The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)
I love this verse! The LORD is so faithful! I praise Him that He gives an ear to listen and that He teaches because all too often the weary one that needs to be sustained – is me!
One morning, I was unusually tired. My body was sore. I was in the process of recovering from running my first half marathon. I was out of routine, counting the days until a much needed vacation and I was discouraged. I had picked up an offense and I had given in to being ruled by my emotions. I was stunned by how quickly I had lost hold of God’s freedom and I was so weary that I couldn’t seem to see which end was up.
My eyes opened and tried to focus on the clock. It was time… time for those precious, quiet moments before I am a wife or a mother when I can just sit alone as a child with my Heavenly Father. I stumbled to the kitchen only to realize that the timer on the coffee pot hadn’t gone off. As I waited for the pot to brew, I got distracted. Instead of making my way to my spot, I started sorting through emails. There was one there from my father-in-law. He had forwarded me a video and, in all caps, he had said, “KARRIE, U HAVE TO WATCH THIS!” Well, I had no idea what I was about to watch but I pulled the computer onto my lap and pressed play.
It was a video of Team Hoyt, a father and son team who compete in Iron Man competitions all over the United States. This is no ordinary Iron Man team. The son, Rick Hoyt, is severely disabled with cerebral palsy. His father pulls Rick in a dinghy as he swims 4 kilometers through the waves. He then carries his son’s twisted body and settles him into a buddy seat on his bike as he cycles 180 kilometers only to top it all off with a 40 kilometer marathon pushing Rick in a wheel chair! As I watched this father spend himself on behalf of his son, my muscles still ached from the exertion of a mere sampling of this grueling undertaking. What this father was willing to do for his son was not lost on me and the tears poured down my face.
I had heard of Team Hoyt before. Memories of an interview that I had seen flashed through my mind. I remember hearing how Rick told his father that when they ran and raced together, it was as if he were no longer disabled and he was free! The Lord spoke to my heart. Couldn’t I see that He was willing to do whatever it takes for me to be free? He was willing to pull me, push me and carry me – to spend Himself on me – because it is His desire for me to live in freedom. I simply need to surrender to His loving arms. What an awesome picture of the love of our Father!
I found another video on the pair. Something expressed echoes in my ears… Rick is the one who runs the race, his father merely offers him his power. My God doesn’t expect me to run this race of life on my own. He knows my disabled state. He knows that I am but dust and yet He breathes His life into me. He offers “His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 1:19-20)
How awesome! Why do I get so discouraged? Why is it so easy to lose sight of the price my Lord paid for me to be free? As if it weren’t enough, another email came through while I was pondering these questions. Though it was sent by Sylvia Gunter (The Father’s Business), it was penned by the Lord… “Be blessed in the name of the One who will never forsake you, as He says to you: do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand… (Isaiah 41:10) Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:6,8)
There was no call for discouragement. There was no need to be afraid. As I allowed myself to rest in His loving arms, all of the fatigue and cares of life fell away. Once again, I was free!
“I will run in the path of Your commands,
for You have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
Isaiah 50:4 (NIV)
I love this verse! The LORD is so faithful! I praise Him that He gives an ear to listen and that He teaches because all too often the weary one that needs to be sustained – is me!
One morning, I was unusually tired. My body was sore. I was in the process of recovering from running my first half marathon. I was out of routine, counting the days until a much needed vacation and I was discouraged. I had picked up an offense and I had given in to being ruled by my emotions. I was stunned by how quickly I had lost hold of God’s freedom and I was so weary that I couldn’t seem to see which end was up.
My eyes opened and tried to focus on the clock. It was time… time for those precious, quiet moments before I am a wife or a mother when I can just sit alone as a child with my Heavenly Father. I stumbled to the kitchen only to realize that the timer on the coffee pot hadn’t gone off. As I waited for the pot to brew, I got distracted. Instead of making my way to my spot, I started sorting through emails. There was one there from my father-in-law. He had forwarded me a video and, in all caps, he had said, “KARRIE, U HAVE TO WATCH THIS!” Well, I had no idea what I was about to watch but I pulled the computer onto my lap and pressed play.
It was a video of Team Hoyt, a father and son team who compete in Iron Man competitions all over the United States. This is no ordinary Iron Man team. The son, Rick Hoyt, is severely disabled with cerebral palsy. His father pulls Rick in a dinghy as he swims 4 kilometers through the waves. He then carries his son’s twisted body and settles him into a buddy seat on his bike as he cycles 180 kilometers only to top it all off with a 40 kilometer marathon pushing Rick in a wheel chair! As I watched this father spend himself on behalf of his son, my muscles still ached from the exertion of a mere sampling of this grueling undertaking. What this father was willing to do for his son was not lost on me and the tears poured down my face.
I had heard of Team Hoyt before. Memories of an interview that I had seen flashed through my mind. I remember hearing how Rick told his father that when they ran and raced together, it was as if he were no longer disabled and he was free! The Lord spoke to my heart. Couldn’t I see that He was willing to do whatever it takes for me to be free? He was willing to pull me, push me and carry me – to spend Himself on me – because it is His desire for me to live in freedom. I simply need to surrender to His loving arms. What an awesome picture of the love of our Father!
I found another video on the pair. Something expressed echoes in my ears… Rick is the one who runs the race, his father merely offers him his power. My God doesn’t expect me to run this race of life on my own. He knows my disabled state. He knows that I am but dust and yet He breathes His life into me. He offers “His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms.” (Ephesians 1:19-20)
How awesome! Why do I get so discouraged? Why is it so easy to lose sight of the price my Lord paid for me to be free? As if it weren’t enough, another email came through while I was pondering these questions. Though it was sent by Sylvia Gunter (The Father’s Business), it was penned by the Lord… “Be blessed in the name of the One who will never forsake you, as He says to you: do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand… (Isaiah 41:10) Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:6,8)
There was no call for discouragement. There was no need to be afraid. As I allowed myself to rest in His loving arms, all of the fatigue and cares of life fell away. Once again, I was free!
“I will run in the path of Your commands,
for You have set my heart free.”
Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
