Normal is something that routinely goes unnoticed as we move through our lives.  We live day by day, week by week, month by month without giving it any formal thought.  We do not wake up in the morning and think what “normal” thing will happen today.  Normal just is.  Quite honestly, most of us fail to notice it until it is gone; often only after a reverberation of trials or tragedies send shock waves into our lives making the invisible “normal” briefly visible before it quickly vanishes.  It is in those moments that we suddenly learn just how much “normal” effects our security and well-being.  

With 2020 being anything but normal, let us unfold that word a little bit more.  The definition originates from the Latin language and stems from the idea of being “made according to a carpenter’s square.”  Part of its technical definition includes a discussion of straight lines and right angles.  There are no curves involved.   A carpenter’s square is an essential tool in the building trade; one that allows a builder to make sure that what is being built is straight, correctly coming together, and uniform.  Most things built must be ‘squared” to something else in order to stand the test of time.

Most of us can appreciate when things in our lives are built well, when things line up just right.  Truth be told, things usually look better when properly aligned.  Squaring helps us do just that–bring order to interior and exterior spaces.  Through the carpenter’s square, we can bring order to the things we construct, as piecemeal and haphazard building creates systemic issues that affect soundness and quality.

Backtracking a bit to the root of normal, let us look at the qualifier for square, “carpenter.”  A carpenter is a “person who builds or repairs wooden structures…” www.dictionary.com/carpenter. To build is “to construct”, and also “to establish, increase or strengthen.” http://www.dictionary.com/build.  It continues with “to mold, form, or create…to form or construct a plan, system of thought, etc…to increase or develop toward a maximum, as of intensity, tempo, or magnitude.” Id.  Slowing down and thinking about our lives through the lens of normal, it seems that all of us are carpenters in our own ways.  We create schedules, agendas, and systems in our lives to establish, increase and strength it.  We control the tempo and speed by which our lives move, and we plot the intensity and magnitude for how our lives impact others on a regular and routine basis.  In fact, it is not uncommon to hear someone speak of the life they built…through a marriage, work, business, children, etc…

We build that which we deem as normal.  We are the carpenters of the commonplace in our lives. 

When we are children, our “normal” is built through the direction and examples of our parents or those who primarily take care of us.  Sometimes that is sound and wonderful, and other times, stability and support are lackluster at best.  Sometimes childhood is filled with plenty, and other times needs or wants cannot be or are not met. As we move into our teen and early adulthood, most of us take over building routines into our lives. Make no mistake about it, we are heavily influenced by the routines and schedules we have grown up with.  Moreover, jobs, influences, activities, friends, and family will further help to shape what we do with our time on a regular and consistent basis.

When I was growing up, I loved to play with Legos.  I would build all sorts of things, but I treasured most the designing of house lay outs.  I would map out a rectangle and then cordon off the bedrooms, halls and living spaces.  Once I laid down those boundaries, I would then build upwards the walls and add in doors and windows.  Occasionally, a storm would come through, i.e., a sibling or dog or parent, who would accidentally step on a part of the house.  Anyone who has built with Legos knows just how easily those creations come apart. 

My parents’ response was often, “Honey, you can just put it back together, right? It’s not the end of the world!”  Being that none of my creations were built from a blueprint, such rebuilds took a lot of time and mental energy.  Most of the time, I just did not want to re-do it, so back in the box the blocks would go until I was ready to face the challenge again. They were right; it was not the end of the world, but such disruptions generally took the wind out of my sails.

Let us be honest, is it not one of the most frustrating parts of this Covid-19?  The storm that has swept through our normal. Most of us had routines and schedules well in place.  We had plans, careers, paths, and events that we thought were established and cemented into unfolding nicely into our lives, and this darn pandemic has changed those plans to some degree. In some cases, it has changed the trajectory of our days significantly…

Schools closed, businesses shuttered, offices moved to homes, co-workers became family members, parents became instructors, sports disappeared, vacations vanished, entertainment venues went dark, all the while ovens began to roar as many decided to cook and bake more at home.  Industries had to rethink how they did “work”, and many are restructuring in ways no one ever thought possible.  Home life, work time, and learning spaces have changed significantly at an unprecedented speed, and everything related to them has had to shift at the same time.  What happened to our normal? Where is it?

Our routines and schedules changed overnight; our governments, employers, schools, and businesses are still trying to hash out what can and cannot be done. And this time, this change, is disturbingly different to us as it is not by our creation, decisions, or desires.  We did not architect Covid-19; truthfully, who would want it in their world?  Not you and not I. Hence, because these changes were not by choice, many are mistakenly trying to fight to fit their definition of normal back into today.

Without a doubt, it is hard to have our norm taken from us.  It is frustrating to have our lives rearranged in ways we do not want nor necessarily like. Everyone, in their own way, is struggling with wanting their normal, and though that it is true, there is a difference between wanting something and insisting on it.  Desire can exist nicely in our world without the want being met; insistence—not so much. Insistence is not a pleasant thing to watch, especially when someone is demanding of something that cannot be done. We experience it most with young children when they throw tantrums.  They often fixate on something they insist they should have and then melt down when reality does not meet their expectations.  They cry, stomp their feet, yell, wail, hit, kick, bite, spit, throw themselves down, and take their frustration out on the world around them.  Honestly, it is not a pretty sight nor an enjoyable experience!  It is even worse when the one throwing a tantrum is a full-grown adult.

Folks, that is where we are today. It is happening in all facets of society and with all sorts of issues.  People wanting what they want and being willing to throw a fit in insistence that they have a right to their normal or the one they are trying to fashion. The reality is that we are in a transition from the normal we once knew to a new, and still somewhat uncertain, one. We are in the in-between with elements of the old still in view and facets of the new just coming into view.  What we do know for sure is that we can no longer play and live by the same health rules we had just months ago. And, instead of clinging to what we once knew with a stubborn unwillingness to accept anything new, we need to become more flexible and willing to change, as the best minds continue to inform us of what the best actions are to take with this virus.  The truth is that we are still learning about it… 

One of my favorite prayers when I do not know what to do, nor how to proceed, is to pray asking God to open the doors to what or where He needs me to go and to close the doors to the ways and places He does not want or need me to tread. I ask that His will be done, and not mine. Friends, when we fixate on our normal so narrowly that we cannot allow in the change that is needed, we grow more unwilling to consider that God may be shutting doors and opening others. Our life and faith become stagnant, and unwillingness permeates into our attitudes, choices and actions. If we truly trust Him, shouldn’t we be trusting Him with the changes that are needed right now to keep us and others in His world simply more safe? Are we willing to hear His warnings instead of only wanting His blessings?

He promises that we are not alone, and He sends His guidance in an astounding number of different ways. No matter how foreign today may seem, or how much we want our normal to remain unchanged, adhering stubbornly to what we have fashioned issues a clear rejection of the sovereignty of our God. He never promised that our days would see no pandemics; let alone no changes. Quite frankly, if you read His Word, you quickly come to understand that they have a purpose in this world…plagues came upon kingdoms, peoples and those living in societies when hearts and minds repeatedly and stubbornly rejected His truth and ways. You might want to check your stubborn refusal at the door, as history does not bode well for those who refuse to see, hear and consider.

When we look at history, most of the time, our predecessors wanted what they wanted and did not want to hear that they needed to change. In fact, their reluctance often led them to grow more insistent that God would never ask them in the first place. But I am not sure that squares up with the truth about Christ. He died on the cross to save us from our sins, but nowhere do I find Him saying, “Keep on sinning! You don’t have to change. I made it all better for you so that you don’t have to worry about any consequences. Have fun, folks, living the way you’ve been living, as I don’t want to mess with your normal. Love you all, and I’ll see you on the other side.” Tragically, many of His day, refused to hear or heed His call to repentance, and they persistently stuck to their ways inviting disaster to overtake them and bring their “normal” to its knees.

