Revue: Life Tide

by Lynn, posted in Pick-Me-Up, Revue

Grand Finale, © Lynn Abbott Studios with copyright mark© 2018 Lynn Abbott

As a little girl, I believed all things possible.

I saw miracles in everyday moments.

I hadn’t been immersed in church as some children are, and yet, at the close of my elementary school years, I embraced God’s grace with a full heart, with a mind open to God’s wonders, and with confidence in God’s love and interest.

I distinctly remember my first steps of faith…

One school day, after the 31st of October, my fifth grade BFF misplaced her lunch. Now if that lunch had contained a liverwurst sandwich, I’m sure that we both would have rejoiced over the loss.

Grand Finale, © Lynn Abbott Studios with copyright markHowever, my friend knew for a fact that a treasured Hershey’s chocolate bar nestled at the bottom of that otherwise nondescript, brown, paper bag.

For this reason, that missing sack suddenly became an enormous crisis.

When I suggested that we ask God to help us find her lunch, my friend seemed skeptical. Nevertheless, I insisted.

So we prayed and God saved the day.

Soon, she was nibbling her PB & J, and relishing that delectable chocolate bar. Needless to say, I was overjoyed, and I thanked God again and again.

That day, God showered grace on two 10-year-olds. My fledgling faith launched well. With God, I knew I could make a real difference in this world.

So we prayed and God saved the day.

Then, life happened.  I faced heartbreak that even chocolate couldn’t fix.

Uh, huh. I encountered low tide.  And it seemed my childlike faith had run its course.

I wondered why God didn’t answer my prayers as swiftly as He had for that ten-year-old girl.

Yeah, what about that?  Perhaps, like me, you’ve wrestled with similar questions.

Yet, although at times it seems that God delays answering our prayers, God says our requests do make a difference (James 5:13-18).

Grand Finale, © Lynn Abbott Studios with copyright markAnd our Savior encourages us to pray at all times and to not lose heart, (Luke 18:1).

Certainly, you and I are to pray through life’s highs and lows.

In His parable of the widow and the unjust judge, Jesus described the kind of prayerful perseverance that should characterize you and me.

Like the unrelenting surf, we are to return again and again to our heavenly Father.

We definitely can depend on Him for answers.  After all, Abba has promised to open a pathway for His children.  He will protect and provide (Psalm 84:11).

For this reason, during life’s low tides, I especially seek my heavenly Father.  In fact, as my strength ebbs low, I allow my life’s outgoing stream to lead me back to Abba’s throne room.

Then, life happened.  I faced heartbreak that even chocolate couldn’t fix.

That’s right. Low tide reminds me to prayerfully acknowledge my dependence on God.

At times, God miraculously and immediately answers our prayers.  And you and I joyfully ride that high tide.

In fact, our heavenly Fathers defense of His children may even strike as suddenly and swiftly as crashing, seismic waves along California’s Pacific Coast Highway, (Luke 18:7).

And in the aftermath, California’s once craggy shoreline crumbles and slides…

Or more significantly, the walls of Jericho crumble.

The Red Sea parts.

Goliath falls.

Grand Finale, © Lynn Abbott Studios with copyright markYup. God is more than able to swiftly redefine the landscape; He softens the hardest of hearts.

But sometimes, He allows cliffs to erode gradually.

Nehemiah worked steadily to rebuild the city walls.

Daniel prayed daily for his people.

The widow knocked at the judge’s door.

Undoubtedly, life’s stony obstacles drive you and me back to our heavenly Father.

I suspect that is exactly the point.

Just as the waves initially appear broken by the rocky shoreline, we can become discouraged.  But the waves return to the sea and gather renewed strength.

Low tide reminds me to prayerfully acknowledge my dependence on God.

Indeed. As a result of persistent prayer and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we tear down stony obstacles.

Yes, Abba sets life’s high and low tides in motion for my good…

Grand Finale, © Lynn Abbott Studios with copyright markIn my Heavenly Father’s embrace, my faith gathers strength.

I persevere.

Abba’s Spirit guides my intercession, (Romans 8:26).  And in His love and grace, God moves mountains.

Prayer, then, propels life’s high tide while the predictable low tide serves to pull you and me back to Abba.

“And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him,” I John 5:14-15

68 thoughts on “Revue: Life Tide”

  1. I hear you Lynn–I’ve lived low tide more times than I care to recall.
    Never easy.
    And just when it seems I’m stuck in the sucking sands and mud…the tide thankfully returns…not swallowing me, but actually saving me…most often from myself!!!
    And did your friend share her chocolate bar with you since you were the reason for the recovery 😉

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    1. Oh, so true, dear Julie! So grateful for God’s tide (and I don’t mean the laundry detergent. Ha!). As far as the chocolate bar goes, I’m a tad allergic and so chocolate is always saved for special occasions since it causes me sinus trouble. Thus, I passed on sharing the chocolate that day. 🙂 ❤ ❤ to you!!

