Warrior Truth: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart” Psalm 37 v 4
The global Covid-19 pandemic has captured nations either overwhelming their medical services or crippling economies as lock down is implemented in an attempt to flatten the curve and keep people safe. These are not easy decisions to make as any choice seems fraught with complexity and unwanted consequence. While essential services fight the virus on the front lines, many others are fighting a different battle behind their closed doors. At first I wasn’t too worried but the realities of economic decline and working from home with a curious and energetic child bouncing off the walls, I quickly found myself spiraling into a state of turmoil. Following the advice of a good friend and colleague, I set to work on an area in my life that physically represented the chaos in my head, determined to rein in the chaos and create a quiet space to where I could retreat to get some work done. My work was cut out for me as I spent the first weekend sorting through the clutter, the next was spent finding homes for what I was keeping. (This is an ongoing process). After some rearranging of furniture pieces my space was set up and ready to be put to good use in the work week ahead. But something else happened in the process. As I sorted through years of memories I was being reminded of who I was – through writings, photos and other memorabilia I faced the reality that I had gotten lost in the clutter and busyness of life. I had taken my eyes, my focus and my delight off of the Lord and had started listening to the wrong voices and was trying to work things out on my own. I was failing – what I thought I knew about myself was in direct conflict with the messages I was being fed and instead of resting in God’s peace I was wrestling with it.
In God’s timing, and in his mysterious ways, he started to uncover and reveal what I needed to see – what had been written in lights (literally) years before but only consciously seen this evening. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit a client based in Paris for a project we were working on. Having taken French as a subject at school, it had been a long-time dream to visit the city. On the morning of the scheduled flight, I woke to the news of terror attacks having shutdown Paris. I was devastated. The decision was quickly made to suspend our travel arrangements till we could find out more. Fortunately, the trip was rescheduled a few weeks later once things had started to settle. One evening myself and my colleagues who I had traveled with walked the streets of Paris headed for the Eiffel Tower. In recognition of the climate conference, the Eiffel Tower’s glittering lights had been replaced with lasers that painted the steel structure with words and phrases that changed every few seconds. Tonight, almost 5 years after stopping on the bridge over the River Seine to take a photo, I took a trip down memory lane and paused on that photo. I looked closer at the phrase projected on the steel – DREAM BIG. And a light came on inside me as God gently reminded me of His truth “Delight yourself in me my child and I will give you the desires of your heart”.
Warrior Tool: While lock down was the catalyst, my cleaning spree and recorded memories became the tools that led me back to my passion, my purpose and the Author and Finisher of my faith, faithful in all his words and satisfying the desire of every living thing (Psalm 145)
Prayer: Faithful Lord, you reign over your never-ending kingdom through all the ages of time and eternity. Thank you that you are faithful to fulfill every promise you’ve made. I see your kindness manifested in everything you do. When we are weak and feeble, you sustain us. When bent over with burdens, you lift us up. Your generous hand is open and full of blessings for us. Thank you that you draw near to us when we call out to you and you provide more that what we could ever ask or imagine. Watch carefully over us Lord and bring us your saving strength, guide us in the way that we should go. Amen
With God, For His Glory