Sports are a subject I am not qualified to discuss. However, this past Sunday when I pursued the minister's words and my notes with prayer, an “analogy” came to mind. This is not similar to my (so far) usual practice of posting, but I figure, why not give it a try? Let's see where my ideas take us on these pages.......
In baseball, there are many positions. I am no expert, but I do know a thing or two about the players. There is a pitcher, a batter, a catcher, an umpire, a coach, and fielders. For my own little analogy I am going to ignore the catcher, fielders, and umpire – though I do understand that all are thoroughly important. I am going to highlight some specifics. Figuring that this baseball game (in my own head) only takes place during practice; there is no opposing team, it's just training time. The goal of the preparation is to be sure that everyone on the team is unified, and ready to stand against anything together.
Okay, so we have a pitcher, a coach, and a hitter. A pitcher has the intention to throw, and hopefully aim correctly to allow the bat to hit the ball. The coach, is the biggest cheerleader; the leading game player who is involved in conducting the player's strength and weaknesses to win the game. Alright, now the hitter comes along and takes strength and powers up to hit the ball. It takes mighty arms to be able to swing a bat, and be sure that the ball flies the distance to score. The batter that is up, has to have a bat. The style of the bat, very well may be one of the most valuable pieces of equipment. Obviously, you can't play the game without a stick, however, the design of the bat, is crucial. Some bats are made out of wood, others are made out of plastic or metal. Though there are more details that come into play, it's important to simply know that the bat is also key....and to know, I don't have anything else to add, because that's literally, ALL I have. Ultimately, when all positions are in place, and played out, a team is built and is strong.
Well, perhaps my three player example is too specific, yet too randomly expressed. I know there are other factors involved, but hey, this is what came to my mind.....where am I going with this, haha I'm working out the kinks here....
Psalm 55:22a
Cast your cares on the LORD, and he will sustain you;
To give a little summary of the message I heard, it's important to know the context. David (the author) tells about many sorrows, and tough times in his life. My pastor, describes the chapter as such: “verses 1-3 describe his despair because of his enemies. 4-8 he wants to fly on wings and flee away from his distress to be at rest. 9-15, he prays for justice for a situation with a close friend, who has ultimately betrayed him. Then in 22-23 he declares confidence in the Lord, casting cares on the Him.” Now, you can read this for yourself, but I fully believe in a supportive context and setting, thus I have given this summary.
The way David's story relates to us is what you might call: an understanding. Yes, we will have cares, but the key is to not be overcome by those cares. God wants us to know and learn how to not be overwhelmed. One phrase that I quoted in my notes, “God won't place us in a 'divine' bubble to protect us. We can live lives carefree, not a life without cares.” My biggest thing is not being bound, and living in a life of freedom, this just captures the definition of this walk. Yup, it is true that we will always be in a world with worry, fright, and concern, but those things do not and should not make us who we are. We are allowed to live in a life of liberty because of God's promise!
To keep to my usual pattern, here are a couple key sub-titles:
- Our place is to cast
- God's promise is to carry
We are not just a one man show, it takes togetherness. We must INTENTIONALLY cast the worries away! When I think of cast I think of fishing (which is odd, because I am nooo fisher-woman!). Yet, it makes sense. For when you cast your line out into the water, it is purposeful. During the message, several similes were given from the Greek definition of the word “cast”. Phrases and terms like: to hurl, to throw with energy; to fling with force; overthrow anything tangible. The things that come to mind, even as I write these words, is quite interesting...to my life anyway. When I think “hurl”, either similar to throw, or even more so similar to up-chucking. It's kinda gross, but to be honest our worries are gross and vile! Every fear, doubt, stronghold that we allow the enemy to take is sickening. When we have an upset stomach, whatever the cause or bug in our system, it is a relief to puke it out of our body. In the same way, we must rid ourselves of junk!
