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Posts Tagged ‘lean on God’

Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4

courtesy of twitter@bigtoe.

After surgery, I learned I could only put “big toe” weight on my right leg for a month. That meant my left leg, supported by a walker, had to bear the load. In order to keep me from ending up with one weak, puny leg and one buffed one, I have non-load bearing PT exercises for the right one.

Did I mention this is a huge “adjustment”?

Why only big toe weight? Our big toes are big for a reason. Our bodies use them to balance. Ever watch a ballerina “on toe”? It provides the rest of the foot leverage. Without thinking about it, you put your weight mostly on your big toe when you lift off a chair. Go ahead, try it using any other toe or your heel instead. I’ll wait…

Back now? To continue…

For now, my right side is weak. The surgery on my right pelvis needs to heal. The pins need to knit into the plates and bone. So, I must rely on my left side.  But, without the walker or crutches, I’d be catawampus and fall down a lot.

That has made me think about how much I lean on God for support, especially when I am weak. But even if I feel strong, I should still use Him as support. I need to consistently practice this unique way of walking through this journey we call life. We all do.  It feels unnatural. Most of us don’t want to lean on a crutch. We were taught to stand on our own two feet.

I’m not saying Christians should be wimpy. Actually, it takes strength of character to admit you need assistance.  The winds of change in our culture are blowing hard. We can only stand if we press into God’s Word and prayer for support, and lean on His understanding, as it says in Proverbs 3:5, fulling trusting in His strength to bolster us. In the meantime, we can strengthen our stance by practicing our faith through the life exercises we are given. But as long as we exist in this cultural environment that wants to pull us out of balance, we need our Lord for support.

Christ gives us strength when we yoke to Him. (Philippians 4:13, Matthew 11:28-30).

He is my spiritual walker, and I don’t want to let go, lest I fall.

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SqueezeIt kept flopping over in a wilt. The picture I’d printed of my new book and glued to a piece of card stock would not stand upright in the little ringed holder at my vendor booth. With the moisture-laden gray clouds hovering overhead us that day, it was just too humid – even in an air conditioned room. I kept straightening my sign in the stand, and then out of the corner of my eye, I’d see it slowly bow towards the table in a wimpy droop. How would people be attracted to my book?

Then a wise friend came up and said, “Here. I can fix that.” She peeled the paper from the card stock. Next she accordion-folded the card stock in a tri-fold pattern and set it behind the paper.  Viola!  My sign stood straight as a soldier, and remained that way the rest of the day.

She shrugged with a grin. “It just needed a stronger backing.”

So do I, I thought. I need the tri-fold power of the Trinity to support me and keep me straight. That way,  I will – pardon the pun – stand out. Soon, people will take notice. They will be attracted to my message of what Christ has done in my life.

When I try to stand for Christ on my own, soon I will begin to droop against the elements of this world.  I just don’t have the strength that is needed. I need to stand firmly on the promises of the Word and let God be my strong backing.  If I lean on Him, God’s Spirit will bolster me.  I will not be toppled, I will not wilt.

Who is backing up you today?

So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.  2Thessalonians 2:15

 

 

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