Parents, want to make your children a blessing? In the BC era of my life, Before Children, I used to snow ski. I was not a great skier, but I really enjoyed doing it. One day I ended up on a slope that was really steep. I had lost my map, there was no visible sign and this was before technology told you how difficult the slope is. I was a pretty conservative skier, so most of my falls were manageable, I could usually get back to my feet fairly quickly and continue skiing. But that day, on the steep slope, I took a headlong tumble that seemed like it would never end...like one of those nightmares where you are continuously falling except this one included avalanches of snow and pain. When I finally stopped falling and my head stopped spinning. I looked up the hill to find my equipment. The side of the mountain looked like a neighborhood yard sale, skis, poles, hat, and anything else that was not securely attached was strewn all the way up the mountain. I began the 50 yard hike up, gathering equipment along the way. Fortunately I found it all and nothing was broken (bones or equipment) I stopped for some hot chocolate to thaw out and recover after I skied to the lodge.
With this world crisis, it seems like everything continues to tumble. If we watch the news there seems to be a new “worst day ever” for corona virus, markets, unemployment, businesses, the toilet paper supply chain… It feels like one of those nightmares where you are continuously falling. We can look back at the calendar and see this is where we lost being able to send our kids to school, this is where we lost the privilege to gather at church, this is where we lost the leisure to leave the house when we want, this is where I lost my 401K, this is where people I know lost their job, this is when someone I know got sick… it looks like a yard sale with little bits of what used to be our life strewn all the way back to March. But the good news is, we have kept some of the most important things and at some point it all has to stop falling. There will be a time to regroup, begin rebuilding, reestablishing life. Hopefully, nothing of great value has been permanently broken, your faith and family and relationships are still intact and maybe even strengthened by this tumble.
Today we hear encouragement from “a man after God’s own heart” and one of the greatest kings to ever live. King David says,“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, And He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, Because the LORD is the One who holds his hand. I have been young and now I am old, Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken Or his descendants begging bread. All day long he is gracious and lends, And his descendants are a blessing.” Psalm 37:23-26 (NASB)
Want your kids and their kids to be a blessing? Don’t let this thing hurl you headlong, continue to hang on to the hand of God, continue to be gracious, keep being a blessing to other people. You may lose some things, but who you really are in Jesus will be unbroken... even strengthened.
Hang in there people! God is with us! I’m praying for you all!