We can either take the load on our own, and thus live in a mentality that our pathway is greater than God's idea. OR we can come clean with our own emptiness and know we cannot handle much of anything, and give our hearts up to Jesus. We can chose to follow a path of condemnation, that only leads to us thinking more lies, telling us that The Spirit's love for us is weak. OR we can step out of our shame box and choose conviction, and have faith in the sword that comes from HIS mouth, and TRUST Him.
My advice? Whatever word rocks your mind, use it and put it into “I will FLING/THROW/HURL with enthusiasm and emphasis those things onto the Lord!” We must decide to do this, it's part of our freewill bargain. Yet, it's helpful to know that this isn't just a one human show (I like that phrase....I will use it again) THIS IS NOT A ONE HUMAN SHOW. Wow, what does it take for that fact to get through my brain!?! Jesus has also made a choice!! Something that caught my eye during the message, was the wording of imagery in the phrase “put it on God's shoulders.”
His promise is to carry, hold, sustain, endure, supply and attain our mess(es)!! My notes on the sermon flow to rhythm of something like this, “He will sustain you, help you. His promises never fall apart – on His side – in FAITH believe the promise of His word. Be EMPOWERED to cast cares on Him. If you pray...but nothing seems to happen, let Him hold onto it. He will help us to abide in Him. The God of ALL grace is COMMITTED.”
I was even pondering earlier this week, and totally had a renewable thought come in to play. The overall thought of “answered prayer” spiraled through my mind. I have a slow way of processing things when they are not 'logical'. I know God is mighty and all powerful, yet when I try to pray for healing (for others or self), I get all wordy. I cannot wrap my mind around just saying “In the name of the King be restored!” Like it's great and all, but are those words really enough? You can bet every single doubt that those words are enough!
I've read some scripture on this, and gee wiz it's great, but once the phrase “your faith has made you healed” I get all caught up in justification. The fact that I know justification is not a qualification for my walk gave me a nudge to pursue the right mindset on this. What I have heard in response – out of this world and beyond me. The thing that causes us to be healed is God. It is impossible for us to be 100% purely okay with the supernatural healing (other words, God's restoring touch). The idea is, even if our faith is itty bitty (say the size of a mustard seed) we can move mountains. Haha, O for so long, I never understood that! You see if we have just a seed of faith in God's will, than we are healed. Maybe it's through instant touch, or a series of years, God heals. God gave man the inspiration to medicine and treatments. And GOD gave the idea of touching Jesus' cloak. (Mathew 9:20-22)
Woohoo, I love serving a God so powerful! There is no greater reward than His goodness. And we must continuously go back to Him. I received some inspiring words Sunday, about how it's okay to give something up....again, again, and again. It's what God wants. When we truly give something up, the Lord consumes it. Don't you just looove definitions of words that are so awesome! Consuming just gives off a spine-chilllinggg-effect!
Even when the act of casting seems redundant, do it!! Ask Jesus to help you understand the meaning of handing it over to Him. He will answer, if you have the ears to hear Him. And if you are not familiar with “the hearing-aid-of-The-Spirit”...He will teach you. Believe me, He will!
My little comparison about baseball, kinda excites me. When my ears heard the expanded definition of cast: “to throw”, I was reminded of second grade, when I learned the difference between threw and through. I remember the imagery my teacher gave: “I went through a tunnel” and “I threw a ball”. And since threw is a past-tense of to throw. Well, the whole image of throwing a ball made me think of base ball. Thus every time I think of throw, I think of baseball (gosh that sounds a tad redundant...but hey, we are going to deal with it). Pitchers are always shown rubbing the ball, winding up their body to produce energy to be stored for the fling of the ball. Ironically, I don't really watch baseball, yet I somehow know just enough, so that when I pray God uses my little hints of wisdom for His greater purpose!
Mmmm, you know, even my weakest understandings can be expanded evermore deeper for God. The Most High, is with us through the long haul in our life! And He's ready to hit our pitches and consume them!!!
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