Cutting The Cord

About a month ago we got word that our nephew Matt Johnson was lost on Mt. Fuji.  That night Jackie and I met for the first of what would be many nights with family at Matt's parent's house.  We prayed, we worshiped, we did what family does when something like this happens.  That first night one of Jackie's sisters was working on another one of her beautiful and highly prized baby blankets, and because we knew that Matt had a tent that was grey and orange she was incorporating a strand of orange yarn into one of the patterns in honor of Matt.  Some of us asked Jill for a strand of the yarn which we then tied around our wrists as a visible reminder to keep praying.

Day after day we prayed.  For Matt, for his family, for the search teams and with and for the many thousands that joined us and greatly encouraged us in prayer.  We had hope for many days that one way or another Matt would be found.  When the local search teams came up empty Matt's dad and a brother-in-law flew to Japan to work with a search team of professional climbers.  That too came up empty and as I write Jerry and Gerry are in the air on the way back home.

Even though we know where Matt's spirit/soul is, and even though we know that we did everything we knew how in both the physical and the spiritual to find Matt, and even though we know it is highly possible that Matt is now buried deep within a heavy layer of snow, we still wonder why he has not been found.  We still wonder, with all the prayer, what is going on?

I woke up the night before last in the middle of the night.  In my evening prayers I had asked God once again to show me where Matt's body was.  When I woke that night I said, "Well God, where is Matt?" and immediately the thought "Matthew 18:21" came to mind.  I repeated the number several times, went back to sleep and checked it out in the morning.  The verse reads Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?".  Well, that didn't seem to offer any clarity, even when adding the next verse where Jesus replies that forgiveness should extend to seventy times seven.

This morning I got up with the thought that after church today I would cut the orange yarn that was around my wrist and that the subject of my next blog post would be about the hope that we still have in the midst of a lost.  I thought of daughter Ceci with baby Gracie, of daughter Carrie with baby Hudson and baby James and of the plot in a little cemetery in Holland that they still visit with tears.  I thought of daughter Becky who just yesterday had her anniversary with baby Bailey, and Bailey's snow covered plot.  I thought of my sister Carol and her husband Ed and of their son Kevin, drowned at age 21.  And I knew that the title should be "Cutting The Cord".  My thought was not that by cutting the cord we are forgetting but that in all things we don't understand we have to release it to God and trust.

Well, God kinda freaked me out this morning at church.  The sermon series is on marriage but the title of the sermon today was "Cutting The Cord".  Pastor Dave starts right off by saying, "Turn to Matthew, chapter 18", and begins with verse 21!  I actually said under my breath, "Oh my God!"  The cord that Pastor Dave talked about was one of unforgiveness.  I know that subject doesn't apply to our current situation with Matt but I am grateful for the confirmation.  He did not show us where Matt is but at some point we need to release it to God and trust that He has been hearing our prayers, that He is in control and that we will somehow make it through the pain.

I would like to conclude by quoting from Psalm 18.  One day years ago my father-in-law Harry gave me a book titled HINDS FEET ON HIGH PLACES.  The book is a metaphor of our spiritual journey.  After I read it and gave it back to him he asked me what I thought.  "I really liked it".  "Well good" said Harry.  "I'm glad someone does.  I think if you are going to say something you should just come out and say it".   Ha.

When I read this passage it reminds me that the battle is indeed the Lord's.  That in this physical life when we aim to climb high we sometimes slip, but the Lord who made the mountains is still with us.  That the victory is and will be His.  That He will not leave us.  That we can trust Him.

With the kind You show yourself kind.  With the blameless You show Yourself blameless.  With the pure you show yourself pure.  And with the crooked You show Yourself astute.

For You save an afflicted people.  But haughty eyes You abase.  For You light my lamp.  The Lord my God illumines my darkness.  For by You I can run upon a troop.  And by my God I can leap over a wall.

As for God, His way is blameless.  The word of the Lord is tried.  He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.  For who is God but the Lord?  And who is a rock except our God?  The God who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless?

He makes my feet like hinds feet.  And sets me upon high places.  He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

You have also given me the shield of Your salvation.  And Your right hand upholds me.  And Your gentleness makes me great.  You enlarge my feet under me.  And my feet have not slipped.  (Psalm 18: 25-36)