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      1. Now I have had sinus troubles most of my adult life…even having had two major sinus surgeries…all along I attributed a lot of it to life as an art teacher and here it was chocolate all along…who knew! 🙂 hahaha

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      2. Ha, ha! Well, I hope not for your sake, Julie! As I was, were you told you were allergic to chocolate when you were a child? That would be a terrible misfortune 😉 I can well imagine that all the chemicals, etc., that you had to breath as an art teacher could cause some serious difficulties. 😦 Only in the past 3-4 years have I picked up oil paint again since many of the chemicals that often accompanied oil painting have changed or are no longer deemed necessary. Such a relief. 🙂 Huge hugs to you, my wonderful friend!! ❤ ❤

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  2. So good Lynn. I especially enjoyed reading about the lunch and chocolate bar. Yes, He is so faithful to the prayers where He is invited in, especially His little children. Your artwork is beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

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    1. Thank you so much, dear Denise! Yes, I’m so grateful that God is a tender Father! He encourages and gently leads us as we grow in our faith…my life is definitely proof of that! Thank you for your thoughtful words here, dear Denise. It means the world to me. God bless you, my godly friend! ❤

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  3. Beautiful ~ to remind me of the great need we have at all times for our Father’s presence, power, protection and provisions. The reality that He left our first parents in the Garden of Eden, the best of all worlds (until He brings us to Paradise forever with Him), so as to prove that on our own, even in the best of circumstances we can never fulfill our purpose. We need Him every moment of every day. Blessings in the high and low tides.

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  5. Whoop. Whoop! Excellent! Kept me on the edge of my seat all the way …

    “As a result of persistent prayer and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we tear down stony obstacles.” Amen! X

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      1. Thanks Lynn. Tomorrow is my first Hospital appointment with a lymphoedema specialist at Brighton Nuclear Medicine facility.

        Lord HELP!!! x

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  6. Excellent post Lynn, as always. The pattern and reasoning you talk about is indeed designed to draw us closer and to increase our faith and trust. Thank you.

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    1. Thank you, Bruce! Your encouragement means the world since I so respect the incredible grasp of Biblical Truth and theology that you regularly display through your insightful blog posts! God bless you greatly, my brother! 🙂

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  7. Excellent post. Somehow we lose our childlike faith when we grow older. Maybe that’s why Jesus loved children so much. They didn’t question, they just believed. Like rebellious teenagers we go through a period of trying new things. As we age we think we can do it ourselves. When we mature we see how little we know. We’d save a lot of time and trouble if we’d continue with that childlike faith.❤️

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    1. Amen and amen, dearest Kathy!! Yes, I think we cycle through all that and as you say, return to that simple dependence upon our Savior as we mature. And for that, I’m truly grateful! Thank you for your beautiful and wise comment! You’ve truly uplifted my heart! ❤ ❤

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  9. What a great thing to be able to say.”I persevere.”. verses “I give up”. You are layered with depth Lynn in all that life has brought. God is using you. you are such an encouragement. Thanks

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    1. Thank you with all my heart, Gary! Your thoughtful encouragement and kindness coupled with my Bible reading this morning has inspired future writing. You have truly blessed me today! God bless you beyond all that you can imagine!!

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  10. For you to write beautiful words like these, and to paint these waves to look so real (and wet), it means that you have an experience walk with God, not only ‘head knowledge, like so many people in the church these days. I know that heart ache is painful but in ministry, to bless others, it is needful. Like the olives are crushed to produce the anointing oil, so we must be crushed to express the glory within! I am sure that your ministry blesses many hurting souls. God bless you sister Lynn!

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    1. Oh, you understand completely, dear Lia! Yes… while heartbreak and suffering would not be our chosen path, the resulting intimacy with God and righteousness that they produce–if we yield to our heavenly Father–are treasures indeed. God bless you greatly, my dear, dear sister!! ❤ ❤

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      1. God made it like this: there are few leaders and many followers. You Lynn, are a true Christian leader! You inspire, challenge and love! Blessed are your followers!

