April 9, 2009
Sistas,
All of you have been so kind with your phone calls and emails. You
can’t imagine how much they mean to me while I am struggling with direction
and purpose. I know that God has put each of you in my life for many
reasons, but certainly for this trial.
I have a good friend that I don’t get to see often. Actually, that
describes many of you. But one in particular said something to me Saturday
that I haven’t been able to shake. I was filling her in on some of my
story and she was asking me about parts hat she didn’t
understand. She tends to see things in black and white, right or wrong, yes
or no, and I know this from knowing her. Sometimes, like Saturday, she
has a way of just giving the most to-the-point insight. So I wasn’t
surprised by her saying “it just seems to me…” several times during our
conversation. “It just seems to me…” seems so black and white, right or
wrong, yes or no. I wish it were so easy. She wasn’t minimizing the weight
of all the decisions I have to make, she just is able to boil everything
else away, distill away the junk, and get to the heart of it all. Like
Moonshine. Some of you now know who my friend is! I am trying to remember
that in the end, there is right and wrong, and I need to continue to seek
after the right. So I am in the fire being distilled, and moonshine burns!
When we were finishing our talk, she said the craziest thing. She told
me that I am her hero! Now, as flattering as that is, it makes me laugh.
In my more prideful moments, I have thought that if I were a superhero, my
superhero name would be The Multi-Tasker. My hair would be adorned with all the hairbows and
barrettes my girls would ever need. I would have spray bottles in my hip
holsters. Baby wipe refills would be strapped to my thighs. My magic
bracelets would dangle with Sharpie markers on the right hand and washable
markers on the left. And my superhero power would be speed. I could change
a roll of toilet paper in 0.2 seconds flat (because really, Sistas, we all
know if I don’t do it, it won’t get done. Can I get an Amen?) But that
started me thinking about what it takes to be a superhero. Who do I admire?
To whom do I give my awe? Who do I think is able to leap tall buildings in
a single bound? The Book of Hebrews is so full of heroes. Chapter 11 goes
on and on from Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham,Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Esau, Joseph
and his sons, Moses, to Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David,
Samuel, and the prophets. And “others experienced mockings and scourgings,
yes, also chains and imprisonment,” Hebrews 11:1-40. Those are the ones who
deserve to be called heroes. But then God sent us the ultimate superhero in
Jesus “His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He
made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory (there’s that beautiful word)
and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by
the word of His power. When He made purification of sins, He sat down at
the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much higher than the
angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they,” Hebrews
1:2-4. As great as it is to be amazed with all the earthly miracles of
Jesus, Hebrews tell us that He purified us of our sins, and He is super
enough to sit beside God! That’s better than anything I can do.
So I am flattered, but humbled because sometimes, like right now, and
last Friday during Tenebrae, and Easter morning, and in the car, and in the
quiet moments in my head, and when trying to making coffee, and when putting away
dishes, I feel like I have flown into my own private Kryptonite, my own arch enemies
have sought to destroy me!! And that is when I call on my superhero Jesus.
“The Lord is my defense of my life; whom shall I dread? When evildoers came upon
me to devour my flesh, my adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. Though
a host encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though war arise against me, in spite of
this I shall be confident,” Psalms 27:1-3. Today I have to remind myself
that my opponents have no power over me; if they want to play against me,
they better bring their A-game, cause I know who is on my team!
Man, I feel on fire! I have so much more to say to myself because this
is really a letter to me. I just put all of you, MY heroes, through the wasted time of hearing
me ramble again. But thank you. God spoke of you in Numbers 11:16-17 when He said “The Lord therefore
said to Moses, ‘Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel…and
let them take their stand there with you. Then I will come down and speak
with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put
Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so
that you will not bear it alone.'”
Treasure Seeker,
Sandie