career, and she thinks he deserves worry free retirement years.

I asked about her career, and she said, “Oh, I was just a mother.” What a statement! Just a mother! Yes, she was just a mother to four children, seven grandchildren and three greats. Just a mother who helped her husband to have a successful career because she ran his home and cared for his children. Just a mother who loves her children, talks to them, treats them with respect, and raised them in a strong stable family.

I took the next moments to tell her about my own Mama and how she might not have finished college, might not have had her own career, but that she was the backbone of our family. Mama had such a beautiful soprano voice that she could have had her own career, but instead she sang for free everywhere from church to weddings, funerals to nursing homes and countless other volunteer opportunities. She was available for her three girls which allowed my Daddy to leave early in the morning to farm, come home late at night and make a living for his family!

There is no job which takes more skills, understanding, patience, and love than those needed by a Mother in all she does. Think of the mothers God himself picked and honored. Mary, Sarah, Rebekah, Eve, and Elizabeth just to name a few.

Mothers make a difference in the lives of their children. Not every mother gives to her children in the same way, but each Mother is a blessing and gift from God. In short, Mothers gift us with an inheritance. When someone loves you enough to leave you an inheritance, you should treasure it and treat it in a way that honors the giver. God has given us Mothers, and the children He has provided us are the greatest inheritance. No mother is just a mother but rather a treasure.

Happy Mother’s Day to each and every Mother!

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. Colossians 3:17

When I was five years old, my Mama decided it was time for me to play the piano, so I began a long, arduous journey to learn to play. The first lesson of piano begins with a look at the keyboard where one begins to learn the notes by letter, cleft, flats and sharps. Middle C is the starting point.

Middle C is named thusly because it is the note on a piano or sheet of music which is directly in the middle or the center of the bass and treble cleft. It is important because its the center of the universe, so to speak, or home base for musicians and it helps novices acquire a starting point.

My first piano teacher (I had many) was Miss Marion Roberts, the organist for our church. She always said, “If you lose your way on the piano, go back to Middle C.” Like the piano, life is like that. Life is hard, but Christ, our Middle C is always there. There are many things in this life which try to draw us away from our focus on Christ, but we always should remain faithful to our Middle C.

How many things depend on the center or Middle C? If you begin to list them, you must include things such as a wagon wheel, the hands of a clock are anchored there, the fifty yard line of a football field, the center on a football line, the center of a basketball court, and the list goes on.

When I think of all the Middle C’s in my life, I have a few which stand out.

The first C is compassion. There are many mornings lately during my quiet time that a name will come into my mind. It could be friend, a relative, a student, or someone else, but they are there because they could use some love and care. They need someone to be a stand in for the arms and love of Christ. If we are Christians, it is our job to be that for them. We might not be able to save the world, but we can make it better for others, one life at a time by offering compassion when suffering. illness or hurt shows up.

Companionship is the next C that comes to mind. Randy often ends a marriage ceremony by inviting the couple to include Jesus in their lives as a constant companion. He is with us during good days and bad, trials and suffering, and He has vowed to never leave us. It is a comforting thought to be assured of His companionship.

The third C is Courage. It takes courage to live in this world of changing values, morals, and behavior. It is necessary for fighting life’s battles. There are so many blessings in this life, but there are times when we must fight things such as resentment, depression, jealousy, and temptations. It takes courage to hear two sides of a story before making a judgment. It takes courage to put Christ first above mortal men.

Christ is the paramount C on my list. Who can possibly live a Christian life without Christ as your Middle C? There are so many times in our lives when we wander too far to the right or the left of the keyboard of life. We forget to trust and rely on Him in all circumstances, and we tender to forget that He is present with us even when we can’t see Him working. It is in those times that we should look to the final C.

The final C on my list is the Cross. The cross stands before us, behind us, and beside us in all of our life problems. If we can just look beyond the problem to the Cross, we will see Jesus there just waiting to bring us back to Middle C.