Let us learn from them, and be a bit more humble. Let us choose to give God our rigidity and need to control, and then ask Him to show us how best to reshape our “normal” in light of our love for Him and the world that He has created. Really, since all things are truly in His control, doesn’t living by faith ask that us of anyways?

Grow your faith today by doing just that: Respect today for what it is, and stop demanding it be what you expect, as you cannot always square today’s needs with what has passed. Life’s changes means things will not necessarily line up correctly, especially if you are unwilling to change and adjust. We will not be able to build a better tomorrow when yesterday’s expectations are still the measure for today. Be open to change; put into place the appropriate measures to protect yourself and others based upon what is being discovered; and accept that a brighter tomorrow can only be built on the truth of today.

The truth is that we are now in the presence of a virus that has killed 150,000 Americans in four months. More will die. In fact, it is looking for more hosts, more spreaders and more to infect. To think it is no longer a big deal, or to insist that our normal should not have to change, is simply building our tomorrows without a square. Instead, let our measure be based on the truth that a Carpenter came to bring life to us, not only through forgiveness–praise be to God for that–but also through the turning from our old ways and following His new ways. He came to change our lives, and it is the heart of His message. Let us embrace the changes being asked of us, right now, understanding that they very well may save us and/or others.

The true measure for tomorrow lies in what each of us can, and should, be doing to make this world truly a better, safer place. And my friends, that just might mean that our “normal”, indeed, needs to change significantly to align today with a healthier tomorrow. If we are that valuable to Him, shouldn’t we value each other more than insisting on our normal stay the same?

“He said to them, ‘If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” Matthew 12:11-12

“[O]n Monday, the World Health Organization warns that the pandemic is worsening globally, and things won’t return to ‘the old normal’ for some time.” 

Andrew O’Reilly, “Newsom orders closure of indoor activities across California as coronavirus cases increase”, July 13, 2020, Fox News.

Let us talk about “normal” as it appears to be the subject many are talking about.  How do we get back to school?  How do we restart our sports programs? How much longer will this virus impact our everyday lives!?!

Since the first days of the pandemic, there has been a pining in hearts for a return to “normal”.  Though we stayed in our homes, the ones we have known and loved, it was as if we were inexplicably moved into a strange, new existence. The visible parts of life were the same, but the ones we usually do not worry about–the invisible parts–became much more ominous. It is a reality that most of us are not accustomed to; good health is often not appreciated until it is gone. On account of Covid-19, we have not been able to reestablish the “normal” that we crave. 

With the shock and newness of this global contagion, in the midst of everything becoming noticeably different, was the confusing truth that almost everything was also the same.  Oftentimes with any significant loss, this truth holds true; life continues on the same for everyone else while your life has turned upside down. This time, it was not so individual; rather, the whole world was experiencing it simultaneously.

The old version of “normal” no longer existed comfortably with the new risks to human life that this virus posed. While our homes, habits, patterns and interpersonal relationships remained identical, distinct changes and considerations had to be made to protect their sanctity.  Even today, four months later, despite being with the same people in the same houses in the same towns, things are handled differently.  Our actions, behaviors and choices are tailored to some degree to consider this contagion.

During the shutdown, I heard people speak of their beloved homes as if they were a prison.  The four walls that they adored had become barricades that closed in on them, confining them from the outside life they once knew. Relationships, normally defined by segregated hours at work or school contrasted with smaller hours at home, were tested by the unexpected strain of countless hours spent together.  Life had shifted in a way that we had not foreseen.

An avid gardener spoke of returning to a nursery, when they reopened, only to find that despite the flowers, tools and building being the same, her ability to relax and enjoy the trip out did not come easily.  Concern was a weighty burden that dampened the whole experience.  The potential threat of exposure kept her guarded and left her quickly tired of the watchfulness needed to stay safe. For many, the comings and goings in life, coupled with the need for caution in such interactions, no longer allows for the luxury of strolling around unconcerned. With such, I began to hear repeatedly, “I just want things to be ‘normal’.”  Sometimes I have heard, “Things will never return to ‘normal’!”  Quite honestly, both ideas express the same sentiment: I want what I once knew back.  My normal.

I am a big fan of trying to learn what we can in any given moment (good or bad), so to understand “normal” a bit better, let us look at its definition:

1. Adjective. Conforming to a standard; usual, typical or expected.

2. Noun. The usual, average or typical state or condition.

Definition from Oxford Languages, online.

Understand that “normal” involves what we expect, not the unexpected. It is often what we are comfortable with: our usual surroundings, friends and families. Each of us has a typical routine to our day, whether at work or home, and this new environment is anything but predictable or usual.  In fact, the past four months, as well as the days ahead, have not been nor will they be typical to us.

Uncomfortable masks, limitations on travel, and restraints in a myriad of ways will encompass our lives more than we will like. The virus requires us to be more thoughtful, less hasty, not-so-easy going, coupled with a greater need to care about others and focus less on the individual self as the center of the universe.  These necessary changes have asked us to do more though doing less, communicate better with both openness but also restraint, gather together in new, impersonal ways despite a deep longing for in-person fellowship.  An irony of sorts–that to engage, we must also do the opposite of what we normally do or want. To have the people we want to love in the near future, we must distance ourselves in the present. Thus, we need to learn how to love differently, give more cautiously, and care more carefully.

Six months ago, we lived in a world where we could hand over items with little thought other than wanting to get rid of it or do good with it. Today we must ask, “How can I safely hand this over to someone without also transferring this invisible contagion, which could do them more physical harm than material good?”  With loved ones, or even just those we want to see, it is truly necessary to restrain ourselves from hugs, handshakes or other modes that supply this virus with new hosts.  We must learn to adapt and love atypically to what we have always known.  Our world has changed, and will continue to change, regardless of the denial and frustration that seems to be in abundance in our state, country and world. 

Digging deeper into the synonyms of “normal”, you will find words like: “natural, orderly…regular, routine…reasonable, well-adjusted, healthy, right, in good health.”  Isn’t it interesting that “normal” includes healthy and in good health?  To be in a normal state, things must be orderly, regular, routine, reasonable and well adjusted.  Consequently, our previous actions, and even indifference, towards disease prevention must adjust and become more reasonable with the new realities we are facing with Covid-19.  We no longer have the “normal” we once knew, by its very definition, and thus, cannot hope to overcome its impact on our world if we continue acting haphazardly and disorderly about what we do. We will not head towards the “normal” we all crave until most, if not everyone, is on the same page on how to restrict its spread.

Sometimes it is not enough to just “know” about something. We must explore the opposite of it to fully appreciate its scope.  In this instance, examining the antonyms of “normal” is beneficial. These are words like “abnormal, different, disorderly, extraordinary, irregular, rare, uncommon, unusual, exceptional, odd, strange…unhealthy, sick, poor, unfit, irrational, and unconventional.” http://www.dictionary.com/normal/antonyms (emphasis mine). 

Folks, I am not sure we could find better set of words to describe what is happening in our world today.  We are definitely in extraordinary times. Pandemics are unusual and uncommon.  Covid-19 has been unconventional in its symptoms, progression and impact. Though it has similarities to other coronaviruses, it has been anything but predictable.  It does not act like most of the other viruses the world has known.  In fact, it has acted different, disorderly and been exceptionally difficult to figure out why it impacts some and not others.  Its mechanism for attachment to our cellular structures is unusual and a bit odd in its cellular, crown-like shape.  The fact that it can attack multiple organs and lead to organ failure outside of the lungs exemplifies just how nuanced of an opponent it is.  While we are fortunate that most can survive it, it is remarkable that it can take down perfectly healthy people as well as the sick and weak. 

