by David Scott Robertson
I had driven that route at least a hundred times before.
Why had I never seen it?
Yet, there it was, plain as day, fastened to the guardrail.
A cross on the side of the road.
Now that I think about it,
Throughout my years traveling the highways and by-ways,
I’ve seen many crosses on the side of the road.
Perhaps you have too.
Some crosses have artificial flowers wired to them.
Some have a small sign attached.
Some are fancy crosses
And some are crude, wooden crosses like the kind Jesus died on.
All of the crosses on the side of the road
Have one thing in common, though.
They all have a story behind them.
A tragic story.
The cross more than likely marks the spot
Where a dearly loved one (or ones) died in an accident.
The cross on the side of the road
Is a permanent memorial to the fateful and fatal day.
A small emblem that says, “I remember.”
You and I may drive down a stretch of road
And think nothing about it except getting from point A to point B.
Another person may drive down the same stretch of road
And for them,
When they pass the cross on the side of the road
A feeling, an emotion, a memory, a thought erupts.
Why? Because they are the one that put the cross there.
The next time I notice
A cross on the side of the road,
I purpose in my heart to breathe a prayer to God
On behalf of the family and friends of their departed loved on.
His or her memorial not only stands on perpetual duty at a graveyard,
But also on a cross on the side of the road.
DSR
7/29/02
Monday, July 29, 2002
Sunday, July 21, 2002
R.P.
by David Scott Robertson
I love to play racquetball.
I love the sport.
I love the cardiovascular workout that it gives me.
I love the brotherhood and fellowship of my partners.
I love the thrill of competition –
And I love to win.
There’s only one minor technical difficulty I have to overcome in my game – R.P.
R.P. stands for Retinitus Pigmentosa.
That’s a fancy medical term for scar tissue on my retinas that block light from reaching the cones and rods in my eyeballs thereby rendering affected portions blind.
R.P. is an incurable, untreatable, inoperable, irreversible and progressive eye disorder that leads to blindness.
As an R.P. sufferer, I have zero night vision (better known as “night blindness”)
And “experts” tell me my peripheral vision will gradually disappear from sight over time.
(NOTE: To simulate what a person with R.P. sees, take two empty cardboard toilet paper tubes and hold them over your own eyes – that’s basically what I see.)
My ophthalmologist reports that I have only 20% vision left in one eye and 10% in the other thanks to R.P.
Now trying to function normally in life with R.P. is challenging,
But R.P. to a racquetball player is really a bummer.
Because of R.P. I lose lots of games.
Because of R.P. points are played that I never see.
Sometimes my opponent will hit a hard serve and I’ll just stand there without moving having never seen the ball at all as he wins the point uncontested.
Many times, my opponent will hit a high ball and it will zig-zag around the upper walls of the court and I’ll lose it and have to listen for a clue of its location in hopes of getting a glimpse and a split-second to react if I can catch it in my limited field of vision.
More times that I’d care to tell you, I’ve had the ball hit me in the face, the head, all over my body because, truly, I never saw it coming.
R.P. has brought to my racquetball game
Frustration,
Aggravation,
Anger,
Disappointment,
Humiliation,
And much discouragement.
So, if that’s the way things are,
Why subject myself to such an ordeal?
Because it’s better to play and lose than not play at all.
Because when I do win it’s against all odds.
I’m always the underdog.
And yet, God helps me to prevail in many matches,
And at those times I am in awe at God’s grace operating in my life.
(I dedicate ALL victories to Jesus Christ!)
I tell you why I continue to play racquetball –
Because I can’t let R.P. beat me.
If I do, then other “little foxes” will stealthily creep in and try to bully me as well.
I cannot let R.P. discourage me to the point of giving up something I love to do.
Jesus never gave up, why should I?
Every time I enter a racquetball court,
In a way,
It is a prophetic act that proclaims that “my God is able to deliver me.”
God can and will teach us the advantages of adversity.
We may not be thankful “for” all circumstances but we can be thankful “in” all circumstances.
I heard a preacher say one time:
“There’s not but two times to praise God:
When you feel like and when you don’t, and when you don’t is the best time of all.”
In the school of suffering much learning takes place.
I’m learning a lot about life by climbing into a racquetball court and playing with R.P…
1. I’m learning who my friends are.
Brave souls who continue to play with me in spite of my handicap.
2. I’m learning that losing with integrity is a superior victory.
3. I’m learning that you can be a good sport without being a Christian
But you cannot maintain a solid Christian witness without being a good sport.
