A Firm Foundation

Many years ago, a carpenter built a house, foundation and all

The house was neat and comfortable, neither great nor small

Round about were fields of rice and pastures of every size

Over the years, roads were repaved and many lots were sold 

Each lot with a home replaced pastures and rice fields of old

Once considered the country, now it resembled the suburbs

Nestled in south Texas, the house weathered many a storm

With old rice fields all around, standing water was the norm

Yet late one summer, a storm arrived like none other before

After four days of rain, the back deck became a floating dock

The house was an island, its concrete foundation a lonely rock

Still the water rose higher, threatening to flood the little house

Finally the rain and water stopped, giving way to clear blue sky

Barely two inches above floodwaters, the little house stayed dry

Praying and watching from inside the house, the family rejoiced

All through the rains, the family had taken time to stop and pray

However, the Lord provided more than two inches to save the day

The floodwaters stopped short of the house, but there was more

 

Many years earlier, an older house had survived a very similar rain

The carpenter shot a grade to match, then measured six inches again

So the foundation the carpenter laid stood six inches above the other

No matter how much the waters rage, or how hard the winds may buff

Though we may not see God's plan, His provision is more than enough

He is the Rock of salvation, and of our faith He is author and foundation

God's grace in the everyday: Bearing our burdens

Over the years I have noticed many tow trucks with a distinct feature: a hydraulic arm shaped like a cross. However, only recently did I realize that the "cross" on a tow truck actually offers a much stronger reminder and measure of reassurance than just its physical resemblance to a cross. 

In Matthew 11:29-30, Jesus says "Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." 

The "cross" borne by the tow truck is much like an old farming yoke attached to draft animals; that cross is intended to move loads and  carry burdens (cars) that no individual human being was intended to haul or carry, and bears them for distances we never could, no matter how much help we might get. 

All the things we strive to carry on our own; our concerns, emotions, stress, addiction, anxiety, success, relationships, careers...those are the car with the flat tire, the dead motor, the overheated engine, or the downright wreck. We can cast all such cares on Him, we can let Him take that vehicle of sin, shame, and brokenness off our shoulders, and instead we can follow Him knowing those things are no longer ours to carry, if we just rest in His presence and ride with Him in the "cab of the truck." 

Next time you see a tow truck with a cross on the back, take courage in the reminder that Christ is ready, willing, and beyond able to bear whatever burdens you are carrying, now and forevermore. 

The Return of Hope

When it left I could not see, for I was blinded by pain

What remained was consumed by the desire for gain

Alone I sat among friends for many years thereafter

My heart felt hollow, and yet inexplicably hard 

I looked on life with frustration and bitterness

The only sign of life I still felt inside was sadness

I faltered on paths that once seemed firm and sure

I might contend the paths were sure, yet surely I was not

What had anyone done to me? Little that I could see

In truth, my selfish desires were my own worst enemy

Pride of intellect and hidden lust mixed with laziness

A poisonous mix, leading to an empty, self-righteous image

A mix blinding present and future while tainting the past

This wilderness felt indomitable and exceedingly vast

Early attempts to share hardly scratched the surface

I misunderstood the power of trust; all I felt was despair

Nights uncounted, I asked myself if any hope remained

Even prayer seemed little help, for my heart was still chained

Again, I wondered if any embers stayed alive in the ashes

Could the flame of hope ever be reawoken in my life?

When it came I could not see, for I was blinded by pain

My heart still wrestled with the old desire for gain

Yet somewhere along the way, light had pierced the dark

Slowly, the darkness and blindness began to give way

Long maligned, trust--yes, trust--began to grow anew

This trust came slowly, yet inexorably it still grew

Old pride, impatience, and laziness could not withstand

Every step towards trust revived the lost embers of hope

This slow reforging of trust was no design of mine

Trust and its companion of hope were divine in design

Make no mistake, trust strikes like steel to make a spark

But hope rekindled is a flame sprung to life for all to see

Hope is a light which darkness cannot comprehend

Even if hope seems to fade or die, do not believe its the end

For those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength

In due time, He will restore your hope and revive your heart

These Old Boots

They were battered and worn, these old boots. Bought fresh out of college by a young man whose friends often considered him a cowboy, these boots immediately became his footwear of choice for every occasion: hiking to riding to dancing; even symphonies and weddings. 

Not exotic in style or material, just a simple brown leather with traditional cowboy heel, but sturdy and well-made, these old boots. Miles and miles of daily wear over nearly 12 years, through snow and ice, mud and dust, on the streets and hitting the dance floors. 

The squared toes were bruised, muddied, scuffed and scarred many times along the way on these old boots. Over the years various parts of the boots worn down; the young man replaced the heels at least 3 times, and bought new insoles probably 4 times or more to keep them wearable.

Somewhere along the way, the young man had learned to maintain his boots by rubbing them down with oil after cleaning them of mud or debris. The oil prolonged the life and integrity of the leather, and over the years, he lost count how many times he cleaned and oiled these old boots. 

He cared for them diligently, regularly rubbing them down to minimize scuffs, scratches, and other signs of wear, restoring the leather’s appearance. It kept the leather soft and inside dry, and overtime the outside became more resistant to water, snow, and mud on these old boots.

Still going steady after 12 years, the entire bottom sole plus the heel had just been replaced, and one day while rubbing down the leather, the young man noticed something for the first time: more than just preserving the leather’s life, the oil had given new character to these old boots. 

The old textures were smoother, even while scuffs and scratches created new textures after the scars were rubbed out. The brown acquired a deeper, richer color and the leather developed an elegant sheen. The leather was original, but no longer the same on these old boots. 

It was then the young man appreciated the similarity between the care his Heavenly Father gives to His children and the care given to these old boots. Throughout the years, the Father had done the same for the young man on the inside, often without the young man noticing. 

The Father purified the young man’s heart with the blood of His Son, and set to work on sanctifying his soul through the Spirit. The gracious and merciful work of the Spirit continually preserved the young man’s life and mind through danger, loneliness, and despair.

But again, like the oil, the work of the Spirit transcends preservation; continually rubbing out the scars, scuffs, and scratches of sin, new character emerged. Old regrets, pain, anger, doubts, indifference, and pride were displaced by a deeper, richer faith, full of joy and delight in the Lord. 

If you do not know Jesus Christ, then I hope this will encourage you to learn more about Him and get to know Him. If you already know and believe in Jesus, then I hope this heartens you and lends new perspective to your walk, just like what happened to me while oiling these old boots.