In a totally different realm, and within short order of Covid-19’s arrival, people have acted irrationally in response to it. There has been a rise of conspiracy theories and political justifications for denying the virus’s very existence and impact. People are acting unfit for living in a society that cares for one another. We have seen spitting, punching, hitting, and swearing at each other. One too many have died because they have asked someone to wear a mask. Beaches, bars, restaurants, pools, and backyards full of people as if nothing lurked in the shadows. Souls are being ridiculed and mocked when being prudent and cautious. Store clerks are having to handle unruly and disorderly customers who refuse to abide by simple rules for service. There is a general misuse of the Constitution and a strange claim that the right to have an individual opinion and choice equates to a fundamental freedom to do as one pleases to the potential harm of others. Again, today’s society seems quite different from what we once had and what we were truly founded upon.

What has been even more unconventional is what we have seen world governments doing in response to Covid.  While each has done what they have determined to be best, one by one, allies and enemies, have had to shelter their people in place. Hence, shrinking or shutting down their economies.  In the vast diversity of governments with various political structures, Covid-19 has bowed them low…not in fear of each other, but in fear of what IT can do to their paradigm of reality.  This is not about politics or leaders or businesses; it is about a contagion that holds the cards right now in impacting our world. 

Let us look clearly at history to see where that has happened before?  Even in wartime and in other pandemics, we have not seen the world brought to its knees like this. In too many places and with the best, most advanced health care in all of history, hospitals and medical institutions have been shockingly overwhelmed, outpaced and unable to deal with all of the desperate pleas for help from those with the contagion. In country after country, people have perished because the systems were overcome by sheer numbers and need. Souls expiring in hallways, ambulances and at homes.

Restaurants, businesses, industries, and non-essential governmental agencies have shut and stood still in time. Worldwide travel restricted; cruise ships unable to find safe harbor. Mass graves in Iran, Brazil and China to bury the astounding number of dead accumulating in such a short time. Refrigerated trucks brought in to collect the bodies in New York, New Jersey and Michigan, and are now needed again in other parts of our country as morgues can no longer handle the number of dead from those who insisted things were back to “normal” after lock downs.  

Nowhere in recorded history have we seen such a response out of peacetime governments.  And now, a resurgence of cases is occurring again as states and countries attempt to re-open. Very simply put, it is happening where interactions have increased between people. To say such responses are rare is an understatement.  Rather, it is unheard of. It is why it is incumbent upon people to be honest with themselves about where “normal” is…as it is not here anymore.

Whether we like it or not, times are abnormal right now.  You cannot really slice it any other way.

In this truth, it is fundamental to see that denial and dismissal will not serve us well any longer.  No matter how much we may want it to be “normal” again, as it was a few months ago, it does not fit with today’s reality.  There is no better indicator then the currently rising cases that have gone hand in hand with those who are trying to insist that the normal they knew, or the normal they want, can exist with Covid-19.  It cannot and will not; at least not until we have some medical intervention to reduce the damage it is doing in humans.  Not only are cases increasing, but so are hospitalizations and deaths. These don’t happen in tandem with each other, but with a lag time as the disease progresses.  Denial, and the choices connected with it, are not leading us back to what we have known but towards more uncertainty, more despair and more abnormality…

Instead of being angry and lashing out at the times, or pretending there is really nothing to be concerned about, understand that accepting change is the key to establishing a more workable version of “normal”.  Finding a way to conform to what is needed helps to build and institute more stability in and for our future.  Fighting Covid by insisting it is not here or not a deadly risk to others (maybe even yourself, if you are one of the unlucky few) only fans the flames of its power to create more unpredictability, uneasiness, guesswork, confusion and trouble in the worlds we know. Does anyone really want that?

The road to normal will not come back to us until we accept that we are in abnormal times and adjust accordingly.  With this contagion, and until we find viable and safe solutions (and that’s a sizeable if), we only have a few things in the toolbox to restrain and restrict it: masks, hand washing/sanitizer, appropriately distancing ourselves from those not living with us, staying home when sick, staying home in general and when possible, cleaning more effectively and stringently, fighting the urge to ignore the invisible, and reducing our interactions especially those that fuel the acceleration of this virus’s spread. 

Age old wisdom dictates that one of the best paths to a solution starts with accepting that there is a problem.  Let us stop bickering about Covid-19’s existence and threat.  Rather, let us take on the responsibility that each of us can do simple things to reduce its impact on this world.  A better stance for honoring life today is to ask what do you need to change right now to deal more appropriately with the reality of this virus? And then, do it.

“Take heed now that you do not fail to do this.  Why should damage increase to the hurt of [others]?” 

New King James Study Bible, Ezra 4:22 (insert mine).

“…we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord…” Psalm 78:4 (emphasis mine)

This Christmas we were treated with a beautiful gift.  We were given a mailbox connected to Santa.  I had actually seen it at a store and had been tempted to buy it.  I decided to refrain and told no one about it.  At our November event, a volunteer surprised me with it.  She had no idea that I had even seen it; let alone that I had wanted to buy it for our holiday events.

In December, we placed it near our check-in table.  Next to it, we placed some simple lined paper and pens. Sure enough, children were drawn to it.  Not all, but some.  It was fun to see them pondering just what to write.  Some were short and sweet with their words, and others were clearly concerned that they needed to share all that they longed for in hopes that they would receive something.

Now over the years, I have learned that when sharing what I’ve seen God do, sometimes people get tripped up in seeing only the visible.  Sometimes they become stuck on the people in the story and fail to see what is not visible.  They want to attribute God’s movement to the human agents God allows in the scenes that unfold before us.  They go back to the idea of “It must be you.”  Or more implicitly, “It is so great that you do these things!”, “You are so kind!” or the one I like the least: “I am so glad they have you to turn to.”  Ugh, can you see me banging my head on my desk?!?

If you want to see God move in this world, look not to the humans involved.  When you focus on them, you are often missing the most glorious part.  Look, instead, for what you cannot see.

When I got home from our December event, I reached inside and pulled out several letters.  In one was a request for princess Barbies.  Just to be clear, I wasn’t sold on whether we would be answering any of those letters so much as just giving the children an avenue to send them.  The next one asked for a particular doll, any in the series that every little girl wants.  Another one just wanted to tell Santa that she had been good.  I smiled.  I understood why that was so important to her, in part, because I knew of her story.

I folded them back up and said a little prayer asking God to help as I wasn’t sure what to do or that we could navigate funds to those type of expenditures.  Torn but patient, I decided to think on it and wait.

I want to say it was less than a week later.  While out shopping, I had looked at Barbies.  Yikes on the prices!  The other doll was even more out of our league.  And the approval of Santa that the other child craved, well, that wasn’t in my control to give…

And then just a couple of days later, on our front porch–after coming to the conclusion that we couldn’t buy those things–a box appeared.  As I went to pick it up, it was filled with Barbies.  I mean beautiful, gorgeous dolls decked in ball dresses and all sorts of fancy–still in their boxes, brand new!  I chuckled.  I guess how to make those things happen wasn’t so much mine to worry about.

Now stop there for a moment.  I don’t want you to miss what you couldn’t see.

When I read those letters, I folded them back up and no one else saw them.  I didn’t put it out on Facebook.  I didn’t call in any favors from moms who had Barbies and dolls to spare.  I told no one.  Those Barbies didn’t arrive because of me or any effort on my part.  And understand something even more important…me picking them up and getting them to their destination doesn’t make me the One who made this happen.  My contribution was related only in serving a mighty God who can make things happen that I can’t.

Tell of the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, not of yourself…

There are things that we can make happen.  There are good things that we do make happen, but telling others about the good deeds we have done is often about building faith in us.  Faith building in God, rather, is about telling the world about the things He has done or is doing.

Literally, a couple of days later, I was with my youngest niece.  She’s at the perfect age for Barbies and dolls.  As I picked her up, out she came with this beautiful doll.  I smiled knowing that she loves her babies and mentioned how cute the doll was.  She chattered away about it, and then informed me that it was for a little girl for Christmas.  I looked back and asked her to repeat herself.  She then went on to inform me that it was the doll I had let her take home to clean up and redo its hair.  The one that had come in early November.

