Remedy

Joining with the #Five Minute Friday community of writers today to write on a one word prompt for 5 minutes. Today’s prompt is: Remedy.

Last week’s prompt was Broken, which I never got round to writing about, but which I have pondered all week.

In our Bible study group just now we are doing a study in Genesis 1-11 and I have been struck and touched afresh by the detailed, intricate, delicate beauty of creation and have wow’d over it. But I have also been saddened and have sat with that sadness for several days over the brokenness and destruction sin brought to that beautiful creation.

I see that brokenness in the world around me and in my own life, I see its destructive force, but from my Genesis study I also see that there is a Remedy. Right there, right then when sin was committed and brokenness entered; Grace entered too! Right away there was a remedy, a plan of salvation, God’s greatest work yet to put in place a plan of redemption, a plan to buy back that broken world, a plan to bring it back to glory!

God’s remedy plan is God’s grace, is God’s work of salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ, and we long for that coming day when all will be restored!

Permission

Joining today with the #Five Minute Friday community of writers who write for 5 minutes on a one word prompt. Today’s Prompt is: Permission.

There are a lot of changes coming into my life in the next few weeks, a lot of readjustments needing to be made, so this is a timely prompt for me to give myself permission to be confused; permission to be apprehensive; permission to be indecisive; permission to just not know what to think.

Coming out of lockdown, going back to work, a journey to a (far away) city with my daughter who has been home for 5 months; returning to an empty nest; work; church even? All familiar, ‘used to dos’; yet now unfamiliar, unknown.

So in the midst of the readjusting I need to give myself permission to be kind to myself, permission to give myself space; permission to give myself soul-care; permission to receive grace.

Permission just to breathe in grace; to receive grace for my weaknesses, for my unknowns, for my mistakes, for my apprehensions.

Grace.

Grace because I am weak, I am flawed, I am human and if there is one thing I need it is grace.

So these next few weeks, I’m giving grace permission to come and heal, forgive, restore and wash over me.

Pressure

Joining with the #Five Minute Friday group of writers where we write for 5 minutes on a one-word prompt. Today’s prompt is: Pressure

I have been trying to get my head round the idea of ‘re-entering’ life after a year of Lockdowns. I am reluctant to re-enter, there are many reasons why, but primarily it is because of Pressure.

I am not looking forward to having pressure in my life again. Time pressures to be in a certain place, by a certain time – getting out to work on time!!!

Pressures placed by other people, demands I feel I have to meet, family obligations, social interaction, all fill me with intrepidation . Do I have the energy for it? Am I up for it? How will I, as an Introvert, cope with all those people again?

Pressures of everyday life, juggling life and commitments – not looking forward to that, to coming out of the safety of the cocoon I have built round myself here.

Yet, I know we were made for community and I know it will all be fine and I know that I will soon get into my stride and form new routines, but that doesn’t mean to say that it will be easy or that it will take some re-adjusting.

But one thing I can build into my re-entered life is time to PAUSE.

I need to from day one, take time morning, afternoon and evening to pause and breathe and trust and praise, to take time out from the pressures and reconnect with God.

And I need to remember that His yoke is easy and His burden is light and not add undue pressures on myself.

Hibernation

It is Easter Monday and the snow is on the ground, perhaps that is why I am feeling slow and reluctant to come out of my Hibernation which has been called ‘Lockdown’.

Lockdown is gradually lifting and with it the re-opening; restarting of businesses, shops and offices and places of work, soon we will be able to meet and mingle again. Everyone is cheering, Yes?

Is it just me who is reluctant? Reluctant to get going again? Reluctant to face the pressures of ‘normal’ life which have been missing over this past year? Reluctant to re-enter the fray? Reluctant to have the decision-making returned to me?

I certainly feel like a bear reluctant to come out of Hibernation, and with spring being slow this year I feel as if I am being awakened before I am ready, being ushered out before I am finished with my slumber, with my slowness!

I have many fears and anxieties about ‘going back’ to work, ‘going back’ to life; what I actually feel is that it is ‘re-entering’ life after all this time at home and I am anxious. I am anxious about will I be able to do it? Am I capable, do I have the energy? Facing people again – that is a bit of a wow, I don’t think I am ready for social integration? Driving distances, shopping in physical shops, – it is as if I have lost confidence in doing these things.

So I am slow, I am reluctant and I feel as if I am on my own in this with everyone else frantically rushing about in preparation.

Can I just go back to my cave, let it all happen around me, wake me up when everyone has found their rhythm and I’ll try and slot in?

And yet, and yet yesterday was Resurrection Day,

¹¹ The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Romans 8:11

That same resurrection power is in me. That same power which raised Jesus from the dead is available to me too.

I don’t need to get stuck in doubting, fearful, slow Saturday, inbetween the Cross and the Resurrection. I am to harness that power and live post Resurrection, unafraid, fears dealt with, confident that the God who raised Jesus from the dead is the same God living and empowering me even in the here, even in the now and even in the unknown days ahead.

I don’t know what this re-entering of life will look like; I don’t know if it will be any fun! I don’t know what any of these coming days will bring but I am reminded of the song

And because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know, I know He holds the future
And life is worth a living just because He lives

[Bill & Gloria Gaither]

Because He lives, and because that same resurrection power is dwelling in me I can face the future, I can place my trust, I can re-enter and I can live with the fulness of life He gives.

So slowly I will shake myself, slowly I will come out of my Hibernation and slowly I will re-enter this world which is before me; Because I know He holds the future and life is worth the living just because He lives.