Sacred Stories; Perseverance and Hope

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked for us.

Hebrews 12:1

The words to Nightbirde’s (Jane Marczewski) chart climbing hit, “It’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok, if you’re lost, we’re all a little lost and it’s alright”, roll through bringing relief like thunder from a summer storm. Her stunning smile carries a story and a sacred song, “the voice we all need to hear right now”. An admission of hopeful questions and acceptance that not all answers are meant for today. An affirmation of the unspoken. Not all paths are marked past the next foothold.

Following Jesus is a wild romance, full of adventure, ache, questions and blow you away quiet answers found in the stillest of places. A voice recognized, not because of its booming volume, but instead by the stillness it invokes in all other things. Sacred.

Jane Marczewski’s story is sacred. As is mine. As is yours. Scribbled by the hand of God on ancient scrolls, imagined before time. Brought forth by His very own breath, taking a chance that the created would perhaps fall in love with the Creator. To live it, as He intended, is nothing short of magnificent. The best days, like standing on the peak of a climb well made, arms reaching out, head thrown pack, simultaneously laughing at the difficulty of the trek and the splendor of the landscape. The hardest days, like being huddled in a dark cave, wrapped in the sheltering wings of the Most High God, the One who would care enough to crawl into the cave to sit close until you’ve found the strength to once again search for sunshine.

Did you know it would be this hard?

I did not.

I thought following after Jesus would be a one time, be all to end all struggles. A finish line of great reward. Instead, it’s arduous. A fight for joy, daily. An untangling of feet that have gone off the path and a mind that is often lost in a world of metadata that has silently spun a web with the intention of modifying what is real, what is important and what is eternal.

Run the race marked for you with endurance. Walk every page of the sacred story, not one word overlooked, not one chapter out of order. Each page, marked by the penmanship of a God who pays meticulous attention to every detail.

Have you considered that perhaps the redemption story did not stop with Revelation 22? That it continues on into your life and into mine? In the life of a young woman who stands and sings brave into darkness? Into pain? Into uncertainty?

Have you considered that others are watching? Perhaps not to the tune of 20 million heart-beating humans, but to those whose pages intersect with your own? Those whose words tangle with those on your own pages? That your call to run your race impacts not only your story, but the storyline of those whom you encounter and of those whom you love?

Have you considered that all of the pages matter, especially the ones where the Father has climbed in to hold you close?

Have you considered we are all called to sing brave into darkness?

Paul writes, “Not only so, but we rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (Romans 5:3). Hope, our lifeline that carries us through seasons of suffering. Hope is not born by avoiding suffering but by perseverance through suffering. Is it now evident how a young woman whose body has seen so much pain can bring hope to our weary ears? How she sings, “it’s ok, it’s ok, it’s ok”? She has walked the pages of perseverance carried by hope in the One who will not disappoint (Romans 5:5). She knows the One who will make it ok. The “I will” God. She knows that feeling lost does not mean He has lost her.

Move your feet on this planet long enough and you will come to a crossroad where you will chose perseverance or an alternative. An intersection of hope or despair; of faith or disbelief; of joy or misery; of love or abandonment. Perseverance looks like holding onto the goodness of God when everything else screams otherwise. Perseverance looks like remembering your story includes Revelation 22:17 when darkness threatens to pull you in. Perseverance looks like taking one more step, giving up one more prayer, soaking in one more chapter, surrendering one more day, knocking one more time. Choosing the path of perseverance is choosing to experience God in a way you would otherwise miss.

Hope begins to look like one more smile, one more brave song sung into the darkness, one more story lived well.

There is an Author who once wrote a book to remind you and me of all He is. In this book He records promises, promises to keep when our world looks more like a cave than a mountaintop. Promises that are intended to be fuel for perseverance.

• Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy (Psalm 126:5).
• Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts His people and will have compassion on His afflicted ones (Isaiah 49:13).
• Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken. nor my covenant of peace be removed (Isaiah 54:10).
• But the man who makes me his refuge will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain (Isaiah 57:13).
• Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for Him (Isaiah 64:4).
• I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25).
• The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him (Nahum 1:7).
• Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world give. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid (John 14:27).
• I am going away and will come back to you (John 14:28).
• Remain in me and I will remain in you (John 15:4).
• And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

There are more, oh so many more. More than can be recorded in this short reminder. Find them. Write them on your hearts, on your notecards. Carry them with you. Say them out loud. Sing them. Use them to bring you through and out into the sunshine.

He has authored our stories with a good finish. We are called to live them with perseverance fueled by His promises, to share our hope in Him with a world that aches for sustaining hope. A world of humans longing for someone to know they are feeling a little lost sometimes. A world of humans who need to know that when they are feeling lost, He has not lost them.

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For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: "I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so I will look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness" (Ezekiel 34:11-12).