She was returning it after having cleaned the doll up.  She happily informed me that she was ready for her new home.  I shook my head in disbelief as I had not remembered that particular kind of doll had come in.  Truth be told, all I had remembered is that I sent her home with some doll.  God was so good to have already brought the perfect one for that child.  Later that afternoon, the two of us worked together to pick out some on the new Barbies, that doll, and other toys for those children.  God had granted both of their wishes.

I stood there deeply humbled, understanding how fortunate I was to see the hand of God moving to tend to those children’s longings…

The third child.  What about her?  Well, from the very beginning of our Christmas collection, things started to arrive that seemed to speak of her.  Around Halloween, she had shared that she would love to try cotton candy.  Her mom and I laughed, and I told her that cotton candy is something you usually find at carnivals that happen during the summer.  It would be a little hard to find in November.  I kid you not, a week later, we had three containers dropped off.  I was dumbstruck.  I had told no one about her wish.

This child loves rainbows, unicorns and Christmas.  Sure enough, the cotton candy was rainbow flavored.  Unicorns started to come in, and well, the cutest Christmas hat–just her size–landed on our door step.  We wrapped up a couple of gifts, and then I created a little gift bag.  In it, I put the hat, the cotton candy and another cute item.  While I couldn’t send Santa’s approval, I surely  conveyed that we thought she was extra special!

Whether building our own faith or trying to shore up another’s, we need to point them towards the praiseworthy deeds of our God.  Less of focusing on ourselves or our efforts, and more about Him.  He’s right there, lining things up, moving things around, connecting hearts and hands, and most don’t even see it.  Telling others about your good deeds does not necessarily build faith in God; in fact, it often builds pride in ourselves.  Letting others see God move in your life in the ways that are solely His, well, that often takes people’s breathes away.  It those moments where they will struggle to deny His existence no matter what they believe, because they can’t explain those details.  And it is those details that matter most…

It is how the next generation will come to trust God in all the moments where the answer is not visible and there is no human to rescue them.  “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1.  Faith is not about the visible.  When “telling” others about God, we have got to be so careful to not tie the praiseworthy deeds back to ourselves.  They belong to Him…

The next time something good happens see if you can’t find the missing link.  The point that takes people out of the equation that you’d expect to be in it, and then let that moment shine.  It’s likely the crack that was meant to let the light in.

“Your thunder was heard in the whirlwind; Your lighting lit up the world; the earth trembled and quaked.  Your path led through the sea, Your way through the mighty waters, though Your footprints were not seen.”  Psalm 77:18-19

 “…we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord…” Psalm 78:3

It seems to me that Christmas is a season laden with rich opportunity to see and experience praiseworthy deeds of the Lord.  For some reason, it is a time where hearts, ears and eyes readily search for evidence of the Presence of something larger and more lovely than themselves.

We are just shy of two weeks past Christmas morn’, and throughout this season, I have been continually drawn back to the idea of sharing the praiseworthy deeds that I have witnessed over the last few weeks.  As I have contemplated writing, the task has felt a bit daunting.  There’s no sufficient way to communicate how incredible it is to watch God quietly move through lives leaving blessings here and there, some without even noticing…

As I returned to Psalm 78 to refresh my memory of these verses, I was reminded of the instruction that God repeatedly gives those who are His: share and tell of His goodness.  Talk about Him as you gather.  Tell it to your children and your children’s children.  Over and over again, we find His word imparting upon us the need to speak of His deeds, His faithfulness, His instructions and His ways.

In fact in Psalm 78:3, it speaks of our duty to “tell” the next generation of His praiseworthy deeds.  It is interesting that we are instructed to “tell” rather than list.  Quite frankly, it seems much easier to “list” what we’ve seen or heard God do.  I can rattle off a list much faster than telling you the story behind what’s on the list.  With bullet point accuracy, you can shorten things to a succinct set of words that remind you of what has been done.  The problem is that when we do that others will miss out on the greater story that lies behind that concise expression.  Lists do not allow others to see or know all that we saw when He gave us the privilege of seeing Him move.  Hence, why they need to be told.

To “tell” is “to give an account or narrative of; narrate; relate (a story, tale, etc…).  It is to “announce or proclaim.”  It involves revealing, identifying, distinguishing, ascertaining, and informing.  At its core is “to give evidence.”  Most profound is the idea that the foundation of “tell” is “to relate”.  See Tell.  Telling requires us to engage with others.  To think, discuss and help work through the details of these moments that we’ve seen God so that they, too, can know and understand better His Presence in this world.

Narratives need details.  To say we saw the hand of God move today does little to express how or what we saw.  Proclaiming that God exists is not the same as helping another soul actually connect the dots of the evidence He leaves for us to find and follow.  Telling is how we help the the next generation come to trust Him and our words.  And listing, commanding, and dictating are not the same as telling.  Telling develops stories through detailed thought, time and togetherness. It requires patience, inquisitiveness, and the ability to hold another’s attention long enough for a message to get through.

Yet, it is what God instructs us to do to build up faith in our generation and to pass it along to the next.  Right now, the organization I run just finished up a busy Christmas season.  With those preparations comes all sorts of souls to volunteer, and I found myself again recounting many amazing stories of God’s movement over the years.  I could succinctly get from Point A to Point B in the most direct way but I would convey little about God’s movement in that process, even though He is the way we got from A to B.  Rather, it is when I “tell” the stories–engage the details–that wonder crosses the faces of those I am speaking with.  It is those details, not the summary, that moistens their eyes and softens their hearts to His very-present grace.  It is in the telling that faith blooms, strengthens and refreshes.  Anything else–more or less–does a disservice to the very efforts He goes to reach and move souls…

Ironically to the struggle I have had over the last several years, when I was little, I loved to create story books.  I would fold up several sheets of paper and create my own little book that often included hand-drawn illustrations.  I’d burst into my parents’ room on the weekends to share with them my newest story.  I am not sure at what point I put that practice down, but it is not lost on me that early on in life, I loved to write and tell stories…

This past year has been a slow return to that passion, coupled with bouts of doubt and uncertainty of an adult who has outgrown that child-like confidence and trust that abounded in those storybooks.  What I am confident of–what He has had me do for a long time now–is the telling of God’s praiseworthy deeds, whether through speaking or writing.  It is a crucial part of the journey of building faith.  To be honest, without the telling, there is no record.  And without a record, there’s nothing to build faith on.

So, start out the new year by looking back and pondering the stories that have unfolded before you.  Let us put to words the imagery we have caught sight of and tenderly speak of His praiseworthy deeds to those willing to listen.  Right now, our world, and all of the generations in it, desperately need to see His glory so that they may come to believe that He is true, real and right here.

“Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.”  Psalm 78:7

“How gracious He will be when you cry for help!  As soon as He hears, He will answer you.  Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them.”  Isaiah 30:19-20

What is the purpose behind God’s praiseworthy deeds?

The easy answer is that they bring Him glory, but something doesn’t seem quite right in that analysis.  Yes, they highlight what an awesome God we have, but let’s slow down and think about that…

With God as the Creator of the universe, the Maker of all that is in it, the Owner of time and space and every thing, the Designer of every detail known and unknown to man, does He really need more glory and praise from us?  Glory is defined as “very great praise, honor or distinction…adoring praise or worshipful thanksgiving…resplendent beauty or magnificence…the splendor or bless of heaven.” See Glory.  All of nature that we see, hear and experience already boasts of His glory.  And when we think of boasting, God is so very clear that pride creates a lot of issues for mankind.  Rather, He emphasizes that we have humility with broken and contrite hearts when we come to Him.  To believe that God does things to gain our praise seems a bit counter intuitive to His instructions.  And since He leads by example, such self-promoting actions would go against His very character.  So let’s ask again:

What is the purpose behind God’s praiseworthy deeds?

