Thrashing About
Monday December 21, 2020
Isaiah 43:1b-2
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.”
Dear Friends,
Typically these long nights before Christmas Eve have become precious and enduring for me. I want to burrow into a blanket, complete a puzzle, watch Christmas movies, and eat popcorn. But this year is different, isn’t it. There’s more anxiety as we navigate this season with caution. There’s less control over how some of us are responding to our bodies, minds, and spirits. There’s a bit more thrashing in this dark season of Covid-Christmas.
Sometimes when I feel like my body, mind, and spirit are out of control and I’m throwing myself to and fro because the water is rising, the waves are unbearable, the fire feels too hot, I need Holy Spirit to wrap Her arms around me and pull me in close. I feel like Peter walking on water as I begin to notice how unsafe life is. I start to panic and I take my eyes off Jesus and can only see the chaos, uncertainty, and possible death. I know Jesus wants to hold me and remind me of his presence, but it’s really hard to focus.
I lifeguarded at a public pool throughout high school and into college. Every few months we would have to retrain to keep up our certification. One of us would be the victim in a scenario where we couldn’t swim, or we dove headfirst and had a spinal injury, or we’re at the bottom of the pool. The other person would be the lifeguard having to assess the situation and rescue the person. The hardest person to rescue is the person who can’t swim. They will do whatever it takes to survive, even if it means pushing their rescuer down just so they can get one breath. They would thrash and scratch and pull at me like I’m a floatation device and the entire time I would attempt to get behind them to pull them back onto my buoy, hold them closely and tightly, and swim them to shore.
They had to surrender to my rescue. They had to let go for me to hold them. They had to trust I was there to keep them safe and that I would be with them the entire time. And as I held this person, I would whisper that everything was going to be okay because I had them.
Sometimes the panic, anxiety, stress, and fear in your life is causing you to thrash about and kick the One who wants to see you safely through. Your Rescuer isn’t showing up in your panic because it’s His job, though. He does this because of His great love for you. Jesus Christ is with you in every stormy sea, in every bleak wilderness road, in every tumultuous season.
Today is the shortest day of the year when it feels like darkness might have the final word and we’re thrashing about even more. The sun seems to argues for more time, advocating for life to continue forth and for the earth to spin towards her.
Friends, there’s a story of a time when a shadow blanketed the earth, darkening the sun as the Son of Man uttered the cry, "It is finished." Three days past before that Light rose again.
Today is Winter Solstice when darkness might seem to sing its longest song at your thrashing and panicky body. Yet in three days time, a Light will appear in the world and we will join the chorus of the cosmos held together by the greatest Love in this world to sing Good News of great joy for all people.
Three days.
May you let go and surrender your body, mind, spirit to the God who wants to hold you close and be near every moment. And may God’s loving presence overcome any fear.
With (love),
Bethany