Whilst I was still living and working in Durban, I had reason to travel to Cape Town to attend a conference. It was a demanding time, meetings and concentration all day, eating too much (having three full meals a day) and having no exercise.
We were staying in a hotel on the foreshore. One evening after we had all parted company I decided to take a walk to the city center to window shop. Traffic was still quite heavy, especially at the traffic circle at which I intended to cross the boulevard. People were coming to town for an evening's entertainment or leaving the city after work. It took a few minutes before I could even try to cross the road safely. In the meantime, a very strong southeastern wind had come up and was blowing fiercely. Standing on the side of the road waiting to cross I held on to the lamppost, and memories of yesteryears when I was a young girl and used to live and work in Cape Town were evoked. I suddenly recalled similar situations back then, when the wind would literally blow you into the street if you did not hold fast onto something. The corner between the main Post Office and the then OK Bazaars, where the flower sellers used to sell their beautiful flowers was a spot especially known for this to happen. In those days we wore many petticoats under very wide skirts, with high stiletto heels and many an embarrassed young lady ended up sitting on the pavement holding down her dress and petticoats at that corner. In later years, the Cape Town City Council erected railings along the pavement at that spot.
Waiting to cross the street and thinking back to my own experiences at that specific corner, I giggled softly. On reaching the other side of the road, fighting my way against the wind and having almost been blown right back into the street, I helplessly grabbed hold of the nearest lamppost again and clung for life. In the process of crossing the street, the wind actually blew one of my dangling earrings right off my ear and onto the street, where a car drove over it with disastrous results - I had truly forgotten what the Cape Doctor (as the South Easter is called) was capable of! The speed of the wind had reached almost gale proportions. Leaves and pieces of paper, cardboard and other debris were being carried in swirls and circles ever higher by the raucous wind and flying through the air. Empty soft drink cans were being blown clanging as they went.
Life can also be like that.
Without warning one may suddenly find yourself in the midst of a storm of life destroying magnitude. You may find yourself facing tremendous perils in a storm that seems capable of sweeping you off your feet and totally out of control. Unforeseen circumstances may have you gasping for breath, in physical or emotional pain or longing that seems just too much to bear.
In times like these, we need 'a lamppost' to grab hold of, to hold onto for dear life until the storm subsides.
We have such a post! The cross of Calvary!
It does not matter how bad the situation may be; how dire the straits may seem; how difficult the road to cross; or the burden to bear; how strong the winds of conflict may rage in our souls - the victory wrought on the cross cannot be denied.
Do not take notice of the debris flying and swirling around you. Never mind if your ears are assaulted by the sound of the tempter's raging voice; never mind if things precious to you are being trampled on and destoyed underfoot - fix your will on the Cross and cling; if that's all you can manage, just cling.
He persevered to the bitterest end - He was of God and man forsaken - so that we may have a Post to cling to.
Cling to it with all your might. Even as you experience the loss of a love, friends and/or family and/or health, cling to the cross. Do not let go. Hold fast until the end. He is and will be with you always.
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be
saved." John 3: 14-17
When Jesus' disciples were in the boat on the sea of Galilee, and the wind was raging, we find Him walking on the water towards them:
"But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was
contrary. Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a
ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be
of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid!"
It was in the dark of night. They were in the middle of the sea being tossed by the waves; the wind was howling - so many perils surrounding them - they were in fear of their lives, yet in the midst of all this: we find Jesus there!
In another storm we find the disciples in fear of their lives with Jesus sleeping in the boat with them.
He knew that they would be safe; otherwise He would surely have stilled the storm. But they did not know that and in their fear, they woke Him and asked:
"Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Mark 4: 38
Jesus then stills the storm, and rebukes them for not having faith even though He was in the boat with them.
Do not let Him have to rebuke you - hold onto your faith - even if it may seem to you that God is unaware or unconcerned about your plight. He is in the boat with you.
Thank You, Lord, that we may cling to the cross of Calvary in every tempest or storm that may beset us. Thank you that even in the midst of the storm, You are with us and your arm has not become too short or too tired to still the storm and to help us from the waves when in weakness our faith may falter.
Thank You that the victory that was gained on the Cross of Calvary was also for me in my peculiar circumstances.
No comments:
Post a Comment