Is it possible that they are designed to actually help us focus on His invisible Presence in this world?  Could these very deeds that He does–daily and in every minute–be beneficial not only to those receiving them but also faith building to those willing to see His movement in this world?  Maybe they are less about the glory that is already in Him and more about helping us to see His Presence in real time in our lives and in the lives of those around us…

Remember, praiseworthy deeds of God are often accomplished in ways that allow us to participate in His work in our world.  He often moves hearts to help in just the right way, in the perfect timing, and in a location that another soul just happens to be at.  So often, we hear of the unexpected happening in a way that indicates a greater plan was being worked out.  The right thing at the right time in the right way and for the right reasons with God at the helm and others as His hands.

When I see God’s hand move through lives, it is typically through things that I had no way of knowing, things I did not anticipate, nor was I aware of.  I stand there, a bit baffled and in awe, understanding that I was just a tiny, tiny part of a bigger plan that God was clearly aware of even though I was not.

For example, when I asked a mom if she had any prayer requests, she asked if we knew of anyone getting rid of a couch.  I paused and smiled, “Occasionally someone will contact us.  I can keep it in prayer for you if you’d like.”  She nodded.  Her mother went on to reveal that it was where this mom slept at night and her “bed” was literally falling apart.  Within a couple of weeks, sure enough, an email arrived asking if we knew of anyone in need of a couch.  I sat there looking at the screen in wonder at just how He does all of this.  Sure enough, that mom has a “new” couch to sleep on…an answer to her heart’s prayer and ours as well as an answer to the desire of another soul to help someone with the blessings they no longer needed.

A couple of years ago, during Christmas, one of our steadfast builders built a beautiful basket for a senior.  That Easter, this woman visited us.  Another volunteer pulled me aside and said, “This gal would like to share something with you.”  As she began her story, her hand continually held onto a beautiful necklace she was wearing.

All of her life, she had been in poverty.  She worked hard, but always struggled.  At some point, she had wished and longed for a beautiful necklace that was well beyond her ability to afford.  Feeling that it was an inappropriate request of anyone, she never told any soul about her longing and accepted that it was not within her reach.

That year, unbeknownst to the volunteer building the basket, the builder came across a beautiful necklace in our donated jewelry bin.  She wrapped it up as a gift and placed it inside the basket, believing it might be something nice to receive.  Having already received a small gift through our adoption program, this senior was very surprised to find another present in her basket.

As she began to open it, she could scarcely believe her eyes.  It was the necklace she had always longed for.  The very necklace she had told no one about.  There were tears in her eyes as she smiled and nodded her head.  We both knew Who knew of that longing and Who had arranged for her to receive it.  It wasn’t the volunteer nor us nor her as she never listed it on her application.  It was God.  And do you know what?  That gal, who wasn’t really sure about God, asked us the following Christmas for a cross.  I knew He had reassured her not only how present He was but how much He knew everything about her…

It’s in the little details of life that we have no way of knowing that the hand of God becomes most visible to those willing to see, hear and believe.  It is in the movement of His works, His deeds and His timing that praise disconnects from our realm and brings us into His.  It is in moments like that where I walk away deeply humbled at catching a glimpse of His work in another life, another soul and another moment.  Those glimpses, those views build up, shore up, tend to, and strengthen my faith and trust in God.

I believe that is why the Psalmist of Psalm 78 instructs us early on to visit and speak of often His praiseworthy deeds.  Not just to praise God, but to understand and learn to trust more that He is actively working in our world.  It doesn’t mean that we always get the necklace we want when we want, but rather, those moments illustrate that He is trustworthy, praiseworthy and willing to come to our aid.

These good deeds are the antidote to fear’s call to believe that He is inactive, unwilling or unable to move to our benefit.  His deeds are exactly what we need to shield our minds and faith from the effects of unbelief and doubt.  They can quell anxiety’s fight for despair, push away depression with hope that He is at work, and undo loneliness with the reassurance that we are never really alone (even when we keep our thoughts and wishes to ourselves).

Understand that God is not some raging ego-maniac that wants constant praise. No, He just wants you to trust Him with all that you are and wherever you may be.  Focus on the praiseworthy deeds that you have seen Him do and on the ones you have heard others tell of.  Let that become one of the walls that shores up your faith and trust when you are feeling unsure or afraid.  Let those deeds become a part of the refuge you seek out when fear in this life comes knocking on your door.

“Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.  One generation commends Your works to another; they tell of Your mighty acts.  They speak of the glorious splendor of Your majesty–and I will meditate on Your wonderful works.”  Psalm 145:3-5

“We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.” Psalm 78:4

There’s a whopping 71 verses in Psalm 78.  It’s not the longest psalm in the Bible, but definitely one of the longer ones.  The interesting thing is once you get past the first eight verses, a predictable pattern starts to emerge.  Verse nine is actually where the history begins to be laid out over time, but before that, in verses one through eight, we are given a special gift.

The writer shares with us a foundation.  It is the very foundation for how we can establish and shore up our faith–best shown through our loyalty and faithfulness to God.  In those first verses, the psalmist grants us a road map to faith building: a way to keep our faith alive, growing and steady.

He instructs us to share what we have been told by others–what we have heard and what we have known about God.  Moreover, the psalmist tailors our attention in building faith to:

• God’s praiseworthy deeds
• His power
• The wonders He has done

Focusing on and sharing these three things is what will help fortify our hope and trust in God.  It will also inspire others to trust in Him. The news of Who He is and what He is capable of will give us the courage to follow His ways and be faithful to Him even when we don’t want to or think that we can’t.

When we choose to think on His praiseworthy deeds, we gain access to His ever-present physical, spiritual and emotional refuge.  By reflecting on what He has done, we can reassure ourselves that He is present with us in all that we are currently going through.

Digging a bit deeper into what qualifies as praiseworthy, we will find that it involves those things that are “deserving of praise; laudable.” See Praiseworthy The roots of praiseworthy come directly from praise, which involve:

1. the act of expressing approval or admiration;
2. the offering of grateful homage in words or song as an act of worship.  See Praise.

Praise, itself, is rooted in prize (the second definition) and that is “to value or esteem highly; to estimate worth or value of.”  See Prize.  And deeds, well, those are in essence, “an act or gesture, especially illustrative of intentions, one’s character or the like.” See Deeds.

All of those definitions expand the idea of God in our lives by removing the expectation or requirement that His Presence be only manifested or proved by miracles.  Quite the contrary, anything…and I mean every little thing…that we value or highly esteem can be traced back to God’s kindness, love, steadfastness and faithfulness to us.

The other day, at our local monthly outreach, a man and his adult son came in.  I didn’t recognize them and made my way over to where they stood, as they were a bit overwhelmed by all that they could see going on.  In the older gentleman’s hand was our Christmas application.  It was folded such that I could see his name, and I knew right away who he was without ever having met him before.

It was the first year that we started our Christmas program for senior citizens. An application arrived filled out for both him and his wife.  His wife, not bearing the thought of him going without, wrote out the form for both of them.  In it, she shared that he was having a particularly difficult year.  After reviewing a handful of applications where the applicants had suffered a very difficult year, we created a special program designed to get them through the month of December.

And so, we began.  Each week in December, a beautiful bag would arrive on certain doorsteps with bells and whistles that made it near impossible to deny that Someone cared.  The bag was meant to shore up the idea that they were not forgotten by God nor mankind.  Over the years, for this particular couple, things had gotten better though, financially, things remained the same…

Until last year…

Our little families of Easter bunnies set out to deliver special baskets to seniors (from our Christmas programs) and returned with the sad news that his wife had passed away.  Their Christmas application written in her hand writing left me to believe that her passing was somewhat unexpected.  I struggled with how best to handle his situation as autumn approached.  I wasn’t sure whether to send him the application, or just create the bags as I knew how tough this holiday season would be.  After much prayer, I popped the application in the mail with a little personal note, hoping to see it returned.

