Lifeline
Does anyone remember the show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” During the game, the contestants had a one time opportunity to use a “phone a friend lifeline” to call a friend who could then help the contestant answer the question. It was an entertaining hour of tv nonsense!
The words lifeline, life boat, life jacket popped in my head just today and it is so where I am now. When you hear the phrase “just jump in the deep end, we know you can swim”… or “we’re going to throw you in and see where you end up”…. or my favorite…”don’t let them see you sweat”….no wonder my mind is swirling into rescue mode!
That is life for me right now, I need a rescue. The sheer enormity of work life responsibility could absolutely drown me emotionally if I let it. If I overthink, if I try too hard, if I second guess my abilities that is where I will end up. How do I cope, how am I supposed to juggle? Why do I like to repeat “failure is not an option” to myself? Why am I letting this be so important? Don’t we learn from failure? Why is failure something to avoid? If worrying about the end result that must produce something positive or perfect becomes the focus then how does that change the journey?
The problem is pride. What will people think? And would that even change anything? How would we even know what they think anyway….And then enter pride’s cousin, good ole stubbornness and here goes the vicious cycle as we head to the pinnacle of the pride game and say “I won’t give up or I’ll die trying!” I’ve actually said those words! What did I really mean? I think we grow up around so many “sayings” that they roll right off our tongues without much thought. Words, language is a gift, it is how God intended us to communicate. The Bible speaks of the tongue often. Our words are as important as our thoughts. They actually form our thoughts and then our actions. After all we are talking about the end result, the effect on our emotions.
However we get there, whatever path we chose to get us into a frenzy, we always have our lifeline. Don’t let pride keep us from reaching for that lifeline.
So in my emotional wave of exhasperation, I envision God as my Coast Guard helicopter circling overhead, looking for me down in the stormy waters. And just in time, throws me a lifeline to catch and hauls me up out of my panic storm.
Isn’t that what a good, loving Father would do? Allow you to experience as much as you can on your own, to grow you up a bit… but just when you need that little extra support - there’s the lifeline.
For believers, our lifeline began at the cross. He came to live, love, walk among us, and die for us. The cross established a forever, whenever lifeline. We don’t even have to be in a storm. He’s always there - ready - waiting - just there. WE have to choose to invite Him in. WE have to reach out for that lifeline that is waiting.
I think about the cross often, but especially as we get closer to Easter. Contemplating what Jesus did for us awes me and the same time unimaginable. The obedience to His father, His love for us, His forgiveness of his persecutors, Him! What a perfect lifeline. I don’t need to be in crisis mode for my lifeline. I like knowing that He is not only tethered to me and I to Him, but that He is in me; we can do all things through Him. These are promises.
May I strive to have a more every day type of relationship with my Heavenly Father, conversational, trusting, reliant and less 911 prayers. After all, this is my dress rehearsal for greater things to come as I look forward to eternity in the Heaven. My hope for you is that you can rest in the peace of knowing your end game as a believer.
Here are the scriptures I referred to and I am quoting the Bible from the New International Version (NIV).
Blessings, Rhonda
Proverbs 18:21 - The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Psalms 91:11-12 - For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up with their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
Colossians 4:6 - Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, to that you may know how to answer everyone.
Proverbs 11:2 - When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
Romans 8:9 - You however are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you.
Hebrews 13:5 - Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
Philippians 4:13 - I can do everything through him who gives me strength.