My prayer for us all this day is that we will never forget the presence of God and His hand in each and every situation we face.

In Christ there is no east or west, in Him no south or north, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth. Hymn In Christ There Is No East or West by John Oxenham

There is a time for everything and a season for every purpose under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Time is a wicked thing. It goes and comes like a thief in the night and takes with it our energy, beauty and youth. copied

The thing about all the restrictions imposed upon us by COVID is that we have learned to work together to help keep ourselves and others safe, while learning to improvise to make certain restrictions work. Time at home with family has become more abundant, and we have had to adjust to having more of it and using it wisely.

The thing about time is that we all have the same amount of it – 24 hours in each day, 7 days in each week, and 365+ days in each year. It’s all about how we use it, waste it, or forget how precious it is.

In my daily pool time, there are just a handful of us who come at a certain time in the morning. The pool is restricted to three lanes for social distancing purposes, but we have found ways to accommodate each other by using less space while keeping our distance and limiting our time in the water. However, if the lanes are all full, we sit and wait our turn. It takes time, but it’s all about safety and concern for others.

The other morning while we were going about our exercises, a man entered who apparently didn’t have time to abide by the rules and wait his turn. The lanes were full. Rules dictate that you sit and wait, but his time was too valuable, so he began to pace up and down the side of the pool while constantly checking his watch. He made quite a scene but refused any offers to share a lane or accommodate him in a smaller space. In a minute, he grabbed his stuff and stormed out. Through the glass windows, we witnessed a tirade as he screamed and complained to the manager because he didn’t have time to wait!!

As we watched, I couldn’t help but snicker because his behavior was much like a child that doesn’t get their way, and somewhat like the political and social world out there today. I began to imagine how the world looks right now to God. As he watches all of us impatiently waiting to get back to normal while being unwilling to make time for Him even though we have more of it to devote to Him. He must be tired.

One would hope that at this point in time more and more people would be devoting the extra time to studying God’s word, trying to be more Godly, and striving to doing the right thing daily. However, more and more of us are going about our lives with no regard for the Bible, making excuses for not acting more Godly, and being content with wrongs around us.

Right or wrong, everyone seems to be doing what is right in their own eyes these days. It is easy to become comfortable with the wrong things in our world, and believe that we don’t have time enough to do anything about them. People don’t seem to care if there are wrongs out there, just don’t let it interfere with our time schedule. God must be tired!

Even as most of us are receiving the long awaited vaccine, one would hope we would all take the time to pray for a total resolution to the virus, comfort and healing for those affected by it, and hope for a brighter future for our world. It doesn’t take a large amount of time to offer up prayers.

There are two truths about this life, time marches on, and none of us get out of here alive. The time has come to stand up for our beliefs, unashamedly declare our God and His power, and take time to pray for this country and all who we know who are affected by the virus.

Cicely Tyson says, You come here to go there. We just need to use our time wisely!

Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. Psalm 96:6

Blessed are you, O God of Israel, our father from of old and forever. To You, Oh God belong the greatness and the might, the glory, the victory, the majesty, the splendor; Yes, everything on heaven and everything on earth; the kingdom, all yours. You’ve raised yourself high over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11

We have just experienced Easter in churches across our nation, and we celebrated the Majesty of God while giving Glory to Him through music, thought, and word. Now, as the excitement of that day and the promise that is so real begins to diminish, we find ourselves back in the routine of the Christian life. The drama that preceded that day with Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday are put away until next year. We worshipped His majesty and gave Him all the glory. Now, how do we keep those words and feelings fresh in our hearts and minds?

One of my all time favorite church anthems is Majesty and Glory, and it gives me chills each time I hear it performed. The music is so beautiful and the words are equally so.

It’s interesting how these two words seem to be paired together many times. Majesty is defined as greatness or splendor of quality or character, and God would certainly fit that definition. Glory is defined as worshipful praise, honor and thanksgiving of which God is most assuredly worthy.