I just didn’t expect for it to come the way it did…

As he stood before me, not knowing who I was, he tenderly held that form.  I smiled, introduced myself and told him how glad I was to finally meet him.  And how very sorry I was for his loss.  We spoke of their years married, where she worked when they were younger, and what he did.  His mind visited the places they had seen and the things they loved to do.  His love for her was immeasurable, and his desire to revisit those memories was strong.  I listened and reassured his tender heart where I could.

Then came the moment where we had to part.  I reached out and offered a hug, which he warmly received.  It was there that he began to fall apart.  Quiet tears that brimmed his eyes here and there turned into deep sobs–deep from within.  I held onto him and said I understood.  I truly did.

Two simple words: my dad.  I gently told him that the very program that had brought us together that day stemmed from losing my father just years ago.  As I had looked at those original Christmas applications that had arrived and held so much more pain than the rest, I had a personal understanding of how hard that December would be.  I knew that the beautiful lights, joyful music and good cheer…all designed to celebrate happiness…just didn’t fit so well when you don’t feel anything but pain and sadness.  His sobs grew a little deeper as he relaxed in my arms trusting that I seemed to be familiar with his new companion, grief.

You might wonder how that can be a praiseworthy deed of the Lord?  Let me tell you–I never expected to meet him and I understood that was God’s doing.  They had always returned their application by mail; they had never returned it to the event listed on the form.  I knew that God moved his heart to deliver it in person; God moved his son to bring him; and God opened a path for me to see him and make my way through the midst of lots of other people needing attention.

Sometimes we think that the only thing that is praiseworthy are the things that make us feel “good”, but we miss so much more when we restrict God’s work in our lives to only that which we perceive to be a “feel-good” blessing or emotion.  Some of God’s most amazing work comes through tears and pain.

I have been blessed to see the hand of God move quietly in the lives of those He has asked us to reach out to.  We don’t believe in making people smile or pretend they are not effected by what is hurting.  Rather we offer a shoulder, a hug, some encouragement or sometimes just quiet reverence for the difficulty they are facing. Many times, comfort comes from the simple message that they are not alone. I cannot emphasize enough how little control I have in how God connects those dots.  Instead, I stand in awe and reverence; blown away by how fortunate we are to have such a loving God who allows us to be a part of someone else’s journey through this life–both in the good and in the hard times.

That tear-stained, humbling moment with that gentleman, despite how painful it was, deserves my heartfelt praise for our God who orchestrated that meeting.  In the midst of this man’s deep, deep pain–the loss readily visible in his eyes; the longing for her company in his words–he chose to let us be a part of his journey this holiday season.  Our God connecting us to another who truly needs kindness, understanding and love as he transitions to a world without the love he has always known.

Friends, we need to see and praise Him for such connections.  To allow moments like that to shore up the hard work and sacrifice in time, effort or cost that He may be asking us to do to reach another.  By seeing His movements as praiseworthy deeds we can grow our trust in being obedient to what He asks.  And then, in joy and with pain, we can go one step further and share what we’ve seen to help grow even more faith in Him.

Find the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord in your life.  Look for them everywhere.  Let God’s deeds, His acts, His achievements and His gestures that you see be known to all that will listen.  Let us build up our walls of trust in Him by remembering His praiseworthy deeds regularly and with delight!

“My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.  I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things from of old–things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.”  Psalm 78:1-2 

“Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands.  They would not be like their ancestors–a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him.”  Psalm 78:7-8

In a nutshell, Psalm 78 is the story of what happens when we trust God and, conversely, what can happen when we don’t.  This Psalm was written with the intention of preserving the lessons needed to help future generations walk more strongly with God.  The psalmist’s hope was clearly for the future children of God not to make the same mistakes that prior generations had.

Since this psalm reviews the history of God’s people, it is a longer story of the ups and downs that happened as God sought to deliver them from a life of servitude to fear and its fearful friends.  In a way, it is a glimpse at our own journey in this life.  The trials that befall our lives and give birth to fear; some we encounter and, many others, we create.

In the beginning of Psalm 78, the writer lays out why we need to know their history.  Think of it this way–we are that future generation he is speaking to.  We are the ones who need to know what he is trying to share from one generation to the next.  It is truly important for us to learn the lessons that were taught to those who came before us, and more so, we need to understand how to live with more faithfulness and obedience to God and His ways.

The psalmist had one primary goal–that those listening would learn to better put their trust in God.  Not only did they need to trust Him, but they also needed to remember His deeds so that they would be motivated to keep His commands.  Growing and developing trust can be furthered by choosing to remember His displays of power, even when we are unsure about being obedient to what He is asking.  That includes even when God says, “Do not be afraid!”, despite the situation looking very frightening.  How can we keep that command?  By turning to Him with our trust, comfort and strength, and then following through with doing what He says we should despite what our fears say.

So what can we glean from this psalm nowadays?  I think it hits home the value and power that comes from knowing God’s word, revisiting His wonders, and actively seeking to strengthen our trust and faith in God.  Understanding His word is the best way to grow faith, while also remembering all that He has done in our lives and the lives of others.  Our willingness to learn, grow and be obedient to His words and ways isn’t about proving our faith; it is about developing our character in accordance with trusting Him.

“They would not be like their ancestors–a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to Him.” Psalm 78:8

Being in God’s word and building faith is not some doctrinal check list of key points that prove you are a Christian.  Nor is it about making up what you think God must want.  In fact, the shared history of Psalm 78 was not about showing they were “good” with God.  If anything, it was quite the opposite.  Rather, they purposefully reviewed this history with the hopes of working out their own sin, stubbornness, disobedience, rebellion, disloyalty and unfaithfulness.  The hallmarks of character traits that pull us farther from God (and others) and not closer to.

I was recently interviewed by a young lady who asked me, “How do you spread the gospel?”  I paused for a moment, sighed and smiled, “That’s a big question!  I guess I try hard to live it.  It is much like the old saying: walk the walk, and not talk the talk.  It is not so much about what we say, but more about doing what God asks us to do–to live out His truths in our daily lives and largely that is done by how we care for others.”

Learning and teaching on how to trust God does not involve theological discussions on ethereal talking points about faith.  It comes through an active walk with God, often outside of our comfort zones, with willing hearts, open minds, listening ears and seeing eyes.  With all of our senses–all of what we are designed to be–trying to trust Him each step of the way.  Faith is not about an easy set of words articulated to look faithful; true faith must be lived out in how we live.

When you dig deeper into Psalm 78, you will find many moments of God’s great patience, His righteous anger and the discipline that He used to bring His children (those willing to be corrected) back to trusting Him rather than their enemies, their desires or their own power and strength.  His gospel is not just a nice story of blessings but rather a continuous example of God’s Presence, love and faithfulness despite our sin, shortcomings and very short memories of His grace.  It involves not only God’s great mercy but His correction.  Our God truly loves us enough to say, “Your faith is falling short and I need you to come back to believing in Me fully.  Trust Me.  I want you to have the best life possible, and that starts by letting go of the things that have more control of you than they were ever meant to.  I desire for you, and not your fears or addictions, to live through the space and time of this precious life that I have given you.”

So let’s explore this story in a little more depth, and be willing to learn what it is meant to teach us about where the decision to trust, or not to, can lead us.

“My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth.  I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old–things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us.  We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power and the wonders He has done.”  Psalm 78:1-24

“I went to Jerusalem, and after staying there three days I set out during the night with a few others.  I had not told anyone what my God had put on my heart to do for Jerusalem….By night I went out through the Valley Gate toward the Jackal Well and the Dung Gate, examining the walls of Jerusalem, which had been broken down, and its gates, which had been destroyed by fire. Then I moved on toward the Fountain Gate and the King’s Pool, but there was not enough room for my mount to get through; so I went up the valley by night, examining the wall.”  Nehemiah 2:11-15

Nehemiah, an Israelite, was a servant for the king of the Medo-Persian empire.  At some point in his life, he was either taken to this city or borne in exile.  His homeland had long been in shambles and he was far removed from it.  The initial destruction and captivity began about 140 years before God brought Nehemiah back to Jerusalem to do what He had laid on his heart.  In the verse above, we find him making a quiet examination of the state of the ruined walls of Jerusalem–the primary means of defense for this great city.

