Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Farewell, You Lousy Locusts


I will repay you for the years 
the locusts have eaten -
the great locust and 
the young locust,
the other locusts 
and the locust swarm ...

You will have plenty to eat, 
until you are full,
and you will praise the name
 of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders 
for you.
~ Joel 2:25-26 ~

This has long been a favorite passage, a gift of bountiful hope from God during a season of extended illness.  I had begged Him to somehow redeem those fallow, empty, terrifying months of depression and anxiety so the suffering wouldn't have been for nothing.  

And He did.  Bountifully.

Click here for my story.

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This past year has produced similar sagas for many.  Yes, some have sailed through the pandemic with minor inconveniences and no major challenges to speak of.  

Be sure to thank God you were spared.  

But many are in recovery mode from the seemingly endless isolation, lack of human touch, limited options for worshiping, shopping, traveling, serving others, educating their children, caring for the aging and unwell.  The endless wearing of masks, a stressful search for an available vaccine, and the inability to be with loved ones during times of illness and death have left even the most valiant of souls emotionally exhausted. 

The waning of comforting routines, absence of traditions, inability to celebrate milestones, and an endless, traumatic 24/7 news feed have left us a bit shell-shocked.  Those biblical locusts gnawed and chomped right down to the nubs, sapping their targets of strength, growth, and vibrancy.  And like the sorely damaged plants, the battered soul can't help but wonder if she'll ever recover fully and launch back to living life to the fullest again.

But God.  

While circumstances may have left us running on empty, The Redeemer has been doing His work deep inside the fallow places of our lives.  He's been on the move comforting, restoring, teaching, and growing His beloved followers.  He's enabled us to hang in for the long haul, to become a whole lot more creative, resourceful, and appreciative for all we took for granted.  

In the midst of trial, we've gleaned wisdom that we might never have learned if life had gone smoothly.  We've received surprise graces and miracles that kept on coming in the midst of it all.


Yet this I call to mind and 
therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord's great love 
we are not consumed,
for His compassions never fail,

They are new every morning;
great is Your faithfulness.

I say to myself, 
"The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for Him."

The Lord is good to those 
whose hope is in Him,
 to the one who seeks Him;

It is good to wait quietly 
for the salvation of the Lord.
~ Lamentations 3:21-26 ~

The enemy of our souls came to kill and destroy, but we serve a Redeemer who specializes in the tough stuff.  And as we offer Him our weary heavy-laden souls, controlling tendencies, demands for answers, the grief of what's been lost, He will resurrect us in ways that give us fresh perspective, renewed hope, and surprising opportunities to share His blessed story with others.

For Jesus' sake.

Linda
We've been wrestling through our numerous pandemic sorrows and concerns, anxieties and uncertainties since March of 2020.  They're all carefully gathered here.  Today, let's talk about where we've seen God at work ... the victories won, lessons gleaned, mercies given, fresh perspectives created.

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meetin' & greetin' with
Jeanne  .  Richella  .  Lisa

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24 comments:

  1. Good morning Linda! I love that you have taken the pandemic and cast it out through the back door. I don't even want to call it a window. My toughest time was after testing positive a few days before Christmas I went through a period where I lost 45 pounds in about 3-4 weeks. But God has been faithful and has restored almost all my strength and some of my weight. I was 223 and went down to 175. I'm now 201 which is good. I have seen Him come through in so many ways I find myself unable to count them all. While I'm ready for this to all be over, I'm also looking for God's work in this.

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    1. This right here, Bill, is the golden key to more than simply surviving --> 'While I'm ready for this to all be over, I'm also looking for God's work in this.'

      So well said, so very true.

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  2. I love the abundance of hope is in this post, Linda! I am still wrestling with a few things brought on by the pandemic but trust His compassion and faithfulness as I wait out this time.

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    1. Absolutely, Lynn. I hear what you're saying about the wrestling. There's been a whole lot of moving parts this past year and we do well to take the time to understand fully how this has impacted us before we go galloping ahead.

