Cocooning

Yesterday I wrote about hope, and trying to cling to the Hope-giver. I mentioned how hard it is to wrap my arms around the very thing I need when metaphorically my arms feel so tired and weak.

After signing off on that post, I went upstairs and opened my bible to Hebrews 11. It was a passage referenced in my biblestudy material, and even though I know the gist of Hebrews 11, I decided to reread it. (It's my new thing: read every verse referenced in the material, even if you think you know it.) It was more of an impulse than a choice, because I wasn't even sitting down to study. I was simply walking through my kitchen, saw the reference on a photocopy, flipped open my bible, and started reading right there, with bible on the stove. I was awestruck.

"Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. Make level paths for your feet so that the lame will not be disabled, but rather HEALED." --Hebrews 12:12

Strengthen your feeble arms! A direct word from God, immediately after posting about being weak armed. "Hang on Cheri! Have hope. Have faith."

Within the same passage, the image of HOME also jumped off the page: "By faith Abraham made his home in the promised land." (Hebrews 11:9)

I pondered that for awhile. . . The desire for a home has been in my heart for a long time. I've wrestled with being "at home" in all circumstances. Broken, run down homes have also appeared in my dreams, teaching me about wisdom, creativity and possibility.

I wondered, Why did it take faith for Abe to settle in Caanan, a land that was already promised him? God had already given the land, and so making a home there, why would that be hard? Why doubt that?

But then I realized that the journey was all about faith. First, acting on the word that had been given to him. Traveling to Canaan. Then, arriving in Caanan--a land occupied by an entire nation of other people. He must have thought, Did I hear you right, God? I'm supposed to make my home here? It had to be discouraging and doubt-provoking. Abraham's every action was based on a simple, Spirit-whispered promise, that at times probably felt as tenuous as a wisp of cotton candy on the tongue.

While reading, I felt God nudging ME to believe, and honestly it scared me. "Lord, I'm not sure what to believe! What's the promise? What is my Caanan?"

And the Lord answered with a WHO not a what. "Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith." (Hebrews 12:2) The Word is alive, and I truly felt that I was dialoguing with it. I was deeply blessed, surprised, stirred, challenged.

So, I've come full circle, and I'm back to what I wrote yesterday: I want to cling to my Hope-giver and Faith-perfecter with all my might. It's amazing that today I cling with more than just a pinky finger. After a healing encounter with the Scriptures, I hold on with arms strengthened by God.