4. I’m learning that humiliation builds character.
5. I’m learning that there are some opponents that I couldn’t beat even if I had two good eyes!
Now this next statement I want to put in writing and date it for posterity.
This is a faith declaration to the Lord Jesus Christ
And a declaration of war to the enemy of my soul:
“I am a miracle in the making!”
God will heal my eyes!
I believe by the authority of God’s Word and in the name of Jesus Christ
That Father God send His Word in the form of His Son to heal me.
One day,
Either instantaneously or progressively,
My sight will be fully restored!
(Fair warning to my racquetball opponents! – watch out!)
Until then…
I draw strength from what the Lord said to the apostle Paul
And what the Apostle Paul said to the Lord in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”
Until then…
I will walk [and play racquetball] by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
“The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” (Mat 15:31 NIV)
DSR
7/21/02
I love to play racquetball.
I love the sport.
I love the cardiovascular workout that it gives me.
I love the brotherhood and fellowship of my partners.
I love the thrill of competition –
And I love to win.
There’s only one minor technical difficulty I have to overcome in my game – R.P.
R.P. stands for Retinitus Pigmentosa.
That’s a fancy medical term for scar tissue on my retinas that block light from reaching the cones and rods in my eyeballs thereby rendering affected portions blind.
R.P. is an incurable, untreatable, inoperable, irreversible and progressive eye disorder that leads to blindness.
As an R.P. sufferer, I have zero night vision (better known as “night blindness”)
And “experts” tell me my peripheral vision will gradually disappear from sight over time.
(NOTE: To simulate what a person with R.P. sees, take two empty cardboard toilet paper tubes and hold them over your own eyes – that’s basically what I see.)
My ophthalmologist reports that I have only 20% vision left in one eye and 10% in the other thanks to R.P.
Now trying to function normally in life with R.P. is challenging,
But R.P. to a racquetball player is really a bummer.
Because of R.P. I lose lots of games.
Because of R.P. points are played that I never see.
Sometimes my opponent will hit a hard serve and I’ll just stand there without moving having never seen the ball at all as he wins the point uncontested.
Many times, my opponent will hit a high ball and it will zig-zag around the upper walls of the court and I’ll lose it and have to listen for a clue of its location in hopes of getting a glimpse and a split-second to react if I can catch it in my limited field of vision.
More times that I’d care to tell you, I’ve had the ball hit me in the face, the head, all over my body because, truly, I never saw it coming.
R.P. has brought to my racquetball game
Frustration,
Aggravation,
Anger,
Disappointment,
Humiliation,
And much discouragement.
So, if that’s the way things are,
Why subject myself to such an ordeal?
Because it’s better to play and lose than not play at all.
Because when I do win it’s against all odds.
I’m always the underdog.
And yet, God helps me to prevail in many matches,
And at those times I am in awe at God’s grace operating in my life.
(I dedicate ALL victories to Jesus Christ!)
I tell you why I continue to play racquetball –
Because I can’t let R.P. beat me.
If I do, then other “little foxes” will stealthily creep in and try to bully me as well.
I cannot let R.P. discourage me to the point of giving up something I love to do.
Jesus never gave up, why should I?
Every time I enter a racquetball court,
In a way,
It is a prophetic act that proclaims that “my God is able to deliver me.”
God can and will teach us the advantages of adversity.
We may not be thankful “for” all circumstances but we can be thankful “in” all circumstances.
I heard a preacher say one time:
“There’s not but two times to praise God:
When you feel like and when you don’t, and when you don’t is the best time of all.”
In the school of suffering much learning takes place.
I’m learning a lot about life by climbing into a racquetball court and playing with R.P…
1. I’m learning who my friends are.
Brave souls who continue to play with me in spite of my handicap.
2. I’m learning that losing with integrity is a superior victory.
3. I’m learning that you can be a good sport without being a Christian
But you cannot maintain a solid Christian witness without being a good sport.
4. I’m learning that humiliation builds character.
5. I’m learning that there are some opponents that I couldn’t beat even if I had two good eyes!
Now this next statement I want to put in writing and date it for posterity.
This is a faith declaration to the Lord Jesus Christ
And a declaration of war to the enemy of my soul:
“I am a miracle in the making!”
God will heal my eyes!
I believe by the authority of God’s Word and in the name of Jesus Christ
That Father God send His Word in the form of His Son to heal me.
One day,
Either instantaneously or progressively,
My sight will be fully restored!
(Fair warning to my racquetball opponents! – watch out!)
Until then…
I draw strength from what the Lord said to the apostle Paul
And what the Apostle Paul said to the Lord in 2 Corinthians 12:9:
“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.”