      I'm with you, girl ...

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  3. Yes, the pandemic changed so much in our lives, but looking back, I see how God taught me to be patient, to wait upon His timing, and to never give up hope (my word for the year). I am more grateful than ever for everything I have and all the people in my life. Sometimes, we all need a locust "cleansing" to find out that God is the one thing that matters.
    Blessings, Linda!

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    1. You're so right, Martha ... there's nothing like not seeing loved ones for months on end to let us know how truly important they are to us ... and how vital it is to tell them, show them.

      Lesson learned.

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  4. Linda, thanks for being a source of encouragement through times, as always. We are most grateful for having our needs and, even wants, met during this time. We hope through it we have and will continue to be a comfort to others. May God continue to meet us all in our times of need and questioning. He is near.

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    1. I love what you're saying about being a comfort, Debby. To be present with another soul and truly listen and hear what's not being said is such a gift. I am grateful for those who spoke life and grace to me along the way. And it's been uplifting to get out of my own head and attempt to offer that to others.

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  5. Always appreciate your roots in God's good intentions toward us--no matter how things appear in the moment. Blessings to you in the post-locust month of May!

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    1. 'Roots in God's good intentions toward us.'

      Yes, that's the kind of faith I want to grow into more and more ...

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  6. These are years locusts have eaten,
    these are years where I've been tried,
    and at the end I will be beaten,
    and at the end I will have died.
    Restoration isn't coming
    no matter what the Good Book writes,
    and the sound I hear is drumming
    as the devil wins the fights,
    but through it all I won't surrender
    nor quit this bloody killing field
    whatever horror fate may render;
    I am steel, and will not yield
    to disillusion nor despair;
    there's work to do, and I still care.

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    1. Your restoration might not be here, Andrew, but it certainly will be reality when we who trust in Christ finally meet Him face to face.

      Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

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  7. A prayer in the reading. And I will be rereading. Thank you.

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    1. I'm so happy to see you this morning, friend ...

      I hope all is well as you finish out the school year.

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  8. I'm always comforted by your compassion in the midst of our suffering, Linda. You don't deny our pain but address it. We've all suffered to some degree the past 12 months, some more than others. Mine is small compared to most, but it's still real. I'm praying particularly for the restoration of some important relationships in my life that got damaged through it all. :(

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    1. Lisa, I'm so sorry to hear about your heartache ... this is sad. I am praying right now that God will give you comfort, fill in those empty hurting spaces, and give you wisdom in how to respond.

      This is hard stuff.

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  9. As we leave behind the year the locusts ate, you've given us a prayer to propel us forward: Lord God, "resurrect us in ways that give us fresh perspective, renewed hope, and surprising opportunities to share [Your] blessed story with others." In the powerful and faithful name of Jesus, AMEN! (And thank you, Linda!)

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    1. Yes, yes! All in His powerful, faithful name ...

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  10. Ahhh, Linda. You share such wise wisdom and hope in your words. The passages from Joel and from Lamentations are among my favorites. I'm so thankful the Lord is always with us, giving us what we need when we need it. Your words have given me a deep breath today. Thank you for that.

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    1. Have a wonderful time of celebration (and a break from blogging!) God is so very good ...

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  11. My spiritual direction group all shared this week how we experienced hope this past year. Once you start to look for hope and good news, it is amazing how many blessings appear,

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    1. A spiritual direction group sounds so very good right about now, Jean. I'd love to hear about your experiences together ...

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  12. Oh Linda, I’ve been there ... begging God not to let the suffering be for nothing. And it never is, is it? Even if it takes us a long time to see it. Thank you for this beautiful reminder that God will restore the years those lousy locusts have eaten. :-)

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    1. You're so right, Lois ... it usually does take a long time for us to see any kind of fruit. I guess that's when we lean in more than ever to His faithfulness, His character, His lovingkindness.

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