Flying used to be fun. Taking off and landing provided a real rush. But now, travel by air has lost its appeal. Recycled air, sardine-like seating, the need for knee pads, and the peak of flu season on top. Still a means to a beautiful sunset end!
I recently traveled by airplane to Cape Coral, Florida. That gorgeous sunset was worth the momentary fretting with airline frustrations. Always glad to have my feet on the ground again – the truest of traveling mercies! The ground! Yes.
Well also, I just learned that my Enneagram space is #5, and as a member of the “head triad,” fear is always nipping at my heels. (If you are not familiar with the Enneagram, you should google it.) Nevertheless, I am well accustomed to excessive fight-or-flight adrenaline IV drips. Not good, of course. Adrenaline wasn’t intended for long term use…
I’m on the ground. Life is good. Sunny Florida in January is an amazing mercy! So, let the R&R begin right?
But how do we leave our burdens truly behind? We actually don’t. We bring them with us, unless we have turned them over fully to Christ our Savior. “Fully” being the operative word. Can’t say that I’ve turned over the flying anxieties. But, will work on it.
In all my lovely interconnections and outings with friends, I see those burdens surface time and again. Sometimes I identify with the apostle Paul when, in Romans 9, he expresses sadness for his own people (Jews) in their disconnection from true faith. The “so close, yet so far” syndrome. A form of faith, but denying its substance. Emptiness.
Psalm 37:30-31 says, “The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just. The law of their God is in their hearts; their feet do not slip.”
I don’t want the feet of my heart to slip, but rather to be grounded in believing faith in Christ. So much so that my words indicate my affection for my Savior.
I see the sadness. Our words tattle on us. Our words tell what is really inside our hearts. Even the rationalization that makes us believe that we believe in Christ, then our words reveal the opposite. It’s not good. We are haters. We are criticizers. We use profanity. We pick out the faults of others. We don’t put others above ourselves. We offend others. They offend us. We are not satisfied with anything really. We don’t get along very well. Have you ever said life would be great if we didn’t have to put up with people?
The gorgeous Cape Coral sunset is a reminder that, while the sun goes down, it will be followed by a sunrise. A new day. A new start. A chance for the heart to be washed and words to flow out accordingly, regenerated by genuine faith in Jesus, not a facade.
Matthew 13:22 says, in the words of Jesus, “The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.”
That sunset reminds me of God’s mercy and care. Solid grounding. Feet firmly planted.
psalm37fretnot 
What a gorgeous sunset!! And what a great reminder, that after the nights of our lives new days arrive with fresh starts (infused with new mercies every morning.) Thank you (& have a grand time in Florida!) ☀️😎☀️
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Another beautifully written piece that seems to arrive in my inbox at just the right time. I was just sitting here thinking about how little I have done to further the cause of Christ in my lifetime. It doesn’t seem like much! And,at my age, there isn’t much time left to try and make up for my lack of Christian witness. Your thoughts are a timely reminder that tomorrow is another day to serve Christ – better!
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