Until then…
I will walk [and play racquetball] by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
“The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.” (Mat 15:31 NIV)
DSR
7/21/02
Monday, July 15, 2002
Hidden Pleasures and Treasures
by David Scott Robertson
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).
The next time you begin to thank God for all that He’s done for you --
For all the simple pleasures,
And all the complex pleasures,
Remember to thank Him for all the hidden pleasures and treasures too.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are invisible.
One example is behind-the-scenes angelic activity that --
More often than we realize --
Prevents unseen spiritual warfare against us from manifesting into tragic reality.
Take the case of a loved one who miraculously and narrowly escapes a potentially fatal accident.
They never saw it coming - they never saw it going.
In fact, they were completely oblivious to the whole thing.
Nonetheless it happened –
A combat situation between angels and demons transpired and both sides paid a price.
This is a hidden pleasure and treasure.
They exist as a thousand other manifestations of the grace of God operating in our lives.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are, quite simply,
Those unknown blessings that the Lord God orders, orchestrates and arranges on our behalf
For no other reason than to add value, safety, enjoyment, or meet needs in our lives.
And we are unaware of all of them because they are hidden.
But I assure you they are there.
It would be impossible to do the math,
But could it be
That for every one thing we see and notice and observe in our lives that are grace gifts from God,
That there are dozens, hundreds, perhaps even thousands
Of other hidden pleasures and treasures that we do not see and observe and notice?
My faith thinks so.
With this thought in mind I want to end with a prayer of thanksgiving
(And if you agree with it say “amen” out loud at the end):
“Thank You, Lord, for all the hidden pleasures and treasures that You have lavished on me.
I appreciate them and You with all my heart.
Give me an attitude of gratitude to discern more each day
The unfathomable riches of your grace to us who believe. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
DSR
7/15/02
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17 NIV).
The next time you begin to thank God for all that He’s done for you --
For all the simple pleasures,
And all the complex pleasures,
Remember to thank Him for all the hidden pleasures and treasures too.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are invisible.
One example is behind-the-scenes angelic activity that --
More often than we realize --
Prevents unseen spiritual warfare against us from manifesting into tragic reality.
Take the case of a loved one who miraculously and narrowly escapes a potentially fatal accident.
They never saw it coming - they never saw it going.
In fact, they were completely oblivious to the whole thing.
Nonetheless it happened –
A combat situation between angels and demons transpired and both sides paid a price.
This is a hidden pleasure and treasure.
They exist as a thousand other manifestations of the grace of God operating in our lives.
Hidden pleasures and treasures are, quite simply,
Those unknown blessings that the Lord God orders, orchestrates and arranges on our behalf
For no other reason than to add value, safety, enjoyment, or meet needs in our lives.
And we are unaware of all of them because they are hidden.
But I assure you they are there.
It would be impossible to do the math,
But could it be
That for every one thing we see and notice and observe in our lives that are grace gifts from God,
That there are dozens, hundreds, perhaps even thousands
Of other hidden pleasures and treasures that we do not see and observe and notice?
My faith thinks so.
With this thought in mind I want to end with a prayer of thanksgiving
(And if you agree with it say “amen” out loud at the end):
“Thank You, Lord, for all the hidden pleasures and treasures that You have lavished on me.
I appreciate them and You with all my heart.
Give me an attitude of gratitude to discern more each day
The unfathomable riches of your grace to us who believe. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
DSR
7/15/02
Sunday, July 7, 2002
Kinks in the Hose
by David Scott Robertson
Well, it happened again.
Here I am minding my own business,
Performing a routine, mundane, even boring task (watering the flowers),
And WHAM!
The Holy Spirit begins to teach me about life.
He uses a garden hose to illustrate a powerful truth!
First the natural, then the spiritual.
Let me quickly set the scene for you,
Then I'll connect the dots on the nugget of truth I gleaned from watering the flowers.
It's been hot and dry around here lately.
All the outdoor green things are thirsty.
So early this morning I dragged out the garden hose
And began to water the flowers, shrubs, bushes, and tomato plants in our yard.
Funny thing, though.
As I pulled the garden hose across the lawn,
The water stopped flowing. Why?
"Kinks" in the hose.
This is when the hose gets twisted and knotted up and the water can't flow out.
Over and over and over again as I was dragging the hose and watering
I got kinks in the hose and the water stopped coming out the spigot.
I had to stop watering and go straighten out every kink before the water flow was restored.