For hundreds of years, God had been warning Israel and Judah that their disobedience–though covered superficially with religious routine and ritual–was not the faith He wanted them to have.  His words and ways were meant to cleanse out the sin and wrong from their lives, and His law was not meant to facilitate it staying by offering a sacrifice for the wrongs they were choosing to do.  Prophet after prophet He sent to warn, extol, teach and lead His people away from things they were ultimately trusting more than Him.

And yet, they didn’t heed the warnings.  They often made fun of the prophets, called them crazy. They tortured and taunted His servants, and even killed when the words were more negative and life-changing than they cared to listen to. Being that they remained stubborn in refusing to change their ways and live out His instructions, God took away His protection and sent an invading army in hopes that they would awaken from their complacent and selfish lifestyles and turn back to Him.

It was in the wake of that judgment–the natural consequences that come when we choose to follow our own ways–that the walls of Jerusalem were torn down and the gates to that great city burned.  It was some time later that Nehemiah was quietly going along the destruction to assess just how to go about rebuilding those broken-down walls.  First, we see him on horse back and eventually, in the greatest parts of disrepair, he has to dismount and go on foot.

What is interesting is that he does this, quietly, on his own.  We can tell from the Scripture that he has an idea.  He hasn’t shared his thoughts with anyone else.  Instead, he trusts God enough to begin evaluating just where those walls needed to be shored up and where they needed to be rebuilt.   He doesn’t have an answer and, most likely, not even a plan.  Instead of being afraid of the damage, he takes the first step in determining how to fix something–sizing up the scope of the issue at hand.  More importantly, he refused to be overwhelmed by the fear that it was too hard to do.  Instead, he put his trust in God to help him see and find a way through that which was before him.

And that issue was the status of their walls…

What are walls anyways?  Let’s take a deeper look:

Walls

1. any of various permanent upright constructions having a length much greater than the thickness and presenting a continuous surface except where pierced by doors, windows, etc…used for shelter or protection or privacy…;
2. a rampart raised for defensive purposes;
3. …an embankment to prevent flooding;
4. …to enclose, shut off, divide, protect, border, enclose, etc…with or as if with a wall;
5. to seal or fill.   www.dictionary.com/see wall (order of definitions changed; additional available at See Wall.)

There are some key things to note with the definition of a wall.  There’s some sort of permanence to it.  Walls are generally used to create something that is a refuge or to keep others out.  The best walls are upright in construction and are meant to enclose, shut off or divide off from other parts.  But a wall doesn’t have to be just of physical construction.

A wall can involve a hedge or a border.  It can be done with trees, bushes, fencing, or anything that conveys that one area is distinct from another.  Most “walls” are meant to enclose, and to enclose is “to shut or hem in; close on all sides; surround; or to hold or contain.”  We can actually hem in an area with curtains.  We can border our gardens with rabbit-repelling flowers.  We can even keep our dogs in the yard with invisible fencing.

But what about with our emotions?  What walls do we have up, and are they in good shape?  How do we contain, seal or shut them off when they begin to invade the stability of our world?  What defensive measures do we have in place when our more vulnerable feelings are invoked?  Have we designed anything to prevent our moods and attitudes from being flooded by emotion that has risen too fast?  What walls do we put up and are they really working?

We all put up different kinds of walls to prevent hurt.  Some grow incredibly quiet and a steely, cold embankment appears that clearly warns that one should tread carefully in approach.  Others become loud and boisterous in an attempt to ward away hurt and harm with a verbally aggressive posture.  Some turn to tears and wear their pain visibly to shy away those who might come near, while still others white wash their walls with denial and declarations that all is well.  All of those responses are walls of their own sort.  Designs meant to protect and shelter the truth that their heart is feeling or doesn’t want to feel.

“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”  Psalm 56:3

When something frightens us, our first reaction is to feel afraid.  The question that we must ask is:  Are we shutting ourselves into a room that holds only Fear and its friends?  When we feel intense emotions, whatever they are, what is our next step?  Fear screams, “Trust in me–just me!  Close the door, shut up the windows, you are surrounded and should be very afraid.”  What do you do in response?

Turn to Trust.  Don’t wall yourself in with Fear as that will only lead you to a much worsened state.  Don’t be fooled into letting anxiety, worry or fret consume your thoughts as that is really no better than Fear.  Instead, hand your thoughts to God trusting that He is in control.  From there, even if you have to do so repeatedly, put Trust right where Fear is demanding to be.  Then kick Fear to the outside of your four walls.  Don’t give it room to grow.  Don’t allow it to build a room in your heart or mind.  Literally, shut your mind off to venturing down those fearful thoughts.  Embrace the mercy and grace God wants to give you when you turn to Him in trust.  Seal up with certainty that He is with you, and the Only One who can truly save you in the depths of where your struggles are.

Friends, shore up your faith by confidently believing–just like Nehemiah–that God can lay on your heart the very plans that will help you rebuild those parts of your faith walls that have become weak or been damaged.  It begins by trusting Him in taking the first step to assess where your walls might be weak.

“Then I said to them: ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.  Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’  I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.  They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.'”  Nehemiah 2:17-18

“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.  Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.'”  Nehemiah 2:17

Walls are interesting things.  Though we have them and experience them in all sorts of places, we give relatively little thought to their existence in our lives.  As I write, I sit in a room surrounded by walls: four of them.  Those very walls serve a multitude of purposes; they protect, shelter, repel and give strength and stability to my existence.

Walls keep out the wind and elements such as ice, snow, rain and fog.  They trap heat so that we can be warm; they can create shade away from the bright and powerful sun.  They keep out wild animals and insects (though those pesky little creatures often find their way in).  They provide structure for a roof to go over our heads and anchors for a floor beneath our feet.  They allow us to enhance the quality of our lives when we paint them and display artwork on them.

As soon as humans could figure it out, they began building walls to protect themselves.  For some, that meant creating blankets or fabric sheets that were easily transportable and hung up by the use of poles or trees.  For others, clay was formed into bricks that stacked one upon another to form more permanent walls.  Still others learned how to log, which eventually gave rise to the homes we now have.  Those living in areas with stones and large rocks were inspired to gather them together and plaster them into structures.  And sometimes, simple earthen mounds were created to provide defensive man-made walls.  Mankind has been building walls for a long, long time.

In fact, as cities were built–and people began to congregate together in more confined spaces–walls were essential to the safety and well-being of those gathering places.  If you visit most historical areas throughout the world, you will usually find evidence of walls around or near those sites.  Walls were an absolute necessity for not only defining the borders of the city but also providing entry points, security, and protection.  More so, those walls and their good state of repair symbolized the strength of the people who resided within them.  Strong walls meant strong people.

Today, we have less visible walls.  You will still occasionally find them in older cities and towns, but we now rely on technology and more specialized jobs to provide a sense of security in our communities.  Police departments, security cameras, large fences and surveillance companies often do the trick in making us feel secure.  In the digital world, we even have “firewalls” and multiple-tiered levels of entry to keep secure what we want walled off from internet marauders.  At this very moment in history, we are using “walls” to protect ourselves.

Why do we need to think about walls in the context of trusting God?  One simple word, in.  As I unfolded its definition, I came across the word, immure. Before that, the other definitions of in seem to point to the concept of being “shut in”.  In immure, how something becomes shut in became a bit clearer: walls.  In fact, immure is literally a derivative of the word, wall, and its first definition is “to enclose within walls.”  Its obsolete definition (the definition that is not used so much anymore) is “to surround with walls; fortify.”  And that left me pondering…

When we decide to trust, to be effective in doing so, we have to put our trust in something.  In Psalm 56:3, we are instructed to turn to trust rather than the feelings of being afraid and then place that trust in God rather than in fear.  When we contemplate the definition of immure, we begin to see how better to do that.  Feelings are usually fleeting.  Emotions such as happiness, fear, surprise, anger and so on come into our hearts and minds rather quickly, and then, just as quick, they dissipate.  This is also true of trust.  You can have it one moment and be back to fearing in the next.

