December 16, 2010

Helpless

Yesterday afternoon got stranded in a snowstorm when I-70 was closed in both directions because of road conditions, visibility and accidents. The traffic was bumper to bumper, but eventually I crept up to an ‘emergency only exit’ where I could turn around and go back to Silverthorne and get a room. For three hours I watched from the hotel room window as ribbons of car lights sat motionless. While I rejoiced at my own safety, I sympathized with those still caught in the grip of the situation. I’m reminded of loved ones stranded in the grip of the world and sometimes all we can do is watch from a distance.

1 comment:

Steve Corey said...

Gail;

-----What can we do for loved ones who ignore the message of the Word? Do we speak it to them again? And again? And again? Do we hope and pray someone whose words they might more regard will speak to them? Do we ourselves search for other words they might regard more? Or do we merely live our faith in the open where it can be seen? These are questions I have been exploring for some time now, because I have many loved ones in my life needing either inspiration in their new life, or rebirth itself.
-----Any of those might be the solution. But for any one to be the solution it must contain certain and incisive meaning. Such meaning of every successful communication, whether delivered by language or by the example of actions, is relevant and penetrating. To deliver this kind of message requires relationship. We can only know what is relevant to another person by knowing that person. The more we know them, the better we know the issues and ideas they regard with enough importance to be gateways for communication. On top of that, the more we relate to them, the better we can understand how they think about these things, which make paths for penetration beyond those gateways.
-----Lately, my exploration of this matter has been focusing on one point which I think might be basic. “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” (Rom 12:9) I have been guilty of watching loved ones from a distance. If my love was genuine, would I not proceed to close the distance and build the relationship, holding fast to the good elements of it and rejecting the evil ones? Would a relationship developing around what is good not itself build in the loved one pathways of relevant penetration?
-----This calls me to lay down some of my busyness and restructure some of my priorities. I think some of my new life unlived has been locked up in many relationships undeveloped. And I think many of my intended messages have been gagged by my own disobedience to love. How beneficial has that been to those who need to hear?

Love you all,
Steve Corey