It happened in the 42nd Street Time Square train station. Feeling anxious as anyone these days, while contemplating my next move, hoping for money to rain down from the sky, He spoke to me: "I don't always have to rescue you." It wasn't audible, but, it was an inner knowing, accompanied by visions of my son and I at the playground. As is often the case, he falls or has a scrape or finds himself in what he thinks is an impossible situation. But, I'm his father and I know better. I know he doesn't always need me to pull him up. He doesn't always need me to hold him in my arms after every minor scrape. So it is with my son and I, it is with my heavenly Father and I.
When the Hebrews made their Exodus out of Egypt after 430 years of bondage, there was much anxiety. As the stubborn Egyptian army approached to overtake the Hebrews, anxiety quickly turned to fear, even to the point that many thought it better to not have been liberated at all. Despite the great Moses' charge to take courage and trust in their God, their fears would not subside. Suddenly, the Lord said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward! Lift up your rod and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it..." You would think after witnessing over ten miraculous plagues in their defense, trusting in God and their ability would be a no brainer. Such is the convenience of merely being a reader of the Israelites most heralded adventure, as opposed to actually being there.
However, the parallels in our own lives are quite startling to those of the murmuring Hebrews. Challenges and unfavorable circumstances appear and suddenly we forget who we are and whose image we are made, despite the many miracles we have experienced. We hear the grim reports (that seem to get worse everyday) and are prone to forget that it is often in times such as these that we find our greatness. In times like these we discover relationship, as opposed to religion. We realize that God is not a cosmic genie or celestial masochist, but, rather a patient, compassionate, and merciful Father who longs for His children to find Him within themselves and live accordingly.
Therefore, the Kingdom of God is within you. One needn't ascend to the heavens or descend to the depths of the earth to find it. Neither does one need to wallow in the shadows of fear and anxiety, hidden from it. We need only to go forward...lift our respective rods (our genius and our faith) and stretch forth our hands...We can go farther then we can possibly imagine, even in this day and age. Who knows? You might even divide the seas while you're at it.
copyright JLI 2009
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