Suddenly, and I feel this was the Holy Spirit using a teachable moment in my life,
These thoughts began to bubble up in my mind and settle in my heart:
We human beings are very similar to flowers in a garden.
We are organisms that require water from an outside source to survive.
If we don't get it, it's just a matter of time…
Father God, raised us up from seeds and transplanted us to a garden.
His desire is that none of His precious creations should perish.
To ensure their survival, God sent His Son, Jesus, to tend the garden.
The Holy Spirit is that life-giving, life-sustaining water that flows through the hose.
Through the light of the Son,
The water of the Holy Spirit,
Planted in a stable soil from which to absorb nutrients (God's Word)
We not only survive, but flourish, in a beautiful and unique ecosystem
Which God has carefully and purposefully planted us in,
With the intention of
Bearing fruit to feed others,
Produce seed to reproduce after our own kind,
And to add value and beauty to the garden for all to see and enjoy.
Without the Son, we would die.
Without the water of the Spirit, we would die.
Without the soil to feed on we would die.
Everything the water touches is green and full of life.
Everything that the water doesn't touch is brown, brittle, and dry - in a process of dying.
Enter the problem.
Sin.
Sin puts kinks in the hose
That stops the flow of God's living water.
Unless the kinks are removed,
The water is permanently cut off
And the plants eventually die.
My confession of sin allows Jesus to "undo" the kinks in the hose.
It restores the flow of water
And thus makes restoring my soul possible.
It was interesting to note
That as I watered one plant,
The plant next to it usually got soaked as well.
I suppose the parables and parallels, meanings and metaphors
Could continue on and on
Describing in fantastic detail
Just how a garden and a human soul are a lot alike.
One thing's for sure though…
If the kinks in the hose are not taken care of,
It ruins the entire project.
"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11 NIV).
DSR
7/7/02
Well, it happened again.
Here I am minding my own business,
Performing a routine, mundane, even boring task (watering the flowers),
And WHAM!
The Holy Spirit begins to teach me about life.
He uses a garden hose to illustrate a powerful truth!
First the natural, then the spiritual.
Let me quickly set the scene for you,
Then I'll connect the dots on the nugget of truth I gleaned from watering the flowers.
It's been hot and dry around here lately.
All the outdoor green things are thirsty.
So early this morning I dragged out the garden hose
And began to water the flowers, shrubs, bushes, and tomato plants in our yard.
Funny thing, though.
As I pulled the garden hose across the lawn,
The water stopped flowing. Why?
"Kinks" in the hose.
This is when the hose gets twisted and knotted up and the water can't flow out.
Over and over and over again as I was dragging the hose and watering
I got kinks in the hose and the water stopped coming out the spigot.
I had to stop watering and go straighten out every kink before the water flow was restored.
Suddenly, and I feel this was the Holy Spirit using a teachable moment in my life,
These thoughts began to bubble up in my mind and settle in my heart:
We human beings are very similar to flowers in a garden.
We are organisms that require water from an outside source to survive.
If we don't get it, it's just a matter of time…
Father God, raised us up from seeds and transplanted us to a garden.
His desire is that none of His precious creations should perish.
To ensure their survival, God sent His Son, Jesus, to tend the garden.
The Holy Spirit is that life-giving, life-sustaining water that flows through the hose.
Through the light of the Son,
The water of the Holy Spirit,
Planted in a stable soil from which to absorb nutrients (God's Word)
We not only survive, but flourish, in a beautiful and unique ecosystem
Which God has carefully and purposefully planted us in,
With the intention of
Bearing fruit to feed others,
Produce seed to reproduce after our own kind,
And to add value and beauty to the garden for all to see and enjoy.
Without the Son, we would die.
Without the water of the Spirit, we would die.
Without the soil to feed on we would die.
Everything the water touches is green and full of life.
Everything that the water doesn't touch is brown, brittle, and dry - in a process of dying.
Enter the problem.
Sin.
Sin puts kinks in the hose
That stops the flow of God's living water.
Unless the kinks are removed,
The water is permanently cut off
And the plants eventually die.
My confession of sin allows Jesus to "undo" the kinks in the hose.
It restores the flow of water
And thus makes restoring my soul possible.
It was interesting to note
That as I watered one plant,
The plant next to it usually got soaked as well.
I suppose the parables and parallels, meanings and metaphors
Could continue on and on
Describing in fantastic detail
Just how a garden and a human soul are a lot alike.
One thing's for sure though…
If the kinks in the hose are not taken care of,
It ruins the entire project.
"The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail" (Isaiah 58:11 NIV).
DSR
7/7/02
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)