If you’ve ever risen early on a morning and watched the sun come up toward the horizon, and then watched the tints and hues of every color that begins to blend into the perfect light, then you’ve seen majesty.

We can experience God’s majesty in many joyful things in life, but if we can experience His majesty through pain and loss then we have gained glimpses into His glory. It’s in these times when we can honestly say, I know that my redeemer lives as He allows us to see His grace.

NASA has only begun to explore the universe that surrounds us. Recently going to Mars and attempting to explore that planet, they have reiterated the massive distance and width of our universe. This same universe that God in His majesty created. We hear these words, When I look into the night sky and see the work of His fingers.The moon and stars suspended in space. Oh what is man that thou art mindful of HIm? For what are we created other than to give to God all the majesty and glory?

Rev. Paul Apple says, Our view of God has suffered because of our failure to capture the full sense of His Majesty. The God of today is a very personal one with whom we can share an intimate relationship taking all our troubles and confiding all our joys and sorrows. That in itself is amazing, but we sometimes lose sight of the fact that God is not limited, as we are, in His wisdom, His presence, His effectiveness and His power. He is instead eternal, infinite and almighty.

I’ve heard it said that the best way to see majesty is to strip away everything that pretends to be majestic so that which is fake is exposed. God in the manger is the most remarkable example of that monumental truth. Fast forward to Easter and the resurrected Jesus is a remarkable example of glory.

Craig D. Lounsbrough said, Once I finally understand the immensity of my own impoverishment, I am finally in a position to see the enormity of God’s majesty.

The palms of Palm Sunday are gone, the sadness of Good Friday has subsided, the joy of Easter is a beautiful memory, and life evolves back to normal as we know it. But, how can we as Christians return to normal after the power, majesty and glory has empowered us in such a fashion? Jesus has made the ultimate down payment on our inheritance. Our job is to keep the words, the feeling, the glory, and the majesty alive all year!

Oh Lord ,my God the majesty and glory of Your name Transcends the earth and fills the heavens. O Lord our God little children praise you perfectly, and so would we, and so would we. Alleluia Alleluia The majesty and glory of your name. Alleluia, Alleluia. Lyrics by Tom Fettke

Jesus said, ” I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” John 11:25

Of all the church celebrations during the years, Easter has always been the day of days! Covid has certainly forced us to make changes in some of the traditions, but it has made it more apparent that the differences in the way this world looks at this day is more divided than ever.

Some people see Easter as just another long weekend, a chance to fill Easter baskets, dye eggs, wear new spring clothes, and wait for the Easter Bunny to deliver treats. Some people view the days as a chance to gather with family and have an Easter ham. The Christian should see this day as so much deeper. It should be an opportunity for us to declare that Jesus was crucified, dead and buried, but on this day He arose from the dead! This is a day when we sing, Christ our Lord has risen today. Hallelujah!

The correct definition of Hallelujah is God be praised according to Webster. I am a fan of grammar, and in grammar, the word hallelujah would be classified as an interjection which is a word which shows sudden surprise or emotion. The thing about an interjection is that it is grammatically independent of the words around it and expresses feeling rather than meaning.

On Easter morning, there is strong emotion when we declare, Hallelujah, He is risen. The empty tomb is just a reminder of the awesome God we serve who has risen from the dead!

There comes with this day a chance to raise some questions in our own lives. These questions could be: Why do we go to church? Why do we sing the hymns, repeat the prayers and listen and respond to a sermon? Do we go to worship God or out of habit or a sense of duty? Are we using this time in church to strengthen our faith so we can serve as an example to others, or going just a habit? Do we want to serve or be served? Is our faith alive or dead?

Faith at its basic level is the acceptance that things one has never seen could be real. Aren’t we as Christians obligated to make sure people hear about our faith? Jesus is not in a rock casket. He wasn’t there. The stone had been rolled away. That fact alone demands a response from us. We can either crown Him with thorns, spit in His face, pierce His side with a spear, or we can run to the foot of that cross, fall on our knees and call Him Lord of all. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, we must life up the Son of Man.