To transfer a more lasting mental state from fear to trust, we need to learn how to build walls around our trust.  We need to become adept at shutting in Trust and secluding it from the whispering of Fear and its friends.  Once we recognize and admit that we are feeling afraid, we need to immediately enclose trust into our hearts and minds.  The obsolete definition of immure calls on us to consider surrounding ourselves with godly walls that specifically fortify our faith in Him.

Interestingly enough, fortifying something involves strengthening it from attack.  That could include providing it with defensive works, surrounding it or protecting it.  Make no mistake, our ability to trust needs fortification.  We must furnish it with what is needed to help it resist Fear’s attacks.  That is how our trust and faith will become stronger in God and more effective when employed.  We can become more resilient in exposure to what frightens us when we surround ourselves with supportive walls. By doing so, we will be strengthened both mentally and morally.

The walls that we build will become like the walls of a city in the days of old.  At the threat of an advancing horde, the residents would take refuge behind those walls and close up the gates shutting themselves in for protection.  In that refuge and shelter, they could move from running from fear to what they actually needed to do to overcome the threat.  They could move from feeling afraid to trusting in the fortifications God had had them build.

It is such fortifications–the walls of Jerusalem–that brought Nehemiah to tears and great sadness.  The news, that its mighty walls had fallen and the city had been burned, broke his heart.  Those walls had marked not only its strength, but also how far Jerusalem had fallen from God in not maintaining its reliance on Him.  The armies that destroyed the city weren’t random invaders.  They were God’s tool of punishment in response to how wayward His people had gone.  Those walls of disrepair were evidence of much more than just prior strength.  They had literally come to represent just how little His people had trusted in Him and His way.  When our walls begin to crumble or crack, you can bet that our faith and trust may be headed the same way.  That is why it is incredibly important to surround our trust in God with the appropriate walls of support and then keep them well maintained.

“They said to me, ‘Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace.  The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.’  When I heard these things, I sat down and wept.  For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.”  Nehemiah 1:3-4

“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”  Psalm 56:3

Have you ever thought about what makes you strong?

Most of the time, we hear about someone’s strength in the context of what they are good at or, literally, physically strong in.  While, yes, some people are fit and strong, most of the time we are speaking of strengths far beyond what someone can do physically.

Strength comes from the root word, strong.  It can involve “mental power, force or vigor; moral power, firmness or courage; power by reason of influence, authority, or resources.”  See Strength. It arises with “effective force…or the power of resisting force, strain or wear.”  It may even appear when someone or something brings encouragement to another.

You can see that to be strong, your strength is measured by what you are strong in.  It can be in your physical abilities or mental power.  It is found in your firmness or courage as well as in your ability to influence or have authority.  It can even be found through the resources available to you.  While you can be strong enough to affect change, you can also be strong enough to resist an attack or aggression.  You can be decisively unyielding or strong in not compromising what you stand for.  Being strong impacts almost all the different arenas that our lives are involved in.

Seeing the various ways that we can exhibit strength leads us back to the word, in.  As we unfold the word in, we end up with the word, fortify.  Interestingly enough, the root of fortify is strong.  How do we then fortify our strengths or strengthen our weaknesses if we do not know what they are in?  This is especially true as we seek to build our faith by putting our trust in the right spot.

So let’s ask that question again:  What makes you strong?  Where are your strengths located?  What do they reside in?

Here are some arenas in life where you might find strength’s presence:

• Faith/Believing
• Leadership/Guiding
• Organization/Interacting
• Love/Nurturing
• Compassion/Relating
• Encouragement/Giving
• Education/Learning and teaching
• Service/Helping and aiding
• Assistance/Serving
• Kindness/Empowering
• Theater/Imagining
• Growth/Sowing and Reaping
• Development/Building
• Craftsmanship/Detailing
• Management/Directing
• Prayer/Interceding
• Courageous/Asking
• Quietness/Persevering
• Boldness/Collecting

When we experience something that incites fear in us, it is extremely helpful to know where our strengths are and where they are not.  Knowing what they are not should help us fall to our knees faster, and knowing what they are should help us discern that we need to turn to God first before employing them.  Understanding them should help us to fortify our faith in God.

Fortify is to:

1. to protect or strengthen against attack, surround or provide with defensive military works.
2. to furnish with the means of resisting force or standing wear.
3. to make strong; impart strength to.
4. to increase the effectiveness of.
5. to strengthen mentally or morally.
6. to confirm.  See Fortify.

By turning to God with our trust when we are afraid, we begin to strengthen our connection with the One who will see us through.  The choice to turn to Him and willingly put our trust in Him protects us against fear gaining the upper hand in our hearts.  While it doesn’t magically solve the problem, it is the beginning of what we need to face what is before us.

If we are going to let God be our strength, then it would be wise to consider how we can strengthen and fortify our faith in Him.  Almost all strength is built through exercise of some sort.  Exercise is defined as “bodily or mental exertion, especially for the sake of training or improvement…; something done or performed as a means of practice or training…; to use or display in one’s action or procedure.” See Exercise.  You see, exercise is not limited to just moving our bodies.  It is also something we can do mentally with training for the purpose of improving our cognitive responses to fear and its friends.

So what kind of exercise can we do when faced with fear?  Resistance.  Resistance is often used in physical strength training, and can be a crucial cognitive exercise to fortify our mental stamina and prowess in the face of fear.  And maybe, just maybe, resistance is one of the keys to building our mental and spiritual strength in God by specifically choosing to resist fear’s demands and, instead, put our trust in Him.

If we look back at the definition of in, which includes “the transition from one state to another” See In, we learn that many of our experiences will involve such transitions.  It is a beautiful thing to understand that there will most likely be a very natural movement out of one state and into another throughout much of our lives, if we are only willing to embrace such movement.  When we are faced with something frightful, knowing this truth should help us move more quickly towards God.  And we can propel that movement by actively resisting fear.  Through resistance, we will be able to loosen the feelings of being afraid from the grip they seek to have on our minds and decisions.   While we know that fear is a part of the natural response to concerning circumstances, we need not dwell with it.  We should oppose such dominating thoughts as we strive against fear’s domination and seek to restore God as our focus.

Let’s look a bit deeper into resistance:

1. the act or power of resisting, opposing or withstanding.
2. opposition offered by. See Resistance.

To resist goes on to include:

1. to withstand, strive against or oppose.
2. to withstand the action or effect of.
3. to refrain or abstain from, especially with difficulty or resistance. See Resist.

Now the question becomes how often do we actually resist the feelings associated with fear?  How often do we actually oppose them as they arise?  To withstand is “to stand or hold out against”. See Withstand.  Can we withstand the effect of fear when it comes calling?  Can we make efforts to oppose its presence in our lives?  I am thinking we can and should be, or God wouldn’t be telling us…repeatedly…throughout His word…to not to be afraid.  So, knowing this and in trusting Him, can we exercise our faith and trust that He knows what is truly best for us?

By resisting fear, and its many friends, we can strengthen our faith in Him.  When we actively seek to put our trust in Him, we should expect to be struggling against something else trying to take His place.  Moreover, it is not realistic to think that fear will just go away without a fight.  Rather, we need to trust that it is our job to resist and oppose it.  We can search for God and steady ourselves with the many strengths we know He has already given us.  In what we lack, we can build ourselves up with the knowledge that where we are weak, He is strong.  We can choose to believe that the strength He will give, or has already given to us, will furnish us with the ability to fight fear’s onslaught while trusting that God is truly the most powerful strength that we have to draw on.

Let us examine our strengths, know where they lie, and fortify our trust in God so that when fear comes, we are ready to resist it.

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”  Habakkuk 3:19