Friday, August 22, 2008

Our Bridge to God

The Lord makes a powerful, unquestionable statement to us at John 14:6. Without a doubt Jesus clearly says, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through me.

People have been trying to argue that statement for 2000 years. Some say that the Lord wasn't to be taken literally. Others just out and out reject His authority to even make such a claim. However, we believers in Christ's lordship take what He says as Truth. So let's take a moment and consider the picture this presents to our minds.

It is easy to think of a one-way street when Jesus says that He is "the Way." We can take this to mean that there are lots of roads to be taken but that His road is the only road that will get us to God the Father. This is a good illustration of what Jesus had in mind but I think we can do even better than this.

We can think of Jesus, not so much as a road, but as a bridge to God. Paul's warning at Romans 3:23 comes to mind: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (italics mine). The picture here is of a great chasm of empty space between us and God. A chasm that is so wide we hold no hope of ever crossing it on our own. We are unable to "bridge" the gap and we fall.

So what, we ask, is the only way for us to cross this chasm? A bridge, of course. And our bridge is Jesus Christ, the very Son of God. He alone stands in the gap, and he alone provides safe passage across the open void and into the loving arms of our heavenly Father.

We need to meditate on this illustration and make it real to us, because with eternity across a vast divide, just out of our reach, we can truly appreciate the bridge Jesus makes. We are not hopeless and lost. Jesus took the cross and turned it into a bridge.

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Well, no one really said they wanted to hear more about marriage so I took that to mean you don't have any loose ends to tie up on the subject. Actually, I guess I pretty well summed it up anyway. I thought Ginny's comment was great, that the Bible pretty well tells us what marriage is in the first place. (I think it was Ginny that said that, if not I apologize for my poor memory.)

I think it's great that the gold for both the women's and men's beach volleyball went to the Americans. The men's game was really close. The women's was close too but not like the men's. They just kept going back and forth on the men's games. I think it's neat that Rogers turned his back yard into a regulation beach volleyball court. And I think it's great that Mays-Trainor, and Walsh are going to take some time off and have babies. Can anyone remember if the girls won gold last year. Seems like they did to me but I'm just not certain.

It's a beautiful day today. The temp is just about perfect. I was quite leisurely in my Quiet Time this morning. It was just that it was so pleasant, I just wasn't in a hurry to finish it up and come back inside. Isn't it strange the way some days we wake up raring to go and other days we wake up just dragging? I'm just dragging today. I don't know if I just didn't sleep well or what the problem is but I'm just really tired. I guess I will do my chores and then spend the rest of the day reading. I just took a couple Aleve, that usually works better for me than anything else.

There is definitely stubble on my bald head so I think that means it's growing back in. One thing for sure, I will never take my hair for granted ever again. I will cherish my hair. We learn many things by going through trials. To think that I used to complain about my hair all the time and now here I am without any hair to complain about. I am anxious to get at least some of my hair back. I went to the doctor yesterday morning and she said she wasn't convinced that this was an allergic reaction in the beginning. She gave me a big bottle of cortisone with two refill on it and said she'd see me in three month and if this hasn't gone completely away by then I'll have to go on oral drugs to try and get rid of it. But she wanted to give it every chance in the book to clear up on its own before going to the oral meds because they can adversely interact with some of my other meds and will require close monitoring of my liver. I'd just as soon not take it, if possible. My hair dresser was surprised at my bald head but she went ahead and gave me a hair cut around the ears and at the nape of the neck. I felt perfectly at ease sitting there with no hair on my head. At least now I know that if I ever have to have chemo it won't be a big deal to me for my hair to fall out. Been there, done that; no big deal. She also gave the the name of a place down in Lodi called The Wig Palace. They specialize in the needs for women who are undergoing chemo and they know all about wigs. They will sit you down and really help you pick out a good color and shape for your wig as well as the style and they will teach you how to care for it. I'm anxious to try a wig and see how I look. I just still don't know if I want to go to the trouble and the expense in buying wigs when the bandannas and do-rags seem to work okay. I didn't want to see anyone spend money on a wig if it wasn't going to be absolutely necessary. But Tamara had already ordered one for me when she showed it to me. I just hope she didn't spend too much money on it.