The cross is God’s first and last word when it comes to salvation. When Jesus said, “It is finished”, all our sins from the cradle to the grave were paid. There is no Plan B for salvation. The only highway to heaven goes through Calvary. You can’t take a detour and pass the cross if you want salvation.

This Easter as we look at the beautiful cross, we should remind ourselves, “He did it for me!!” Hallelujah!

When He comes our glorious King, All His ransomed home to bring; Then anew His song we will sing, Hallelujah! What a Savior!! Philip P. Bliss

But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge–to the great amazement of the governor. Matthew 27:14

There are few images that are more moving than the movies and pictures which depict Jesus as He stood in front of those who would falsely accuse Him. He could have called ten thousand angels or called upon the wrath of God as seen in plagues or the parting of the Red Sea, yet he remained still and said not a word.

I began to think of how often we get impatient and fail to remain silent and let God take up our cause or petition. Instead of letting God provide the answers or solutions through His unfailing and faithful love, we try to strike a blow in our own defense. If we would just remain silent and say not a word, God would grant us this silent power and submissive spirit we all need.

There are many times when our words are intolerant of others, narrow minded, harshly vindictive and damage the testimony we could make for Him. Jesus allowed the critics to do their worst, yet He stood in the power of God as the silent Lamb.

Once our earthly battles and strifes are over, our prayer should be that others remember us as Jesus would want us to be, looking upon the face of others and seeing Christ in them.

The day when Jesus stood alone, And felt the hearts of men like stone, And knew He came but to atone –That day, “He held His peace”.

They witnessed falsely to His word, They bound Him with a cruel cord, And mockingly proclaimed Him Lord, “But Jesus held His peace”.

They spat upon Him in the face, They dragged Him on from place to place, They heaped upon Him all disgrace, “But Jesus held His peace”.

My friend, gave you for far much less, With rage, which you called righteousness, Resented slights with great distress? Your Savior “held His peace”. copied

Years ago, Chuck and Robert presented the congregation with a beautiful rendition of “He Never Said a Mumbalin’ Word“. I will never forget the powerful message. Here is a reminder of the words of the spiritual.

O, they whipped him up the hill, up the hill, up the hill; O, they whipped him up the hill, And He never said a mumbalin’ word. O, they whipped him up the hill, And He never said a mumbalin’ word. He just hung His head and He cried.

“They nailed him to a tree.” And He never said a mumbalin’ word. “They pierced him in the side.” And He never said a mumbalin’ word. “His blood came trickling down.” And He never said a mumbalin’ word. “He hung His head and died.” And He never said a mumbalin’ word.

The spiritual seeks to allow one to see the suffering of Christ without His complaint. Although in the gospel of Mark it is recorded that Christ did speak, the words spoken are said to show his emotional, psychological and physical suffering. He did not seek wrath or revenge.

As we seek to honor Him this Holy Week, let’s seek to assume the qualities of our Savior. There is not a word we can say that is more powerful than His example.

The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that, you also, will believe. John 19:35

On one of the beautiful days last week, Randy, Rocco and I decided to take a ride over to the Avalon, walk around and have lunch outside. I went in the restaurant to order and left Randy and our dog, Rocco, sitting at a table outside. When I came back, I found Randy kneeling on the sidewalk by a little lady and another woman hovering over them. The little lady had tripped on the sidewalk and face planted on the concrete. Randy had run to get her up and see if she was hurt, and they were still making sure nothing was broken when I arrived.

In the ensuing moments staff arrived, the lady was helped inside, and the waitress called security. When they arrived, they needed someone to give an eyewitness account of the accident.

The security guards asked us, “Were you there? Did you see the whole thing?” We explained that I wasn’t there, but Randy was. He filled out a report and left his name and phone number in case he was needed. They remarked on how important it is for them to have an eyewitness account when accidents happen or situations arise.

