The Center

Written Sep 24, 2013 1:18am

Today, my husband had his first follow-up appointment with the neurosurgeon. The stitches were removed and revealed an incision that has been healing quickly and beautifully over the past weeks. The doctor was very pleased with the progress that was evident and gave the release  to begin light activity - driving for short periods,pouring milk from a full carton, being up and about for longer stretches of time, etc. 

Three weeks ago as we were pulling into our hotel in Madison, exhausted and anxious about facing the surgery the next morning, it was difficult to imagine being at this point in our journey. Just like the picture of peace like a river that we were clinging to that day, we have encountered a few rocks in our path during the last few weeks. And also like the river, we did not get caught up in them. With the propelling strength of Christ's living water and with enveloping currents of love provided by family and friends, our lives have flowed around and through each obstacle. Our journey has been made more beautiful by the thoughts and prayers and kindnesses of those who have moved alongside of us.  

As I have considered the analogy that explains the concept of "peace like a river", I have been compelled to read more about the subject of rivers. One article explained that, "Rivers are essential.... Plants and animals grow and congregate around rivers simply because water is so essential to all life. It might seem that rivers happen to run through many cities in the world, but it is not that the rivers go through the city, rather that the city was built and grew up around the center of the river."  

I found many words used to describe a river - peaceful, active, cleansing, strong, gentle, confident, secure, tranquil, essential, and, to me, the most compelling - center. The river is described as the center of life. The river was the concept of peace that we cleaved to at the beginning of this journey, and now it is the center we have built and grown around. 

When I think of center, I think of Jesus. He is my river of life - my peaceful, active, cleansing, strong, gentle, confident, secure, tranquil, essential, center. 

The center verse of the Bible is Psalm 118:8, " It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man." 

In a book which I read daily called A Psalm in Your Heart, the author writes that the entire center chapter of the Bible is about moving forward into the most difficult situation we have ever faced. It is about not letting our circumstances alter our faith even when we are in a time of deep vulnerability. We might be deceived into thinking that we will never survive this, but instead, we can know that God will help us. He will be our strength and our song on this day, the very one we are living through at this moment, no matter how dark it may seem. 

Chapter 118 in Psalms ends with the words that can keep our hearts centered on the perspective of truth. "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;His love endures forever." Psalm 118:29

The lyrics of a song have been echoing in my head all day today:

Jesus at the center of it all 

From beginning to the end It will always be, it's always been you, Jesus...
Nothing else matters, nothing in this world will do...

Jesus you're the center, everything revolves around you...