I got so sleepy watching the games last night that I think I actually dozed off a time or two while I sat there watching them. And I'm not much beyond that today either. Tomorrow will be my day to wash the car. It is such a mess. Where I park my car there's a big oak tree reaching over the spot. And during certain times of the year it will drip tiny specks of sap, I guess, don't know what else it could be. But these little specks are sticky as well as tiny. It sure turns my car into a mess in no time. But I like to wash it on Sat so that it will still be relatively clean for church on Sun.

Well, I just made a quick trip down to church. I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to be down at the church this morning at 10:00 to help set up for the funeral. I had a feeling I was going to be too late and I was. I just hate forgetting something like that. I must remember to tell Joann to call me if I don't show up somewhere when I'm supposed to. I feel just awful. That was just about the time I was out on the deck with my quiet time. I don't forget very often thank God! But I always feel bad when I do. I will call her later and apologize. It sounded like there were plenty of people there to help when I talked to Kim about it. But I don't like saying I'll do something and then not do it.

I'm going to keep today's post short as I need to get in and get my chores done. Theoretically I'm not supposed to blog until I have them done but I forgot about that and was deeply into my post by the time I thought about them. But I do have the bed made; does that count? Today I am to do the laundry, change the bedding, and vacuum the floors again. It kills me to have to unmake the bed (especially since it's the only chore I've already gotten done) just to change the bedding but that will teach me to look at my chore list before I do something. Actually I'm hoping that I will get so used to doing these chores on specific days that I will not need my list every day except for those odd things that aren't don't regularly every Fri. Like I have it down to clean under the burners on the range top on Fri but EOF (Every Odd Friday) so I don't have to do it today. I see no need to clean under there every single week. But I may end up changing my mind about it.

This has got to be the most boring blog I've ever written and I apologize for it. But I just don't have my thoughts together to write. I have some great quotes by Watchman Nee but I'm not ready to share those. Watchman Nee, Oswald Chambers, and Andrew Murray are my three favorite authors. Probably followed by Max Lucado even though you can't even begin to compare him to the previous writers. But Max Lucado touches my heart while Nee, Chambers, and Murray teach my heart. I have to be in a receptive mood for Nee and that just isn't me today. I best get to my laundry or I'll be doing it all day. I'm hoping to finish the letters to the Corinthian church today. I am on chap 14 in the First letter and I'll get that done and then start the Second letter and I expect to finish it just reading between tasks.

Hubby has on an old COPS show on TV and the little kids were just screaming and crying and carrying on. It makes me so mad that people can't see that their behavior can have adverse effects on their children. Don't break the law so you won't have to be arrested in front of your children!! I can't think of many things more traumatic for a child to have to endure than watching his parents get arrested. Poor kids! Speaking of COP, do you know where the name COP comes from? It comes from early English and stands for Constable On Patrol. Bet you didn't know that. Okay, this is it for today. Really is a nothing blog. I pray for all my readers daily and will pray for you too and I apologize for the lack of substance to this blog. Now my hubby has on the America vs Cuba baseball game for the Olympics. Much better than COPS. Take care and since this is such a bad post, maybe I'll post again tomorrow. Until then...

8 comments:

Debra said...

It's not a bad post.
I am making a point of reading all your old ones in order. Today I read about the fact that you were a reporter (I knew you were a writer) and the nutty stuff you did on the ambulance squad.
I like Chambers and Nee, altho I haven't read all the way through a Nee book. I love Ravi Zacarias (I think I misspelled his last name).
He was born a Hindu and tells a lot about coming to know God. He's very intellectual-I have to re-read it sometimes.
Take Care! So glad your hair is coming back!
Debra

godlover said...

