Walking through the swamps of Florida one day, my friend and I came upon this boardwalk. Every single time I come to a path so narrowly directing the next part of my journey, I pause, reminded I do not know what lies ahead. What IS around the next turn?
Sitting in waiting rooms recently, I marvel at the people in the chairs around me. It is easy to strike up conversations. There is a generic energy as every patient and family member is waiting. Observing, opening myself to listening to their stories and learning the details of their health challenges is fascinating. It would be interesting to me as well if there was an exit waiting room. You know – a place where people could sit and soak up what they just learned in the dr’s office and sharing hope and encouragement. Because walking out, alone, I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people who have to face the future – alone. A good diagnosis, an unexpected diagnosis, more tests, scheduled surgery and many more scenarios unfold in that space.
Sometimes, it seems as though scriptures are used so frequently, they begin to lose their intended message. We toss them around, hang them on our walls, on our keychains and freely throw them at every situation.
That might be the assumption of anyone observing, but there is no part of this scripture that should be taken lightly.
When a scripture begins to feel “tired” to me – it triggers a response to revisit it, give it a facelift so to speak and refresh its presence in my life.
Let’s look at Jeremiah 29:11-14 in the NIV translation.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.
Reading this, I realize God is speaking to the Jews, but I find deep comfort reading every word of it. God’s word is alive, it fits into my life today and even though we are not facing the same captivity the Jews were, our world is intent on keeping us captive through our every day struggles and challenges. We forget to seek the hope that only comes from God. Striving to find the elusive “it” in the world is exhausting. Momentarily we might be able to hold the prison walls at bay, but soon, our human efforts begin to crumble, burying all hope the world had offered.
No matter what waiting room we each are in these days, the hope of God is much greater than any fear or concern at what might lie ahead, around the bend or in the next waiting room.
Bind this close to your heart as you walk step by step into the future, confident that God is there and that His love for us is greater than any earthly challenge we may face.
My intention in this blog is to create a community who is sitting together in the waiting room of life as each of us faces the unknown of what lies ahead around the next turn.
What we do know, where we place our trust, our conversations through prayer with God, fellow travelers and family and friends is the most important decision we will ever make.
Psalm 32:8
I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Crossing the boardwalk and continuing on the trail brought us to the most beautiful crystal clear springs. Apparently many people know about it because there was much fun being had as they dove into the pure water. It was definitely worth continuing our walk around the bend that day.
What a comfort this is to me as my journey continues with the hope of a future where God is fully present.
Thanks for joining me,
Janet