Jumping for Joy

Chara, our 6th-month-old English Springer puppy, has become quite the Springer. Of course, most Springers have a tendency to spring, but Chara is leaping into the air with the greatest of ease, but not on a trapeze. She springs from couch to couch as it appears easier than going down to the ground and jumping back up. I sometimes wonder if she’s part gazelle.

Her antics remind me of one of my favorite Bible passages found in Habakkuk 3:17-19  “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.” 

Just a bit of a background…. Habakkuk lived during the final decades of Israel’s Southern Kingdom, before Babylon came and exiled the nation. Habakkuk and God are having a real time struggle back and forth. Habakkuk complains about the injustices he sees within Israel and complains about the wickedness of Babylon.  

But when we get to chapter three of Habakkuk, we see a change in his attitude. Habakkuk was determined to trust God no matter what! Though all the outward means of support may fail, he still had a firm confidence in the power, goodness and faithfulness of God. (Benson Commentary) He was determined to have joy in God, despite all the potential disasters around him. Habakkuk could rejoice in God amidst the greatest of distresses in his day. The word “I will be joyful” in Hebrew literally means “jump for joy.”

I think most of us find it hard to “jump for joy” in the midst of our challenges. But, let’s not miss who Habakkuk was! He was a man of faith that took God at His Word. God had promised to supply all his needs, and he was gonna trust God through thick and thin. 

God’s word is filled with men and women who have gone before us. Men and women who have suffered much, yet still trusted God. Often, we want to look at our circumstances and just melt. It’s so very easy to get discouraged, especially now. But, the reminder today is to look to the Lord. The mindset in this verse changed with the word “yet.” Habakkuk chose to rejoice in God. He thought of the deer running about on the high hills, never losing a step or falling. The deer leaped on the hills, full of joy and life, just like Chara.

If you re-wrote Habakkuk 3:17-19 for your own life, what would your write? What are your struggles these days? How can God make your feet like the feet of a deer? Let’s trust God today, even in the midst of our struggles.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

A Letter to my Heavenly Father

Dear Father in Heaven, I often don’t stop and consider you on Father’s Day. I remember my ninety four year old father and love to reach out to him on his special day! But today, I write a letter to You, my heavenly Father.

I’m thankful for You being a personal God, one who is intimately acquainted with all my ways and yet loves me still the same! (Psalm 139) Oh, how I would like to hide portions of my life from You, but You know it all anyway! To be intimately known by You! You know all, yet continue to love me like the perfect father you are.

I’m reminded that many who no longer have earthly fathers. Many had wonderful fathers! Some experienced absent fathers. Others endured fathers that abandoned or abused them. But, You, Father God, are One of a kind. In Psalm 68:5 you are a “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows.”  In James 1:17 I learn that  “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” In Psalm 103:13 “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”  It’s important to know that even if our earthly parents pass on or abandon us, “the Lord will take me up.”  (Psalm 27:10)

Thank you, God for being my loving heavenly parent. Psalm 103:12 assures me “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Thank you, Father, that You never hold a grudge or bring up my past. You are always approachable, You never have a bad day. I will never find You in a bad mood. You are not distracted with the busyness of your day, but fully accessible to me. In Hebrews 4:16 we can “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Even if I awake in the middle of the night, I can talk to you because in Psalm 121:3 I learn that “you will not let our feet slip because You never slumber.”

Thank you, Father, that your timing is perfect. You don’t make mistakes or forget what you said. You always remember! I can trust you with my entire life and future. You know how to give good gifts at just the right time. In Psalm 84:11, I learn that “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”

I pause and just reflect on these Scriptures today. Thank you, Father, for your immense love for me. I’m so thankful to take this time to meditate on the significance of you as my heavenly Father, Amen.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Lament

Lament isn’t really a topic of conversation that comes up every day. It’s a word that we rarely, if ever use. The definition of lament, according to the Oxford Dictionary is ‘A passionate expression of grief or sorrow.’

Perhaps you and I have lamented in this season more than we know. I have lamented over the loss of life and all the ramifications of COVID. I have lamented over the tragic loss of George Floyd and others. I’ve struggled to deal with so much “stuff” damage due to a hailstorm. I’ve lamented over the recent loss of a friend in a bicycle accident and another friend whose cancer has worsened. I bet you could come up with your own list. As many folks suggest, maybe it’s time to move on to 2021?

I’ve learned, however, during this tough season, that it is good to lament. It is healing. It is really an overlooked form of prayer found throughout all of Scripture. The Psalms contain over 65 laments. They include laments for illnesses, victims of suffering and the dead. There are laments of vengeance, for protection, repentance, depression and loss. (Lament- What Does Lament Mean? UnfoldingFaith.org. )

There are people in the Scripture who lamented openly about their circumstances….Job, Jeremiah, Hannah, Moses, Tamer, Jesus and others.  Perhaps, by looking at some of these men and women who have gone before us, we get a better idea of being honest with God. God wants us to express our pain to Him.

