Several issues arose in my corner of the world between my response to your post "Vulnerable" and the most recent "A New Beginning" entry you published a week ago today. Chief among them was the earth-shattering news of my dear sister losing her life to triple negative breast cancer, a beast that ravaged her otherwise healthy body in her prime, mind you.
I miss her so terribly.
Devastated and heart-broken, I wished myself forward and onward to no avail. You came to mind often but it has taken me quite a while to whisk myself up from the valley of my tear-drenched bed to your spirit-lifting blog.
Seeing you at church this morning triggered something in me.
I climbed up the familiar hill in yet another pilgrimage to your blog.
As you can now see, my flowing pen readily testifies that I am glad I did.
In many ways, my current grief turns my heart into fertile soil for the reception of God's Word. Joy and gratitude erupt from my heart today as I read therein, " . . . I will bring health and healing . . . I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security . . . I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me" (Jer 33:6, 8).
Peace.
Health.
Healing.
Security.
Cleansing.
Forgiveness.
What amazing promises from the Lord!
What needed truths for the ears of the Israelites!
Sammy, the above were not only intended for the contemporaries of Jeremiah; they are equally promised to me, to you, to all Christ-followers from the very lips of the Father who delights in bestowing gifts upon gifts to His children who are in desperate need.
And the Lord knows that we are needy.
Indeed, your post revealed to me with utmost clarity that you felt needy. You erroneously sought to meet your need through an app and quickly became addicted to that technological tool. In your words, the app "drew [you] in . . . enticed [your] hungry heart to play its secret game of life . . . [you] breathed it."
Next, your entry explained how this addiction came about. You became exposed to it through a few acquaintances who had downloaded it on their iPhones. You were intrigued by it despite the check in your spirit warning you from the get-go that it was corrupt. Nonetheless, peer pressure led the way and you found yourself not only trying it in the company of "friends" but also much more overtly in the confines of your private, personal space -- never mind that it grew increasingly more dangerous and ensnaring.
Your confession further revealed that you tasted the nectar of that app. That unfortunate sip intoxicated you enough to fool you into thinking that the app within your grasp was powerful enough to grant you your innermost desires -- finding a guy who is gay/bi/same-sex attracted with whom you can discuss your feelings, a man who can understand your need, an attractive male who could relate to you, a good-looking hunk who could fulfill you.
You are not alone, my son.
The Lord knows that you are needy.
He knows that I am needy, too.
You are not alone, my son.
The Lord knows that you are needy.
He knows that I am needy, too.
You are no longer partaking in such an endeavor. I have never had such an app within my reach. However, you and I both have a strong desire in our hearts to seek fulfillment and satisfaction in all kinds of unfruitful places. Truth be told, all human beings are prone to wander from the Vine who alone can provide the only fruit that stills, heals, secures, cleanses, satisfies, fulfills, and forgives.
Let us walk together as we surrender all these yearnings and longings to the Lord. He is the only app worth our hearts. Only He possesses the beauty worth our adoration. Only His Word can provide the fulfilling chat conversation that can nourish our minds.
Be blessed, my son!
No comments:
Post a Comment