In a court of law, there are things which are crucial testimony. One is a picture of the event, but the most powerful thing is one or two eyewitnesses who saw the same thing. Almost nothing can defeat the testimony of eyewitnesses.

I began to think of the people who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus and what their eyewitness account would say? How can you even describe in words the agony of that day? The Gospel of John is the only one that describes the events of the day both great and small because he was the only disciple present. His was an eyewitness account. He alone tells of the attempt to change the title on the cross, the tender entrusting of the Virgin to his care, and the two phrases, “I Thirst” and “It Is Finished”. John gives details such as the position of Jesus between the two robbers, and the jar of vinegar standing by the crosses.

Early Christians all lived to give witness or eyewitness accounts of Jesus because their main focus was to build the kingdom. They were anxious to spread His gospel. What a difference in Christians of today! Paul Harvey said that we are no longer fishers of men, but rather keepers of an empty fish tank. He goes on to say that we want to take care of the fish already in the tank, but we don’t feel the need to go out and catch more!!

It seems to come down to one basic question, “Is Jesus dead or alive to us?” If he is alive to us, then we should be eager to give others an eyewitness account of what He is doing and has done! If He is alive, then we should act like it!

There is a huge difference in doing what we are called to do and doing what we choose to do. There is also a great chasm between what early Christians did and what we are not doing today. We are all called to be witnesses to what the Lord has done for us. Jesus gave that command when he said, “Therefore go and make disciples in all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. I will be with you always even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Today is a great day to be a an eye witness for Jesus.

Were you there when they crucified My Lord, Where you there when they crucified My Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified My Lord? William Eleazar Barton

Conspiracy is defined as a secret plan by a group, or the action of plotting. We all conspire at different times in our lives, and most of the time it’s pretty harmless. Take for example, the conspiracy of our three older grandsons who conspired to help our youngest grandson, Reese, get taller!

Imagine, if you can, being the youngest of four grandsons. Everyone is older, so naturally everyone is taller, but you don’t like being the smallest of the lot and you lament about your situation. Enter Drew, Cooper and Mason who dreamed up a little conspiracy to help Reese and have a little fun themselves.

Randy has an inversion table in the basement which helps with back pain. Basically, you strap yourself into the device and hang upside down for a few minutes a day. The method separates your vertebrae and helps with pain.

The boys convinced Reese that if he hung there for most of the day, he would emerge three maybe even four inches taller. They enlisted the adults to help in the conspiracy. Everytime Reese came up and walked amongst us, we would remark on how much taller he seemed! He actually left that day confident that he had grown! It was a good conspiracy.

Some conspiracies are harmless, but others can be devastating. Jesus was certainly no stranger to conspiracies, and ultimately endured crucifixion because of them. Matthew says the Pharisees went out and held a council against him about how they might destroy him. It continues to say that later They assembled together the chief priests, the scribes and the elders of the people in the palace of the high priest who was called Caiaphas. When the morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. The aim of these people was to make Pilate believe that Jesus was the leader of a conspiracy against the emperor.

During this year of Covid pandemic, we have heard many “conspiracy theories” making the rounds in social media, the news, and word of mouth. Pursuing and sharing these conspiracy theories eventually results in a disconnect with the word and ministry of Jesus. He would want us to concentrate more on saving the hungry, saving the church, and saving the country rather than spreading fear, suspicion and doom.

Political intrigue and conspiracy theories absolutely existed in the time of Jesus. Jesus and His disciples were surrounded by secret plots within the government and society. Jesus certainly did not direct his followers to political passivism. On the contrary, both He and the New Testament scripture seek to motivate the disciples of Jesus to political action: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Matthew 5:44

Jesus did want us to take action against the injustices happening in the world by corrupt government, officials, and other powers, but it wasn’t through the whisperings of conspiracy. His example and His instruction was one thing – pray.