Check out some examples of lament in Scripture:

 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Psalm 22

 “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” Mark 10:47

 “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord; Lord, hear my voice!” Psalm 130:1

“How long, O Lord? Will you utterly forget me?” Psalm 13:2

Just a few days ago, I was really struggling with the weight of our country, but also so many personal challenges that had all converged together. The stressor leading up to it was watching our puppy experience anaphylactic shock one night. Having just lost our other dog seven months ago, it was agonizing to watch. It was in that deep pain, I turned to Psalm 121. In those few short 8 verses, I saw the word “help” two times. I saw the word “watch” five times. Repetition can be a tool that shows us the importance of something in scripture. Not only was the Psalmist praying to the Lord and asking for help, he was reminding himself that it was the Lord who watches over him. As I lamented to God, about all that came out of my mouth was “Help!” But, somehow, I knew that God was near. He had heard my prayer. He DID help me! Sometimes, our prayers are just one word prayers. Help.

Our laments can be raw, angry, sorrowful, loud, short or downright rude. God hears everything we feel. He cares. Just as with a friend, when we can be honest with God, our relationship only grows! It is in that place where we find hope.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

What Can I Do?

Watching our city streets in turmoil shakes me to the core. I assume every one of us have experienced a myriad of feelings. Many, like myself, don’t know what to do, but want to do something for the injustices that we see.

I have not tasted the harsh reality of discrimination. I have never suffered for the color of my skin. I have never experienced sheer terror for my family. I’ve not struggled to breath with a knee on my neck.

It shouldn’t be this way. What can I do? What can you do? How can we be a part of the solution?

For me, personally, I am asking God to help me in this journey of understanding. In Psalm 25:4-5 it says “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths, guide me in your trust and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long.” I was memorizing this scripture this morning on my walk. It’s really a prayer for such a time as this. I need God to show me, teach me and guide me. Why? Because it’s in Him I place my hope. I know He WILL help me if I ask. Let’s start this journey by asking God for His help. He knows more than anyone how to proceed. Prayer: Lord, show me your ways. I will trust you to guide me on this new journey. Amen.

Secondly, I want to listen far more than speak. The voices of injustice have gone on for way too long. Racism is a horrible sin, and the results are systematic oppression. This is the exact opposite of the heart of God. We have lived in our own comforts, failing to listen attentively to our black brothers and sisters. For this, we need to ask forgiveness. Prayer: Forgive me, God, for when I only want to listen to voices that reinforce my own opinions that I hold. Forgive me for when I’ve sinned against you and against my neighbor in the things I've have done and failed to do. Forgive me for wanting to teach, rather than be taught. Yes, Lord, I’m not a good listener. Please teach me how to inquire of others, longing to learn and help. Amen. (adapted from Chris Hall, We Have Refused to Listen)

Thirdly, I am asking God to teach me to walk in humility. Have you ever prayed for humility? God loves to answer this prayer! Humility is a beautiful thing, but asking God to empty my heart of pride is not fun. It starts with looking at my own heart and grieving the sin in my own heart. It’s so easy to see the sin in others, but not as easy to see it in me. Walking in humility can be the start of so much change! Prayer: God, reveal to me the ugliness of my own prejudice. Teach me to have a lot of love, a lot of listening and a willingness to learn new things. Give me a teachable spirit. Lord, I desire your humility. Direct me to the places and people who can teach me how to love in new and unexpected ways. Amen.

May God guide each one of us in our new journey of loving, listening and learning. Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Hailstorms

This past night, we watched a hailstorm fly through our neighborhood with vengeance and fervor. Speechless, I watched the hail accumulate like a heavy snowstorm on my car. As I listened to it pound the skylights in our bathroom, it sounded like a warzone. I felt so helpless as I watched the madness outside.

Could it be that our world feels like a hailstorm? Could it be that our hearts feel shattered for what we are seeing all around us? Could it be that we want to do something to stop the madness, but just don’t know what to do?

The hailstorm craziness was just a small picture of the horror of what we all have seen streaming into our homes on live video. Shock. Horror. Disgust. Anger. Unbelief. Here are a few thoughts to consider:

1. We aren’t allowed not to care. We MUST care! We MUST enter the problem of racism. It cannot be ignored. We tend to ignore the things we’re not comfortable with. It’s time to enter into our uncomfortability. I love the quote by Henri Nouwen regarding real compassion “Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.”  God, help us all be men and women who demonstrate compassion, even if it’s uncomfortable. It’s time to rise up and do something!

2. We must notice.  R. D. Laing wrote “The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice: And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice- there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds.“ So many of us fail to notice so much around us, me included! We stick in our lanes, our worlds, our comforts and fail to take the time or effort to get out of our safe box. How can we help if we fail to notice? We can listen to others’ pain, while not attempting to fix things, but attempting to feel what they feel. Most of us are way to busy to stop and truly empathize what someone else may be feeling. Sometimes, we’re not comfortable with our own pain, so how can we possibly enter into someone else’s? America has noticed. Will each of us notice? And what will we do with what we’ve noticed?

3. How we treat people matters. How quickly my mellow self can turn to irritation, which turns to anger. Everyone of us struggle with anger, irritation, judging others, reacting rather than responding and yes, even prejudiced views. It’s time to do a self-evaluation and ask God for help in how we're treating others. Do we  show dignity, respect, kindness and love to all?

These are days where we need to stop caring about saving face, but start caring about getting right with God and one another. (Ray Ortland) We are so quick to point the finger, quietly judge and withhold love from others, especially on social media and it needs to stop. Seeing the horrors that we saw must humble us to seek God for our nation, our communities and ourselves. God, break our hearts for what breaks Yours.

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.