A friend encouraged me to continue the reflections from a previous posting – “As Good as it Gets.”
At my writer’s group meeting last week, one of the prompts given to us by the person facilitating was this:
“I’d walk a mile for…”
Here is my response to that prompt as well as some relevant scriptures that came to mind:
I’d walk not just a mile, but a thousand miles, if I knew that at the end of my journey, I’d find whatever or whoever would stop the groaning in my spirit. The groaning that stems from my stubborn insistence that life be more than it is, that satisfaction remain forever, that earth be heaven.
The groaning becomes hushed every now and again, when I have a refreshing time in God’s presence, or quality time with friends, or a transcendent creative experience, etc., etc., etc…
But then, within hours, or usually, within moments afterward, and without fail, the groaning sounds start rising again, in higher decibels than before, till my ears practically start ringing and that old familiar mixture of outrage and resignation reverberate in my soul. Outrage that the experience I’ve just had was still not The Experience I had been yearning for – the ultimate one, the lasting one, with permanent, groan-silencing effects. And resignation because of the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach that makes me fear that no matter where I look, and how relentless my pursuit, and how deep my desire, The Experience can never be had on earth.
Why does that make me so sad if I truly believe that it can and will be mine to have when I leave this world?…
This is the Gospel Truth:
I am, in fact, walking miles and miles in this journey called life, and at the end of the road, no matter what lies in store for me along the way, I will come face to face with the One who makes all things new and complete. He will quiet my groaning spirit once and for all, and wipe every tear from my eyes, and wrap me in His eternal embrace. An embrace that I get a foretaste of, just a foretaste, in the here and now, and it culminates on that glorious day.
In the meantime, I can choose to embrace Him every day, forsaking all others, feet to the pavement, eyes fixed on the unseen, spurred on by the energy of joyful, eager expectation of His appearing.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
“That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.
All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs.
But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs.
These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” (Romans 8:18-25, The Message translation)
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day – and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Timothy 4:6-8, NIV)
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!”
And let him who hears say, “Come!”
Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.
He who testifies to these things says, “Yes I am coming soon.”
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”
(Revelation 22:17, 20, NIV)
