We have to be healed from our crutches…
Take a minute today and go through your posts and your friends posts on social media. The election has thrown everyone into a topsy-turvy mode, and people are, in fact, losing it.
All over I’m seeing people who are attempting to digest the reality that their candidate may or may not make it. Christians are making some pretty serious pronouncements, stating that one reality or another means one form of judgement or another. People on both sides are stating how scared they are of the political landscape if the opposition wins. I see people of faith quoting scripture all over in an attempt to assuage their own fears and worries about what this election means. I see a lot of people trying to digest their disappointment in the moment and reminding the rest of us that the election is in God’s hands, but a lot of that sounds to me as if a lot of people are looking for a crutch to get through their disappointment. I understand why they are doing this.
Essentially, I see people all over the place gathering whatever crutches that they can and starting to use those to get around and to navigate what they believe their new world will be under a different administration than the one that they wanted. This reminded me of a story in the Bible that I have always loved and been intrigued by.
In John 5:1-16, we see Jesus at the pool of Bethesda in Israel. The story that unfolds is famous.
Christ healed a man who was paralyzed and used crutches to get to the pool of Bethesda to take shelter from the sun. The man had been lame for thirty-eight years. Jesus took a look at this guy, and simply told him to pick up his mat and walk away. So, the man did. Just like that.
How compelling is Christ that a simple command given to a man who did not know Him was enough for that man to get up obediently and go. For that man, an entire new world just opened up that was no longer governed by his crutches. This is so important.
Every time we go through a life changing event, it shakes our grip on our worldview and how we perceive our realities.
In the days leading up to the elections, I can state, firmly and experientially that at 1:45 am on Sunday and Monday I woke up with the distinct sense that I needed to go to my living room and pray. So I did. There I met God Almighty on my knees and He gave me hope. Pure hope. No strings attached. I was blown away because I had been carrying the weight of this election in my heart like all the rest of us had, regardless of what aisle politically we might favor.
I was given hope regardless of the circumstances, knowing full well what the outcome of the election could be and what it could mean for our country.
You need a crutch if your hope is in your candidate. If that’s where we are, it’s no wonder that so many millions are so worried and afraid.
God-given hope exists despite our realities and doesn’t have to sugar coat any of them to be relevant. It is the precursor to a powerful new reality that we can live in that doesn’t depend on our circumstances to be peaceful or hopeful for people to experience both peace and hope.
In coming to my knees both nights this week, I received hope that is perfectly unexpected and perfectly welcomed. It fed my heart with grace and boldness. And that hope that God gives is exactly what we need to heal us of our constant need to use crutches to deal with our reality, people.
I saw hundreds of people online this week looking for a crutch to use to get through this election season. Well, I serve a God Who heals people of their need for crutches. He does this all the time, apparently. He’s done it in my heart this week.
He’ll do it for you to. If your heart has been prepared by God to receive this from Him, then follow His leading when He comes to you. He will answer you and give you what you need. I am evidence of this and it is real. It is not a lame trick of the mind, nor some sad trigger and response scenario to interpersonal trouble.
It is simply the good God of the earth, being good to people, any people, all people, anyone who asks of Him. When you’re ready He will come.
He is preparing hearts everywhere to feel His Presence and to live with their hearts in the hope of heaven even though we still live in dust and clay. He is here with us. Who is like this holy and just God?
I know a lot of you out there are disappointed. I feel it and I see it daily. I get it and I promise you that He does, too. He just has a way of coming right when we need it and when we’re ready to listen. That’s how this works. The fact that He’s coming to me should give you all hope since I really don’t like to listen. It often bores me. God is working on this in me. If He’ll do this with me then the rest of you don’t have any excuse, believe me.
Let God heal you of your crutches when your world shakes. This is how we walk ahead when our viewpoints have been shattered. He is good. He is God. He is near, always.
All you lame and weathered, with sore hearts from using your crutches, with frayed and broken dreams, may you rise and be healed from them in the name of Jesus Christ. May you rise up and walk.
Go.
This is the Way.
Original writing by REVIVALin2020©