In Sho Baraka's song, "Kobe Bryant On Em" he has a line that says, "When life throws you curve balls like Nolan Ryan on em, don't give up in the field...Detroit Lions on em!" During the months of May and June, I feel like I got thrown a curve ball. Honestly, it felt like a bad dream that I wished would end. What made this "curve ball" particularly challenging was that there was nothing I could to to change things. I cried, I cried out to God, I sought counsel. My circumstances didn't change, but in and through it God has been changing me.
It is now August, and in some ways I am still struggling. However, in the midst of this I have experienced God's grace, faithfulness, and love in powerful ways. It is always amazing how during painful circumstances/seasons, there is an intimacy with Christ that is stronger than that of sunny days. He is chiseling me and challenging me in different ways. He seems to be asking me two questions: Do you trust me? and Do you love me?
I recently came across some verses in the book of Joshua where he exhorts the Israelites to "cling" to the LORD (Joshua 22:5, 23:8). I love the imagery of "clinging" to the LORD as my Father, my Rock, my Refuge, the one in whom I put my trust. The word cling means to adhere to, to follow close, to pursue hard. The Israelites were still struggling with the uncertainty of the future, despite the promises God had given them. They needed to hear Joshua's words of "cling to Him." As I wrestle with concerns of "the future" I need those same words - cling to the LORD. By God's grace I want to learn how to cling to Him a day at a time, and to cultivate a "crazy love" relationship with Jesus, where He is my first love.
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