Yesterday was a whirlwind of activity! I went from one
meeting to another. I had the
privilege of speaking to a group of young moms, having lunch with a young
married woman, and meeting in the afternoon with a dear friend to plan an
upcoming event. I went home from that afternoon meeting to change into my
workout clothes and walked over to the gym. On the way to the gym I just
happened to run into friend in the parking lot and we spent some time talking
before I found myself on the treadmill. While on the treadmill, as often
happens, my mind goes to all the activity of the day and then I try to listen
to see if the Lord will speak to me. He is faithful to speak, more times than
not, clearly and creatively whenever I am walking. There is something about the rhythmic pace on the treadmill
that allows my mind to free itself of all the stress of the day and simply
enjoy being alone in my thoughts.
I work out at the gym located in our church, which just
happens to be right next door to where I live. The church also houses a school and the treadmill I walk on
is located on the second floor, in front of a large window, overlooking one of
their playgrounds. As I was alone with my thoughts, I began to watch the group
of children playing as they waited for their parents to pick them up after
school. It was a bird’s eye view
of the children and their teachers.
I could see the activity and the patterns of play exhibited by the
different children. There was one boy who sat alone by the sandbox. There was one little girl who loved to
challenge herself over and over again by trying to hoist herself onto the
monkey bars and with each try she would fall, without ever giving any
indication of fear or hurt. Then I
saw two adorably prissy girls who skipped along as if they had no care in the
world. I saw several boys
constantly on the move, pushing and shoving, digging in the dirt and doing what
boys do. There were loners,
socialites, leaders, and lovers all on the same playground. I looked at them and tried to imagine
what they would become as they grew into adulthood.
Over the last couple of years I have lived with Proverbs
24:32, which says, “I applied my heart to what I observed and I learned a
lesson from what I saw.” What was
the lesson brewing in that playground?
It dawned on me as I walked and watched that my observations of children
on a playground was much like God’s observations of us as we navigate through
life. The Lord watches, listens
and He doesn’t wonder what we will be, because He knows. He knows what is in
our hearts and in our minds. He knows our joys and our fears. He knows our pride and our shame.
As I spoke to those young moms I tried to relate with them
by telling them my struggles as a young mom. I could see on their faces stress, fear, and wide-eyed
wonder that came from being a young mom.
But only God could see their hearts. As I ate my lunch with a beautiful
young woman and listened to her story my eyes were open to the pain that lied
beneath such beauty and my mother’s heart was moved with a longing to hold her
in my arms and tell her, “it is going to be okay.” After our planning time, my friend and I sat and shared our
hearts with one another. I have
often seen my friend as one who “has it all” yet yesterday she was struggling
with some losses in her life. All
of us are truly helpless on our own, but God demonstrates His sacrificial love
for us in that while we were still helpless and at just the right time, He sent
His son to die for us, so that we might have peace with Him. Paul’s words in Romans came to
mind, “. . . the God who gives
life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were” as I
thought of those children and the women that crossed my path yesterday. God gives us life and knows what we
will make of that life. In fact He
died a radically gruesome death in order to provide life for us who were dead
in our sin and sadness. In the
midst of the trials of young motherhood or abuse or loss, God reaches down from
His sanctuary in heaven, and sees our pain, hears our groans and releases us
from the clutches of death. Psalm
102:18-20
I walked back home from the gym with the word hope reverberating in my mind. In the midst of my busy day filled with
women and children of various ages, stages and seasons in life I saw the God of
Hope filling me with joy and peace (Romans 15:13) because I believe with all my
heart that He has something planned for each of us that will bring hope of a
future with Him. (Jeremiah 29:11) If you check your heart today and find there
is no hope and no peace, I invite you to call on the One who watches from His
sanctuary on high and He will hear you and bring you eternal encouragement in
the midst of motherhood, marriage, singleness or widowhood. Nothing and nobody
is beyond His love! Romans 5:6
With Peace and Hope,
Nancy
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