I talked to a few different people yesterday. They had a Monday. Me too. It was in the air. It’s wasn’t the kind of Monday filled with new hope for a great and wonderful week. But rather the kind of Monday that’s full of rocks in the field. It seems the world is getting to be a rockier place. Indonesia just had a 7.5 earthquake last Friday; floods and lives are being cleaned up on the East Coast and winter’s not even here yet; politics for the supreme court are dominating news stations and gossip columns; politics in the world are aiming straight for war and worry; churches are not a dependable fixture anymore unless you’re talking End Times fixtures; families are stretched emotionally because they’re surviving mentally; money is driving those who have it and devastating those who don’t. We have more busy reactions to life than permanent plans for it. It’s tough. Really tough. What do we do when we feel like this? What do we do when a Monday feels so present and a Sabbath seems long gone? We remember God doesn’t have Mondays, He answers Mondays. We remember God gave us strength enough to do Monday’s and weakness enough to do them with Him. We remember God doesn’t have rocks under His feet, He’s the fortress for them, so we go there.
Hadassah had a Monday. She could either save her own life or save God’s people. She faced it, chose it, and prayed for it, then she was named for it. “Esther the brave queen born for such a time as this.” In my mind, Esther, the daughter of God who stood holding hands with the Father around His fortress. Noah had a Monday. He could either build an attitude of stubbornness or build a boat of salvation for God’s people. He faced it, chose it, and prayed for it, then he made history and God made a new earth for it. “Noah Ark.” In my mind, Noah, friend of God who stood holding hands with the Father around His fortress. Joseph had a Monday. He could either run from Mary and the Son of God’s birth or embrace Mary and plan for the Son of God’s death. He faced it, chose it, and prayed for it, then he was named for it. “Mary AND Joseph.” In my mind, Joseph, servant of God who stood holding hands with the Father around His fortress. The Bible is full of Monday stories and Sabbath endings. I wonder if mine could ever be in there. It may not be as hyper or historical as Bible times, but does it fit at the fortress? Bills, relationships, priorities, work, health, world issues affecting the inside of my world. Sometimes all of that is in one Monday. Do I fit at the fortress when I’m done with my Monday story? Will I see a Sabbath ending when I’m done?
In our generation, our Monday world isn’t starting with the Son of God’s stable beginning. In our generation, it’s ending with the Son of God’s soon returning. It’s in the air. There’s lots of “for such a time as this–where’s Esther” or “we need an Ark–where’s Noah” moments. Things are coming unhinged. Relationships are groaning. Fixtures are falling. End times are here. Is God? Is the fortress close enough to bring our stumbling rocks to and leave them at the fortress and join hands with the other kids of Christ? Yes. Because there was a Mary AND Joseph. Yes. Because there is a God. Yes. Because you were part of the plan all along.
At the end of my Monday yesterday, after I learned what my October tax bill was and after my grandpa was put in a nursing home to recover from stroke and after a friendship hit a big rocky spot, my niece delivered her beautiful baby. Hours upon hours of labor; hours upon hours of pain and contracting; Monday laboring. Sound familiar in your life? Then came the miracle of making it through Monday laboring. New life. Breathing, being held, being loved. Is the fortress close enough to lay our stumbling rocks at, bring our life stories, and join hands with the other kids of Christ? Yes. The fullness of God’s answer to anything that feels Monday to you is there’s a miracle waiting for you at the fortress with new life, new breath, and a whole lot of love radiating up from His hand to your heart. Come be part of the circle of stories. And “when such a time as this” comes for all the Esther’s, Noah’s, Joseph’s, or you, you can be sure you’ll be part of the flight home and leave the world behind. Don’t give up on Monday. Don’t give up on any day. Face it, choose it, pray for it. God’s coming.
“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:2
“Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you. . .” 1 Timothy 6:12
Lamb Lines 