Fountains of Life

Refocus

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By Cyndi

I remember when this year began many people were speaking words like, “This is gonna be a year of vision,” or “This will be a year where our vision gets clearer.” And, yes, having the numerical date of 2020, that all seemed to be apropos.

And then March Madness came. No, not the basketball playoffs, the madness that cancelled those playoffs — COVID-19. Who’d-a-thunk-it? Where did this come from? All of a sudden the whole world seemed blindsided by this virus. Blinded, shut down, not seeing clearly, foggy, confused, no 2020 vision.

Or were we really blinded?

Well, maybe at first. But as time marches on in this state of flux, I find myself truly refocusing and actually seeing clearer. Things I valued and deemed important in my life beforehand have become more obvious now.

I think we could all say indisputably that our family and our health are near the top of our most valued assets. Being able to spend so much time with our kids, the positive and negative of it, is something we may never have again in our lifetime — at least not like this. This containment scenario is making many memories and may one day be viewed as a blessing, though it’s a bit trying for the time being. My son is older and, not only out of the house, but quarantined in Chicago. For me, I wish I had more time with him. Kids grow up fast. 

And our health can change fast over time too. During this “stay-at-home” order Robert and I have been refocusing on eating well and exercising better, because we want to live active and prosperous lives for many years. Plus with all the stress of the situation, it’s also a good time for prayer ministry and noticing how we’re dealing with the pressures. Our emotional health and personal growth are important too. 

At the top of our values most of us would put “faith in God.” Perhaps this priority in our lives is being tested these days. We may be questioning: “What is God up to?” “Did He cause this?” “How will He fix this?” “Why is He allowing this to happen?” 

My only answer is — I don’t know.

I don’t know any of the “why’s” or “how’s,” but I do know we have to focus on Him and not the circumstances. This is where the 2020 vision does come in. Recently reflecting on Jesus dying on the cross and Easter — things weren’t what they appeared to be in this story. Today I have to look beyond my natural eyesight and what I think I see. This is walking by faith, not by sight. (2 Cor.5:7) If ever there was a time to understand this verse, it’s now.

So how do I do this? I relax and trust that Father God loves me and that His love is always good. I rest in not having to know everything and instead simply know that He’s here with me, in the middle of it all. 

I, too, can’t wait to see my friends in church again, to surf at the beach, to go out to dinner, and to be with all of my extended family. But for now I’m trying to refocus back solely on Him and I’m seeing much clearer than I have in a while. After all, it is the year 2020.

The Passage

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by Cyndi

As I was thinking about this COVID-19 situation, a scene came to me. I pictured all of us getting rounded up and taken aboard a big pirate-looking ship. It was one of those old wooden sailing ships with ratlines leading up to the crow’s nest and topsails tied up over the crosstrees as you looked at the masthead. There was no flag nor any name on its stern and it creaked and swayed as we were led coercively over the gangplank. 

Amidships many walked aboard with hands tied behind their backs and heads hung low in sorrow and disbelief. “How could this have happened?” I heard one say. “When is God going to help us?” they sighed. I pitied these saints as they slumped onto the ship and resignedly went below deck. Slaves, I thought. Just like slaves — crammed together in the belly of the ship to sweat and surrender to a new life of fear and hopelessness. A look of great loss and tears appeared on their faces as the line slowly drudged on. 

Towards the bow of ship there was another line of people coming aboard on a different gangway. The wind was gently blowing as the vessel rocked against its berth, but these people didn’t have their hands tied behind them. In fact, they had their heads up, were smiling and pointing admiringly at the beauty of the ship as they came aboard. This group didn’t go below; they filed along the side decks and onto the cabin. Sitting topsides, many were enjoying the fresh air and fellowshipping with one another about the goodness of God.

Eventually the dock lines were dropped and the ship headed for sea — the vast unknown. No one seemed to have any idea of where we were going. All that was apparent was that we were being shipped out to sea against our will. 

Those below deck wallowed in their misery. Some wanted to curse God and die. Those up on deck chose to help in the work, even assisting in hoisting the sails and pulling ropes to trim them. The wind was blowing hard now and the uncharted seas were becoming rough.

So God now turns to me and asks, “To which people group do you belong to?” Am I stuck below in the strange shadows and darkness of despair, or am I topsides looking towards an unknown horizon and future with hope and expectation?

For both groups it’s going to be a journey — a voyage with some storms to go through and no timeframe to gauge it. How are we choosing to embrace this passage? 

I believe it is a choice. 

Rest. Rest. Rest.

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By Cyndi

About a week ago I tweaked my back a little. It was the last day before the beaches were closing here in Jacksonville due to the Coronavirus, so knowing this, I surfed until I could hardly move. I let my body rest for about a week, but then I started feeling better, not all the way healed up, but enough to work in the yard a little. Well, you guessed it — my back went out again. Bummers. Gotta rest it again! I do not like not being able to do anything physically; I love to exercise, walk, be outside, be in the water — anything to be moving. I’m a doer. 

