I recently upgraded to the new iPhone that begins a fabulous new relationship with Siri. She tells me all I need to know, reminds me to go feed the dog, and wakes me up in the morning. She is fabulous. If only I could change it to Keith Urban's voice...
I have been challenged to seek the Lord on what is next in my life. To stop asking "Why?" things are happening the way they are and to begin asking, "What's next?". Each time I do, I feel as a child would when they are giddy with excitement and their parent gently holds them and says, "Wait, it's not time yet."
It is a wonderful reminder to continue to seek the Lord on what the next step is in your life, but you must be willing to hear Him say, "Be still, and know I am God." (Psalm 46:10) He is so gentle with me, but I often wonder if He wants to grab my face and speak loudly..."Stop FREAKING OUT! Chill!"
My precious students remind me of this concept daily. They want to dive into blowing things up in my class, doing crazy experiments, and dissecting everything. I know, as the teacher, that they are simply not ready. They must learn so much before they can fully understand and enjoy cutting open a dead pig.
How youthful am I in my thinking, that I am ready for all the things I beg the Lord for? For even if He gave them to me, it might be unhealthy for me, I probably won't fully appreciate it, and it won't bring me the most joy. He is fearfully and wonderfully being patient with me.
Psalm 20:1-4 is a beautiful reminder of just how active He is in my life.
"May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary and give you support from Zion!
May he remember all your offerings and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! May he grant you your heart's desires and fulfill all your plans!"
The phrase, "give you support", stuck out to me. He holds me up when I am too weak, when I feel overwhelmed, and when I am being lazy. He holds me up. He is that constant support.
Strangely, the picture of an anchor came into mind. Maybe the correct picture for my life right now is not He holds me up, but rather He holds me down!
"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain." Hebrews 6:19
So, I turned to Siri to give me the answer I was looking for. "Siri, what is an anchor?" Being so very faithful to answer (most of the time, correctly), she responded with these meanings.
1.(n) A device that prevents a vessel from moving.
2.(n) A central cohesive source of support and stability
3.(v) Fix firmly and stably
Stability. We crave stability. We want to know that tomorrow will not bring a roller coaster of emotions and situations. But as we look at the picture of an anchor, stability has nothing to do with staying the same or not moving. It has everything to do with freedom and protection. Stay with me on this...grasp the picture.
When a vessel goes out to sea, there are several times that they need to "camp-out" in a certain place. The anchor goes down deep into the water and the crew rests, works on the ship, and plans for the sail tomorrow. They are tied down for the moment, and have freedom to become rested and rejuvenated. there is a stability that their vessel will not drift to an unknown or unsafe place.
Usually, these huge, massive storms we make movies about come at night. How true of our own lives? Our "storms" that we endure often happen in a dark and weary place. The crew has faith in this anchor that holds them down. The anchor does not stop the storm, but simply gives them stability to ride it out.
In my own life, the Lord's protection is more visible than any other provision. He has not withheld the storms from my life at all, but rather holds me down and fixes my soul to be firm and stable in His unending love. After each storm, I am stronger, not because of my own ability, but because I am being fused together with this anchor. His strength and weight to be stable in a storm becomes my strength and weight.
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:30
I become like a 6 year old girl again, the night before Disney World, giddy with anticipation when I consider what the Lord might possibly have next for me. The longer I "wait", the stronger I am becoming in my nearness to Him, the sweeter I know the future will become.
Being tied down has never proved to produce this much freedom! Freedom from worrying about tomorrow, freedom from having to plan my life out, and freedom to know Who's hands hold me stable.
