The Rock That Is A Firm Place to Stand

 The Rock That is A Firm Place to Stand
May 2015
Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie
Copyright

The other day, I was hiking to the top of a steep hill. I took a step upward and all of a sudden my arms were swinging around as I tried to get my balance. I am sure I looked pretty funny trying not to fall down, however, I just could not find a firm place to step. As I tried to gain my balance again, my other foot began to slip too.  Knowing I was about to roll down the hill instead of going upward,  I sat down to  to catch my breath and figure out what to do next. 

As I looked over my shoulder, I saw a great big rock. It was solid, huge and close to the top of the hill. “If only I could get to that big rock, I could make it to the top,” I thought. “The big rock I had my eye on was massive and the view must be magnificent,” I said to myself. “If only my feet were on that rock, my feet would not slip and I would have  a better perspective and view of everything.” 

I thought of the different times in my life when I felt like I was slipping with life’s circumstances, was going to tumble and fall and needed a higher perspective of my situation. Have you ever been in a place in your life where you feel like your feet keep slipping the harder you try? Have you ever felt stuck in your circumstances? Sometimes, all we can do is cry out to God for help and wait for him to direct the next move.

God  has a promise for you if you feel stuck or like life is slipping away. He promises that he is right there to help us. Psalms 40:1-2 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” (NIV) Sometimes all we can do is sit down, just like I did on the side of the hill and wait on God for direction and the next step to take in a situation.

When we wait on God, we put ourselves in a position to be lifted up and our feet to be set on something firm. One of my frequent prayers is, “God help me to see this situation from your perspective.” My earth bound thinking is faulty at times and I need a higher viewpoint. The waiting time is a time of transition from the problem to the answer. I have a lot of great people in my life but God is the only one I can always depend on to help me and be there for me. 

Psalm 31:3 states, “For You are my rock and my fortress; For Your name’s sake You will lead me and guide me.” (NIV) This is a powerful promise that I have clung to while I have waited on God.

Psalm 18:2 declares, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” 

I could not keep my eyes off the big rock on the side of the hill. It fascinated me as my thoughts drifted to how big God is, his constant faithfulness, and the reminder that he wants to be my rock in every situation I face. Will you join me in making God your rock and firm place to stand?

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com

How Good is Your Cast?

May 2015

Kathleen Maxwell-Rambie

Copyright

“Let’s go fishing this weekend, Kathleen,” my husband said as we visited after a long day of work. My Stephen is a fisherman and until recently, the sport has been foreign to me. The Bible tells women to adapt to their husbands so  I am trying to embrace this new fishing world! 

Not long ago, we were invited to go bass fishing with another couple. I am always up for new adventure, however, all day of fishing was a little more adventure than I had signed up for. About six hours into the nine hour trip, my shoulders ached, my skin was sticky, I was tired and longed for a hot bath. To make matters worse, I had not caught near as many fish as everyone else.

“Why am I not catching as many fish as everyone else?” I asked Stephen. “We are all fishing out of the same boat and using similar lures,” I stated.

“Well, honey, it takes practice,” he encouraged.

“You’re doing good but the main thing you need to work on is practicing your cast,” he continued.

I began to watch exactly how and where the other three experienced fisherman were casting. Their cast were specific, not just in the middle of the lake. I began practicing my cast.It was not too long before I too, began to catch a few fish and even managed to reel in a 2 1/2 lb. bass. A year later and a few more fishing trips under  my belt, my largest catch to date has been a 31’ Red Fish and I was able to use my oversize tag!

I’ve noticed that life and fishing are similar in some ways. Two common denominators are casting and waiting… Life can be challenging and all of us have burdens. Financial woes plague many with our economy, problems in relationships challenge others, work stress press down on a number of people or caring for an ill loved one. What burden is weighing on you right now? Maybe you are trying to carry all the above burdens by yourself. If that is the case, I would suggest you need to practice your cast and wait on the Lord.

Cast means to throw forcefully in a specific direction. Psalms 55:22 says,“ Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail).(AMP) When trouble lands on our shoulders, we are told exactly what to do-to throw them forcefully to the Lord. God knew we were not designed to carry the problems we would encounter so he offered to carry them for us. I love how he is the perfect gentleman!

I have encountered numerous trial in the past 6 years and have had the opportunity to practice casting my burdens on the Lord. To be honest, I would have crumbled by the weight of them if I tried to carry them by myself.  Sometimes I would try to cast them on the Lord but it was more of a toss, instead of a forceful throw. If we do not throw our cares forcefully and in the direction of the Lord, they can weigh us down and rob us of joy, peace and even good health. We must be intentional about our cast and practice it often.

I have been practicing my casting preparing for an upcoming fishing trip. I am also working on quickly casting my cares on the Lord also so I can reap the blessings God promises for me as I cast my burdens upon him. God loves you and me so much and I wants us to practice casting our burdens.  What burden do you need to practice casting? Will you join me in practicing your cast? Who knows what we will catch as we enjoy the adventures He has for us as we walk with Him.

Kathleen is a native of the Hill Country and is a writer and speaker. She is passionate about helping people discover their value and worth. Contact her at kathleenmaxwell1@gmail.com or visit her blog on www.themaxwellminutes.blogspot.com