Debra,
If you are rereading all my old posts you are a glutton for punishment! That's back when I used to think I needed to write every day. I should probably sit and reread all my old posts just to see if I'm the same person! Ha! It is fun to do that occasionally and see how your perspectives have changed over time. My biggest problem is that I have the world's worst memory I always have and I guess I always will and I'll say one thing and then realize down the road it was actually a little different that I remember it. A lot of times I don't get my facts in order. Like I said it was 4 months without hearing and it was probably about half that long it just felt like 4 long miserable month and how I was in my late 30 when I lost my hearing and when I checked back it was actually my early- to mid-30s. Those kind of facts I get tripped up on a lot. Nothing said intentionally erroneously just remembering things differently at different times in my life. But none of them really matter. What difference does it make if I lost my hearing in my early or late 30s? I have been doing better since I've started keeping a journal. Thanks for reading and I continue to pray for my readers. I have not read any Ravi Zacarias (sp?) but I have heard the name because the name Ravi is the same as a sitarist I used to listen to all the time. Boy was that ever from a long time ago! Was I ever really that young? It was like looking at all the old pics of me while Cathie was here. I had truly forgotten that I used to look a lot younger and a lot thinner. Just when I think I've made peace with my weight, along comes a cruel reminder that I am no longer thin. Take care...

God Chaser said...

I am so glad we have a bridge to get us to God and what a bridge.
This was in a bible study from Mary Southerland and i thought you would get a kick out of it at least I hope so- I think you have such an attitude and have been so gracious through your hair ordeal.

There was once a woman who woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.
"Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she did and she had a wonderful day.
The next day, she woke up, looked in the mirror and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.
"H-M-M. " she said, "I think I'll part my hair down the middle today." So she did and she had a grand day.
The next day, she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.
"Well", she said. Today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail. So she did and she had a fun day.
The next day she woke up, looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head. YEAH! she exclaimed. I don't have to fix my hair today!
Attitude is everything.

You have shown a wonderful attitude. Be blessed

godlover said...

Oh, Wil, I love it!!! That is so great. Made me laugh out loud. But you're right. I could sit at home in a funk because I lost all my hair, or I can strap on a bandanna and go girl! When I got my hair cut yesterday I was so comfortable to sit there amongst a half a dozen women (and they were all eyes) that I almost got giddy. Tonight I spent the evening in my journal on the deck with my bald head soaking up the ambiance. I have decided that I don't look all that bad bald, ha! Now if I could just get all the sores to clear up and go away. I peeled off a little layer on my scalp this evening and horror of all horrors, there were little tiny hair sticking out the "crust" again. That may mean that I'm going to keep losing my hair until we get the whole mess cleared up which according to my doc yesterday, may take months and months. Yep, I think it's time to consider buying a wig. I don't want to have to wear bandannas, scarves, and do-rags for a year and it may take that long to get this all cleared up! I have one wig on the way but don't know if it will even fit (I don't think my DIL [daughter-in-law]was even aware that wigs come in sizes), or if it will be the right color and style for me. But wasn't she the sweetest DIL in the world to just up and order a wig for me? I have a friend from church who said she wanted to buy me a wig and I could tell that it was really, truly something she wanted to do so maybe she and I can buzz down the road to Lodi and visit the Wig Palace. Linda, my hairdresser told me all about them. They specialize in women who have gone or are going through chemo but I'm sure they will sell me a wig even if I'm not going through chemo. Actually, this is all kind of humorous to me. You would understand better if you could know how important my hair has always been to me. I never went anywhere without it being in pristine condition. My hair had to be perfect, absolutely perfect. So what is the worst thing that could happen to a woman with that kind of attitude about her hair? You guessed it. I think it is really funny. I have a very warped sense of humor I know. One time my hubby and I were standing out in the middle of a huge parking lot when all of a sudden there was this splatt sound and my hubby muttered something as he reached up to his head. I turned and looked and he had this black and white gooey stuff all down the side of his head and it had dripped onto the front of his shirt. We stopped and looked up and way up there in that great big open sky in the middle of this great big open parking lot, way up there there was a little speck in the sky. A bird. A buzzard to be exact, and his aim was perfect. I laughed until I almost wet myself that day and losing my hair has given me the same laugh. I feel like the worst thing that could ever have happened to me would be for my hair to fall out and guess what? My hair fell out!! That is so funny! I know you probably think I'm crazy and maybe I am but I'd rather laugh than cry any day of the week. I don't relish the thought of not having my own hair for the 6 months to a year it may take to get it back like it was, but there are worse things that could happen to me. (I feel that way now. Before it happened that was probably my biggest fear.) Losing my hair has kind of been like getting hit by that buzzard again!!! This is the grace of God in action. That I can go through this and not cry or whine. I am amazed at the power of God within me. I would have been a sniveling little mess, wallowing in self-pity left up to me. But it's God's mighty power at work in me. It's all for God's glory anyway! But don't you just love it? Satan thought me losing my hair would cause me to curse God and it didn't work out that way. God knew I'd need the strength so He supplied it in advance and gave me a few laughs at the same time.