Here I was once again stuck not able to do much of anything. I needed to let my body rest and heal. Funny thing, our nation, along with so many others right now, are all supposed to be staying home to stop the spreading of this COVID-19 virus. Many are even quarantined and entire cities are locked down. (As of this writing we are not yet.)

I think Father may be trying to get a message to me. And maybe not just to me, but to His whole body world-wide during this crisis. 

He’s not calling us to DO something. He’s calling us to BE something. Be the church. Be His hands and feet. And be at rest!

It’s very easy to get a feeling of helplessness with this pandemic going on. Everyday we see the numbers and statistics change — mostly for the worse at this point in time — but it will eventually get better. We just have to wait and be at rest in Him.

The Lord never guaranteed us that we will not have trials and tribulations. In fact, He flat out says we will! But He said He’ll be with us through them, even in the midst of them. In John 16:33 Jesus tells us that, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” 

So what things did He tell us previously before this verse? That going through these troubles are hard, but on the other side of them, it’s so much better:  

  • Jesus had to leave so He could send the Holy Spirit;
  • Jesus left His disciples so they could go directly to the Father;
  • A mother goes through travail to give birth, yet afterwards has the joy of a child. 

My friends, I believe on the other side of this it’s gonna be worth it. (Great song from Rita Springer.)

Rest, my friends. Breathe deeply. This is a time to invest in your families. This is a time to reveal to strangers the Hope we have. This is a time for the fruits of the Spirit to grow and develop in us if we allow them to. 

Let us be the Father’s love expressed here on this earth — right here, right now!

Stop doing and start being. Rest. Rest. Rest. 

God Is Our Refuge

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By Cyndi

There’s a lot of fear and anxiety out in the world today. Some may say hysteria. The unseen enemy of the Coronavirus is running amuck and normal life is becoming something like we’ve never known before.

Yes, it’s pretty crazy watching the news, seeing people in stores, the lack of traffic on the streets, businesses closing. Things have changed. Well, except God. He never changes. He hasn’t moved nor fretted one bit. 

He is still good and always will be.

Look at Psalm 34:8 — “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him.” The Hebrew word for refuge here is Chacah meaning to take refuge, flee for protection, put trust or hope in. Many other verses also refer to God as our shelter, our strong tower, our place of safety and security.  

A picture that comes to mind and gives me great comfort is from Matthew 23:37 where Jesus is saying how He wants to cover us with protecting love just like a mother hen takes her wings and shields her chickens. However, both in this verse and in the world today, some of us are not allowing Him to cover us. We have to choose to rest in His love. 

Perfect love casts out all fear. (1 Jn. 4:18) I encourage you to take some time to be still and just rest in His love. Put on some worship music and soak in God’s presence. It’s true we don’t know how everything is going to turn out, but we can at least live in peace as we wait.

And much of the world is looking for that peace right now. Historically after many plagues and disasters, Christianity spread. People are looking for hope in the midst of their fears, comfort for their concerns, and quiet for their turmoiled souls. We have a Father who is big enough to shelter us all. 

Keep Learning

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By Cyndi

2 Peter 1:5-7  — “Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.” 

So how are we expected to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, and all of these things to our faith? Do we just go to church, read our Bibles and one day — boom! — we have godliness and all the rest? I think not, though it would be easier than how it actually happens! We accumulate these character traits by learning them. 

Learning requires us to grow. Different things require different skills depending on what is actually being learned — head knowledge, motor memory skills, problem solving, physical movements, and so on. I’m still in the process of learning Spanish (thank you Duolingo) where there’s a lot of thinking and processing in my mind. I find myself frustrated at times when I miss small stuff like using a masculine adjective instead of a feminine one, or forgetting those little two-letter words. Yet, in the midst of learning Spanish, I’m also learning perseverance. I’m learning to be patient with myself, not condemning or judging, but allowing for my mistakes and failures. Then I keep trying. 

Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and will increase in learning;” to which I advocate by listening to podcasts. For me, I particularly like learning more about health and fitness because I love to work out, and let me tell you, there are tons of podcasts about whatever health or fitness subject you’re interested in.  Doing this helps me with self-control and viewing my body as God’s  temple.

2 Tim. 2:15 tells us that we should study and show God that we understand His truth; and in
understanding His truth it leads us to even more truth. Many of the historically prominent universities like Harvard, Princeton, or Yale were originally based on Bible study. Education was based first on God’s principles and scripture.

Education adds to growth — both in the natural and the spiritual. Spiritual growth happens as we continue to grow in the natural, as we learn.

The point of learning isn’t always to “win” or “gain” something, though that usually occurs — it’sabout personal growth. As I keep myself in the middle of a learning curve with all its struggles and challenges, I find that I have more grace, mercy, and forgiveness towards others as I learn to have it towards myself.

So keep learning. Learn to dance, paint, take up a sport, gardening, cooking, a foreign language, play an instrument, take photographs — something! And as we continue to add to our faith, the end result will always be love.