Our family enjoys the reality TV show Survivor. My adolescent son is especially fond of the competitions the contestants tackle. A couple of years ago our family faced our own series of challenges. We had moved to Charlotte the year before, finally sold our house in Colorado at a substantial deficit, my husband lost his new job, and then I had a miscarriage. It had been quite a year for our family. During that time the Lord put a picture in my mind reminiscent of a set right out of Survivor.In this vision, I saw our family standing on a collection of platforms in the sea. This patchwork of platforms, like tall wooden blocks, rose several stories above the ocean. The top of each block was square, each a different size and color, lettered roughly with various words representing areas of our life. One said “career”, another, “house”. One said “new baby”… and there were other words like “pride”, “friends”, “income”, and “busyness”. One by one, these parts of the platform started to fall out from under us.
We had a choice. We could cling to those things we held dear, but then we would be flung into the sea as they fell away. Instead, we began to move in, closer to the center. Each piece tumbled away until we could only stand on the one immovable, unshakable, only steady platform which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Our losses were things we couldn’t hold onto. But the blessing in the loss was that we drew closer to each other and closer to God. Jesus truly became our Rock.
Busyness often threatens to take over my life. With so many options, activities, and opportunities, life can be very full. Without thinking, it is easy to lose focus and allow any of these things, even good things, to take over lordship in my life. Daily I have to choose to allow Jesus to be Lord, to trust Him no matter what. I desire to live my life on the Rock of Christ: hearing His words and doing them. (Luke 6:47-48)
No, we aren't through our challenges yet. (This is life on earth --- we will always have challenges!) But we do continue to cling to Christ, doing our best to rejoice in each day He gives us. How about you? What challenges or opportunities threaten to take over as lord in your life? Do losses in your life bring you closer to Christ?
I am sharing this with Emily's Tuesdays Unwrapped at Chatting at the Sky.
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12 comments:
So very true. Great illustration. I too had to relocate to Henderson, NV from Southern California, around Redlands, Riverside area. We came four years ago due to my husband's job. He is in banking, and as you know, the economy is playing havoc on everything, especially, small banks. The housing market has dropped and if he loses his job, he will retire, but we would lose a lot of our investment intended for our retirement nest egg. Before I married my husband, 8 years ago, I was a single Mom raising two daughters. I know how to be frugal and LOVE yard sailing and thrift stores. I love the challenge of making something old and discarded, new and usable. Your cart is darling. I will pray for the little Angel...I really enjoyed your blog and will follow to keep in touch... God Bless...
Opps, sorry about the cart comment, that the cart on The Bird's Nest (where I found your blog)...I also left a comment on your Digital Scrap Booking post...
What a wonderful picture Terri! Thank you for sharing that, you have encouraged me with your words today! You are right, Jesus is the ONLY Rock that lasts!
Amen, sister! I like how you all were moving closer together...and all found yourself on the Rock. I pray that as a family - bound to go through challenges - that we will move closer together to Jesus as opposed to drifting apart! Love you! Good to see you...if only in passing...last night!
good word my friend! good word! you may or may not know or remember but that last year we were in mops together (07), we experienced a lot of loss (including/and the reason for mops ending boo hoo!) every time i turned around there was another thing removed from our lives. from family dying, to leaving our church home, to having to find a new hairdresser! big and small taken away constantly. it was a very painful season. but God used all of the things He allowed to be taken from us so that we could learn to truly seek Him and cling to Him. i learned so much from that loss. and the next year, we were blessed beyond what we could have imagined. and he is continuing to blow our minds! He is so faithful to us! i have to remind myself to keep my calling at focus and not be distracted by all the good stuff that i could get involved in! i am focused on being a Christ follower, a wife and a mom. the other things have to come after those three come first! if things start to get a little out of balance i am sensitive enough to realize it, unlike i once was. He used the loss to teach me this! God is soooo good!!
thank you for sharing!!!!
Jesus is the rock that we should stand on. I pray that all family no matter what life brings them that Jesus is the only thing that will truly save them.
Geri
Terri,
You asked me if I had a banana pudding recipe, so I posted one for you. Come by and visit my blog so you can take a look at it. Hope you can try it and enjoy. It's one of my families favorite. I make it for family potlucks.
Geri
i am one to let the busyness get the best of me... and i am often overrun by it. i never thought of that. that i have to choose Jesus to be Lord & King DAILY. love that!
What a beautiful visual - it really hits home. It made me think of my own life and what I stand on - I hope it is Christ the Rock!
Thank you!
Thank you for the reminder to cling to Christ. He is the only unshakeable rock in a world of shifting sand.
Great visual... your story reminded me of what we experience this year, as well...
Ahhh the business... it is so easy to get sidetracked and overwhelmed. Thank you for the incredible reminder :)
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