Judas, his own disciple ended up being involved in the most memorable conspiracy theory, the one to betray Jesus. Some people think Judas did it for money. Some think it was because Jesus rebuked him in the House of Simon the Leper when Judas objected to the woman pouring ointment on Jesus’ feet. Whatever the reason, he conspired with the chief priests and others by kissing Jesus on the cheek signaling to them that He was the man that they wanted.

As much as we all like to think that we would never be part of a conspiracy against Jesus, we know the sad truth. In this world of today, any time we kiss Christ in outward devotion yet inwardly sell Him for the world’s silver, we are no better than Judas. We are part of the worst conspiracy. The good news is that we only have to cry out for His grace, and He will supply it.

But they were not able to recognize who He was. Luke 24:16

During my growing up years, we spent almost every weekend (weather permitting) on Lake Seminole. Our family, along with some cousins and friends, swam, skied and hung out there pretty regularly. We picnicked and even went so far as to camp out one weekend!

Our Daddy dealt with four ladies under his roof, and although we were pretty good at cooking and cleaning, we left it up to him to handle everything concerning our ski boat! There have been lots of times when the motor would give out in the middle of the lake and Daddy would paddle us all to shore. The rest of us were not quite as adept, and we usually ended up making the work harder for him rather than better!

Flash forward years later when Randy and I made a trip to Montana to visit friends, and one of the activities of the day was kayaking. Randy grew up paddling his small boat all over it the lake in front of his house as part of his boyhood, and he was good at it. When our friends brought out the kayak and handed us the paddles, Randy looked at me and said, “Can you paddle?” My answer was, “Of course”. The lake ended up being huge, and the current working against us in the middle of it was strong.

I was paddling along in what I thought was perfect tandem, when I noticed that we weren’t making much progress. It was about that moment when Randy turned to me and said, “Put the paddle down! You are paddling against me.” I put the paddle down, relaxed in the kayak, and enjoyed the scenery while he paddled. When we reached shore, he looked at me and said, “Just so you know, you can’t paddle! You are so lucky I was in there with you.”

Although I wanted to help paddle, my way wasn’t working. I needed someone with experience in the boat with me. This is so like the way we operate with God. We want to do it ourselves, and even though many times our way isn’t working, we don’t want to give up the paddle.

In order to navigate this life, we need to humble ourselves before God and put the paddle (control) down. We have to admit our way isn’t working. and let Him take the paddles. There are a few reasons that we don’t like to put the paddle down. I think our pride, our stubbornness, and our fear are three of the biggest obstacles to putting down the paddle.

Pride can keep us from putting the paddle down because we don’t want anybody to know that we can’t handle our situations by ourselves. It’s important that we seem self sufficient.

Stubbornness can be a part of our problem in putting the paddle down. We don’t want to change the way we do things. We are simply not willing to trust God with the paddles.

Sometimes we are afraid to give up the paddles. What if that doesn’t work? What if God doesn’t paddle where I want to go? Fear is our constant companion, and we are afraid to give God a chance to make it better.

It’s easy to lose perspective in the middle of life’s problems especially in a year like the past one. Two of Christ’s own disciples had that experience on the Emmaus Road. They were discouraged about Jesus’ death and going over all the things that had happened when Jesus came up and walked along with them. They were not able to recognize him because they couldn’t put the paddle down. They wanted to be in control. The very one whose death they were mourning was alive, but their focus was on the wrong thing. Everything changed when Jesus revealed himself to them, and within the hour, they were on their way back to Jerusalem to tell others how they had recognized Him, and that He was alive.

During the next few weeks of Lent, we could all benefit from inviting Christ to paddle our boat and just relax and enjoy the beauty and blessings all around us while we celebrate the fact that He is alive!

George Mueller says; “God has never failed me. Even in my greatest difficulties, heaviest trials, and deepest poverty and need. Because I was enabled by God’s grace to trust Him, He has always come to my aid. I delight in speaking well of His name.”