The Pipe Cleaner Relationship
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
-Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
- Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
I think technology is affecting my patience.....probably in a negative way. I am so used to having information fast, now, at any time, that I am irritated when it is not. I want my phone, ipad, and computer to immediately get me where I want to be. NOW!
Life was not always like that. Even I , impatient Susie, remember a time when life moved very slowly. My memories are particularly of time on my grandparent's farm. It was in the 50's and early 60's when I visited there in the summer. Although the farm was busy, and my Grandad was working from early morning to almost dusk, the pace of life was so much slower. We would tend the garden, make lunch for the farm hands, even sew. But there were large chunks of time where I could sit on the porch swing, go fishing in a mud hole (yes, I did that), or just explore. It was peaceful, and although everyone was busy all day the pace was not as frantic as it is now. I was able to sort out a lot of thoughts during those visits. I miss the tranquility of those days.
It is so much different now. We all frequently have something to do every night of the week. Running to ball games, meetings, recreation, and even church events is common. Last night was a good example. I went to pick up my grandchildren and took them to meet their mother who was attending class for work. When they got there, they had to get back in the car and go to the oldest child's ball game 35 miles away. When the youngest found out they were going to be going to the ball game, she was upset. She kept saying, "But I just want to go to my HOME! I don't want to be in the car. I want to be home!" Out of the mouths of babes...........
I wonder if this frenetic pace of ours is also affecting us spiritually. I am fairly certain it has affected me, and still does from time to time. It is one of my biggest worries for the body of Christ. We've all heard that friendships, marriages, any relationship really needs nurturing. In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, nurture is defined as:
"The care and attention given to someone or something that is growing or developing."
Care and attention. Don't care and attention require time? I know that if I don't spend time with my close friends from working days, we just lose touch. We have shared life experiences for almost 35 years, and yet when we don't see each other for weeks at a time we lose some of the sense of closeness we have shared. As a teacher, I saw the effect of children not spending enough time with their families. There is a saying that has gone through parenting circles that says quantity of time is not what counts, it is the quality of time spent with children that is important. I completely disagree. Children need their parents' presence continually, and not just their physical presence. In order to have security and stability in their lives, they need to know their parents are there for them, in spirit AND in bodily form. Those close parent-child relationships are built with time spent together. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Sadly, we don't seem to understand that relationship with Christ is also something that is built over time and presence. Many of us as Christians feel disconnected from God. How many times have you heard people complain that their "prayers just bounce off the ceiling"? I spent years wanting that relationship others spoke of, but I apparently wanted it to just "happen". I guess I wanted some 'top of the mountain' experience to be had in the 5 minutes I might remember to give God during my day. Took me years to understand that although people think they maintain close relationships with others based on little time spent together, God has a much different idea in mind. He wants another kind of relationship. And it's the kind that requires time.
The 31st verse of Isaiah 40 sounds like the kind of relationship I want. I want to have the strength depicted here. The mental picture of an eagle gives me the image of fearlessness. I think of power, the ability to survive, hardiness. Isaiah talks of running and not getting tired, walking and not fainting. Tenacity. I want those characteristics in my relationship with Christ. I see them in others who really KNOW Him. I believe the key lies in the meaning of the word wait in the King James Version, (hope in NIV). When I think about the meaning of the word wait, an image of impatience comes to mind. Like Brad Paisley's song "Waitin' on a Woman'. In the video, Andy Griffith is sitting on a bench, waiting for his wife to come back to him. He's making no attempt to go after her.....he just waits and does nothing. I believe Isaiah had a little bit different idea in mind. Strong's tells us the word 'wait' has a different meaning in the Hebrew than we think of in modern day English. Coming from the Hebrew qavah (kaw-vaw'), the word means to "bind together by twisting". Makes me think of a pipe cleaner. You know, when you twist two pipe cleaners together really well, it's tough to get them apart. A lot of work has to be done to get them back into two pieces again. I think that's how our relationship with God must be. We need to have spent enough time 'binding together' with God so that we are twisted together. We need to make it difficult for Satan to tear us apart. That's the kind of relationship God wants with us. And I am becoming more convinced this type is the relationship He speaks of when He says He 'knows' us. I believe this type of relationship is what these verses are based on:
'Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
- Matthew 7:13-14
As a matter of fact, the entire chapter of Matthew 7 is a good one to read regarding this. Just like my work friends..... relationship takes time and determination. How about it......do you have a pipe cleaner relationship with Him? Next post we'll look at how to get there. Til next time......go twist a couple of pipe cleaners and see what I mean.
-Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
- Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)
I think technology is affecting my patience.....probably in a negative way. I am so used to having information fast, now, at any time, that I am irritated when it is not. I want my phone, ipad, and computer to immediately get me where I want to be. NOW!
Life was not always like that. Even I , impatient Susie, remember a time when life moved very slowly. My memories are particularly of time on my grandparent's farm. It was in the 50's and early 60's when I visited there in the summer. Although the farm was busy, and my Grandad was working from early morning to almost dusk, the pace of life was so much slower. We would tend the garden, make lunch for the farm hands, even sew. But there were large chunks of time where I could sit on the porch swing, go fishing in a mud hole (yes, I did that), or just explore. It was peaceful, and although everyone was busy all day the pace was not as frantic as it is now. I was able to sort out a lot of thoughts during those visits. I miss the tranquility of those days.
It is so much different now. We all frequently have something to do every night of the week. Running to ball games, meetings, recreation, and even church events is common. Last night was a good example. I went to pick up my grandchildren and took them to meet their mother who was attending class for work. When they got there, they had to get back in the car and go to the oldest child's ball game 35 miles away. When the youngest found out they were going to be going to the ball game, she was upset. She kept saying, "But I just want to go to my HOME! I don't want to be in the car. I want to be home!" Out of the mouths of babes...........
I wonder if this frenetic pace of ours is also affecting us spiritually. I am fairly certain it has affected me, and still does from time to time. It is one of my biggest worries for the body of Christ. We've all heard that friendships, marriages, any relationship really needs nurturing. In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, nurture is defined as:
"The care and attention given to someone or something that is growing or developing."
Care and attention. Don't care and attention require time? I know that if I don't spend time with my close friends from working days, we just lose touch. We have shared life experiences for almost 35 years, and yet when we don't see each other for weeks at a time we lose some of the sense of closeness we have shared. As a teacher, I saw the effect of children not spending enough time with their families. There is a saying that has gone through parenting circles that says quantity of time is not what counts, it is the quality of time spent with children that is important. I completely disagree. Children need their parents' presence continually, and not just their physical presence. In order to have security and stability in their lives, they need to know their parents are there for them, in spirit AND in bodily form. Those close parent-child relationships are built with time spent together. Don't let anyone tell you differently.
Sadly, we don't seem to understand that relationship with Christ is also something that is built over time and presence. Many of us as Christians feel disconnected from God. How many times have you heard people complain that their "prayers just bounce off the ceiling"? I spent years wanting that relationship others spoke of, but I apparently wanted it to just "happen". I guess I wanted some 'top of the mountain' experience to be had in the 5 minutes I might remember to give God during my day. Took me years to understand that although people think they maintain close relationships with others based on little time spent together, God has a much different idea in mind. He wants another kind of relationship. And it's the kind that requires time.
The 31st verse of Isaiah 40 sounds like the kind of relationship I want. I want to have the strength depicted here. The mental picture of an eagle gives me the image of fearlessness. I think of power, the ability to survive, hardiness. Isaiah talks of running and not getting tired, walking and not fainting. Tenacity. I want those characteristics in my relationship with Christ. I see them in others who really KNOW Him. I believe the key lies in the meaning of the word wait in the King James Version, (hope in NIV). When I think about the meaning of the word wait, an image of impatience comes to mind. Like Brad Paisley's song "Waitin' on a Woman'. In the video, Andy Griffith is sitting on a bench, waiting for his wife to come back to him. He's making no attempt to go after her.....he just waits and does nothing. I believe Isaiah had a little bit different idea in mind. Strong's tells us the word 'wait' has a different meaning in the Hebrew than we think of in modern day English. Coming from the Hebrew qavah (kaw-vaw'), the word means to "bind together by twisting". Makes me think of a pipe cleaner. You know, when you twist two pipe cleaners together really well, it's tough to get them apart. A lot of work has to be done to get them back into two pieces again. I think that's how our relationship with God must be. We need to have spent enough time 'binding together' with God so that we are twisted together. We need to make it difficult for Satan to tear us apart. That's the kind of relationship God wants with us. And I am becoming more convinced this type is the relationship He speaks of when He says He 'knows' us. I believe this type of relationship is what these verses are based on:
'Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."
- Matthew 7:13-14
As a matter of fact, the entire chapter of Matthew 7 is a good one to read regarding this. Just like my work friends..... relationship takes time and determination. How about it......do you have a pipe cleaner relationship with Him? Next post we'll look at how to get there. Til next time......go twist a couple of pipe cleaners and see what I mean.
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