What a title.
When I saw the title of Piper’s post this morning, (which you can read HERE), I was intrigued. But being busy, I didn’t have time to actually read the post until a friend tweeted the link this evening.
It’s a very important post.
Piper speaks of those mornings when we wake up feeling vulnerable, paralyzed. I would add to his list the mornings I wake up terrified, or weary. The mornings that the very thought of making it through another day seems utterly impossible.
Piper shares a recent experience of his own, that drove him to searching the scriptures, and then he proceeds to explain in detail exactly how he grasped hold of that truth and took it with him through out his day.
But the key-the point-that Piper is making is that our only hope is to be driven to scripture to search out God’s promises, and then to cling to them with every ounce of strength and determination we might have.
There are many mornings that I wake up feeling–to use Piper’s word–“fragile”. Not that I am fragile, but rather I find myself unsettled, vulnerable, frightened or anxiety-ridden. I know the answer is scripture work–and work is the right word!! It takes work, it takes turning the words over and over in my mind, it means seeking out God through scripture and then authentic prayer admitting to my God that I need help. Now. Immediately. Or else I can’t, or I won’t, take another step forward.
Last night was a short night, with a haunting nightmare that woke me up frightened and disoriented. I’d love to be able to say I went straight to scripture and straight to God for help. But no, in my stubbornness I fought it on my own, coming up empty and hurting. But as I finally went in to my time of prayer and scripture to start my day, I did settle down some. But Piper’s article has me rethinking my normal response to nightmares, which often includes going outside so that I can breathe freely. But if I were to immediately move to a different room in my small house after a nightmare, with my morning study materials (titled “Tryst”) and my Bible, and searched for the “I will’s” and “I shall’s” of my God, would I find myself clinging to those verses all day, as I parent, work and survive that day?
What would that even look like?
I imagine it would look a bit like grabbing hold of his garment and refusing to let go until I am settled in my heart and soul and am ready to move in to the day ahead.