Last Sunday at church I got really embarrassed and then I started laughing again. Talk about humility! I wore a bandanna and when I got out of the car and leaned back in to get my Bible and things the wind must have blown the flap of my bandanna up on top of my head but I didn't know. And I walked right in and through the crowd to my usual spot way up front. All the while flashing my bald head to everyone behind me. I looked up and didn't see the buzzard but I laughed about it anyway! Talk about being humbled. It's coming at me from all sides. I hope I haven't already told about last Sunday but, if I have, bear with the repeat. It's like every single thing I try to do to lessen the impact of this experience gets even worse. Gave me cause for another laugh. From now on I know to check my bandanna regularly. I never thought about it blowing up like that revealing that shiny pink bald head of mine for all the world to see. You watch, the first day I show up in a wig and I can almost guarantee I'll sneeze it off my head and into someone else's coffee cup! Thank you, Lord Jesus, for having a sense of humor and thank you for making me laugh when I could be crying. Thank you, Savior, for saving me from myself! Anyway I hope I didn't repeat myself on Sunday's fiasco. I know I told someone but I think it was in a comment on someone else's blog. I don't think it was in my blog. Now I must commit that little story to memory so I can remember to retell it when the moment is right.

But, Wil, I loved your little story and I'm grateful for a Father who can take the worst things and turn them into good things for everyone concerned. You'd think the Lord would be too busy running the Universe and wouldn't really have the time to worry about my hair problems. But God cares about every single thing in our lives. If it affects us, it's important to God. God is so good. He doesn't take away the difficulties but He gives us an abundance of grace and holds our hands as we struggle through them. What an awesome God! I used to worry about my hair all the time and it's a relief in some ways not to have to worry about it anymore!

I've got to get to bed or I'm going to fall asleep here in my chair. It's good to know I won't have to fix my hair in the morning. Ha!

godlover said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
God Chaser said...

I am so glad you stopped by and that my little story uplifted you. I just didn't want to offend you in any way but wanted to lift you up. I too enjoy your site and I have on echild a girl who jsut turn 13. She thinks I spend entirly too much time on the computer and not enough paying attention to her. So I will be trying to somehow balance my computer time and give her more. I am a single mother. and I enjoy the writing and reading I have found in this world of blogging. At the moment I believe it is how God is using me to minister. Be blessed

God Chaser said...

I am so glad you stopped by and that my little story uplifted you. I just didn't want to offend you in any way but wanted to lift you up. I too enjoy your site and I have on echild a girl who jsut turn 13. She thinks I spend entirly too much time on the computer and not enough paying attention to her. So I will be trying to somehow balance my computer time and give her more. I am a single mother. and I enjoy the writing and reading I have found in this world of blogging. At the moment I believe it is how God is using me to minister. Be blessed.

Sharon said...

Great Post, I find that I get so caught up in the words that you write.
I noticed God Chaser saying about the other lady that lost her hair, I remember that very well, but she sure said it exact.
God Bless you, know that I have you in my prayers
Sharon