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      2. You are so truly good to me, dear Silvia! Thank you with all my heart! I don’t feel particularly like a leader… I seek only to encourage and serve. But I am extraordinarily grateful when God uses me to touch lives for Him in any way! God bless you greatly, my wonderful sister and friend! You bless me continually, and I’m so thankful to Abba for you! ❤ ❤

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      3. “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mt 20:25-28) Dear Lynn, take it from me as my opinion is based on the Word of God, on what the Lord said to us! You are a leader in the Body of Christ! Like me, your understanding of leadership may come from your ‘Gentile world’. We thought that by leading we must be seen ‘to rule over the people’, a form of fashionable oppression. But as a child of God, you must renew your mind, to have the mind of Christ! The lower you go on the scale of the world, for Jesus’ sake, the greater you shall be. The more you faithfully and humble serve other, again, for His sake, the more you qualify to be a leader, appointed and approved by God! This is the truth! To deny this truth is a lie, coming from a false humility, which is an inverted pride! God appoints His leaders! It may take a long time for men to see God’s appointment but you should ‘flow’ with God’s gifting in you! I declare by the power of the Holy Spirit that you have a prophetic anointing over your life! I manifests thru your behavior, holy courage, words, writing and painting… May people’s eyes be open to see Christ in you, the Hope of glory! Thank You Father God! May your ministry touch more lives! In Jesus name. amen!

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      4. Oh, thank you so very much, dear Lia! And yes, you are truly wise! And what a responsibility it is to find oneself in leadership. At least, in Christ, leadership means being a servant, and I feel comfortable with that role. Thank you so for your declaration and prayer over my life! My heart prays with you, and I am truly thankful for your loving words and encouragement! God has given you a great gift of teaching, preaching, and encouraging and you are truly faithful to use your gifts to speak into the lives of many. And I, for one, am blessed by you and your friendship! ❤ and huge hugs!!

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  11. There’s actually been a heartbreak that even chocolate couldn’t fix? I have a couple pieces every morning just to get started. I should pray instead?
    😉

    What we idolize are remarkably insignificant things.

    Enjoyed the post! Thank you.

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  13. Such inspired writing, Lynn! “Low tide reminds me to prayerfully acknowledge my dependence on God.” The love of Christ draws us back to Him during the low tides and gives us the joy of riding the waves of the high tides. 💗

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    1. Thank you with all my heart, dear Mia! Yes, God has always revealed a lot of Truth to me through the sea. I am truly grateful to God for all that He teaches me. And as you so well know, God often uses life experiences to touch us. My dad was an oceanographer and so I grew up around the water. I’ve been trying as of late to paint subjects other than the sea, but my heart is ever drawn to it. 🙂 ❤ and hugs to you, my thoughtful and talented friend!

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  14. “Prayer, then, propels life’s high tide while the predictable low tide serves to pull you and me back to Abba.”
    What a beautiful analogy. God bless you, Lynn. I hope you are having a good summer.

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      1. I’m doing well, thank you! We have actually had a cool, rainy day today. 🙂 Enjoying doting on the Dad at our house.

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  16. “Low tide reminds me to prayerfully acknowledge my dependence on God.” Yes! Amen! Such inspiring and beautiful writing. 💙

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  19. God always answers prayer, yet sometimes the answer is a silent, “No” . . because He knows what is best for us. Sometimes, if it is according to his will the answer is a resounding, “Yes!”

    I think, from my experience the more we ask Him, as a small child would, the more he seems to help and comfort us. Alas, I seem sometimes not to ask Him for things I should and to ask Him for things I shouldn’t.
    Love your Blog, Lynne and glad I managed to visit and read every post, God Bless you, my good friend . . . 🙂

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    1. Wow, Ed! That’s a lot of posts to read! Thank you with all my heart! You are truly a wonderful friend! God bless you greatly! Thank you for your always kind encouragement; it means a great deal to me. But you knew that, didn’t you? 🙂 It truly means the world to me that you are reading here.

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  20. Every time I think of Nehemiah I think of the scripture, “Oh, God strengthen my hands.” That scripture has gotten me through the years. 🙂 be it through the small like a chocolate bar or the big, not knowing His plan. ❤ Praise the Lord for being with us!

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    1. Amen! I’m so grateful! And thank you for the reminder of Nehemiah’s “building” prayer…I think I need to cry out in much the same way today as I have so much “building” work to do! Thank you for allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to me through you! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤

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    1. Thank you bunches and bunches, Laurette! Your kind words about my art and your thoughtful comment about my post mean so much to me! You have encouraged me more than you can imagine! God bless you and your ministry beyond all that you can imagine!! ❤ ❤

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  22. A Wonderful Message of Reassurance Lynn and very True our Abba Father hears our Prayers and when they are in agreement with His Good and Perfect Will for us, He answers with a Yes! Yes! Yes! but it will always be in His Time and in His Way and it will be the very Best for us.

    God’s Blessings dear Lynn Now and Always,
    Praying for you – Anne your (Annie Mum)

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