Since Cameron and I have now started our second round of Boot Camp we both felt well prepared to participate. The only obstacle that seemed daunting to me was the monkey bars. I know.....the monkey bars? The issue is that in the past I never had much upper body strength. I have always participated in sports that mostly required lower body agility (soccer, running, dance). However, Boot Camp has really helped with this and now I can whip out some serious push-ups with the best of them. Monkey bars or pullups are hard for most females, so I began training as soon as I signed up for the race. I started with hanging from a pull up bar as long as I could, gradually lasting longer. I actually only made it across them for the first time about 2 weeks ago. That's when God whispered in my ear.
I was sitting in church and thinking about the race and particularly those darn monkey bars and the Holy Spirit brought to mind the scripture, 2nd Corinthians 3:28:
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory
to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
I know it sounds a little kooky, but the Lord placed that scripture in front of the monkey bars and told me to think about them that way. Each wrung is like moving with the Lord from glory to glory. Although it can be hard, our job is just to hang on. Such a word for my life situation right now! This led to God basically suggesting that I do the same for each of the obstacles in the race. And so I did; I chose a scripture for each obstacle on the course map.
It was amazing to watch the Lord clear my path prior to the race. So many times I have watched his hand in the timing of deliveries and patient's care, and this time was no different. Any patient who could have presented during that time and potentially made it impossible to complete the task, delivered in advance or was admitted to another hospital. Everyone else stayed conveniently pregnant. The take home message is this...when the Lord wants you to accomplish his will, he will either 1) remove the obstacles completely or 2) give you the tools to demolish them.
As Cameron and I ran the race together, we stopped briefly and read the appropriate scriptures through panted breaths. I had them printed with small font in a sandwich bag in my pants. My goal was affirm that no obstacle is too big when we put God and his word in front of it. I wanted to imprint this in Cameron's heart along with a visual reminder for him of each scripture when he needs them later in life. It was powerful and emotional as we crossed the finish line hand in hand. Oh, and in case you are wondering....I killed the monkey bars!
Made it across the first time no problem, thanking the Lord the whole time!
Here are the scriptures we read for each obstacle:
MUD CRAWL – Psalm 36:9-11
How exquisite your love, O God! How eager we are to run
under your wings, To eat our fill at the banquet you spread as you fill our
tankards with Eden spring water. You're a fountain of cascading light, and you
open our eyes to light. Keep on loving your friends; do your work in welcoming
hearts. Don't let the bullies kick me around, the moral midgets slap me down. Send
the upstarts sprawling flat on their faces in the mud.
WATER HAUL- Matthew 11:30
“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the
unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on
you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."
HURDLES- Romans 16: 16-18
“I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those
who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary
to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are
not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and
flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” (They will try to trip you
up!)
HAYSTACK HILL- Luke 22:31
"Simon, stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to
separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. Simon, I've prayed for you
in particular that you not give in or give out. When you have come through the
time of testing, turn to your companions and give them a fresh start."
WATER SLIDE- Proverbs 25:26
“Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous
who give way to the wicked.”
UPHILL MUD TUNNELS- 2nd Thess 2:15-17
So, friends, take a firm stand, feet on the ground and head
high. Keep a tight grip on what you were taught, whether in personal
conversation or by our letter. May Jesus himself and God our Father, who
reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and
confidence, put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your
speech.
RICE TOTE- Matthew 23:5-7
You won't go wrong in following their teachings on Moses.
But be careful about following them. They talk a good line, but they don't live
it. They don't take it into their hearts and live it out in their behavior.
It's all spit-and-polish veneer. Instead of giving you God's Law as food and
drink by which you can banquet on God, they package it in bundles of
rules, loading you down like pack animals. They seem to take pleasure in
watching you stagger under these loads, and wouldn't think of lifting a finger
to help.
TIRE JUMP- Isaiah 26:7
“But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep
and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.”
MONKEY BARS- 2nd Corinth 3:28
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror
the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory
to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
MUD MOUNTAINS- Matthew 17:20
“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard
seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it
will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
MUD PIT- Psalm 40:2
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” This was the verse on our shirts that I had made for Cameron and I. Our team name was 'MudfortheSon'.
Today at church the message was on A Story called Life. Each of us has a story to tell and as the plot thickens in that story, there will be obstacles to overcome. Pastor Wayne told us that every Christian will at times have to decide if God really is bigger than what we see in our path...if he really is the "Great I AM". When our spirit lines up with our heart and our head that he really is , that is true worship. And at that moment, Pastor Wayne repeated the same scripture that God has initially whispered in my heart; He will take us from glory to glory if we just remember to trust him. (Coincidence? I think not) Immediately, I burst into tears because the whole experience had come full circle. God is real. He is bigger than our obstacles. If he can overcome the grave, then he has the power to take us from glory to glory despite any current circumstance. All we have to do is believe, trust, and hang on for dear life. Just like those blessed monkey bars!
