He Lifts Our Head

// April 25, 2022 // He Lifts Our Head//

As we enter the second half of Kristi’s proposed treatment regimen, we are hopeful and anticipating a new future. This new future will have good and bad, ups and downs, failures and successes. It’s basically what we have experienced so far in our lives with one main difference – acute awareness. Awareness that we have limited time. Awareness that anything is possible. Awareness that today is today and tomorrow may never come. Awareness to take a few moments to look into each other’s eyes. Awareness to appreciate the things that annoy us. Awareness to forgive quickly. Awareness to laugh. Awareness to not put off tomorrow what can be done today. Awareness that things don’t have to be perfect to do them. Awareness not to spend all our time and energy planning for the future that may never come. Awareness to just be.

Our lives are short – we all know this. The reality is we are not very aware of it. What would you do differently if you knew how many days you have left? Who would you spend time with? Who would you make amends with? Who would you befriend, date, marry, love, and grow old with?

The Psalmist wrote some interesting words:

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

Hmmm… it sounds like someone knows how many days we have left. Someone has a calendar with our name on it. Someone is fully aware of the time we have allotted on this planet. Here the writer is asking for awareness, clarity, and understanding of our days.

My kids can tell you how many days they have left in school. Max counts the actual school days and Lily includes the weekends. Two different numbers, same target date. Kristi and I have been mentally counting down the days till her last treatment. We count based on treatment days, sick days, good days, medium days, and weekends. We used words like, “this is her good week”, or “this is a hard week.” Our numbers aren’t exactly the same but the target date lines up.

Counting down with anticipation is an exciting thing – unless we are talking about death. Our days are numbered. We can’t add or remove them, but we can waste them. The Psalmist gives a reason to learn the value of a day – so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Wisdom is a divine intervention in the way we observe, process, and execute our decisions. Wisdom comes from God. We can’t fabricate it, buy it, or sell it. God alone is the source and giver of wisdom. Since God is the source of wisdom, we need to take time to learn from Him. He is the One who can teach us. He is the One who gives – and He gives freely to those who ask.

Wisdom is God’s way to see the world and our lives in it. He wants us to be fully aware of how to take advantage of life. He is the source and lifter of our heads.

Over and over again Scripture tells us that God shields us, protects us, lifts us, guides us, loves us, pursues us, teaches us, and more. He designed our lives for these days. We can live in awareness or unawareness. We can live in knowledge or ignorance. We can live in wisdom or foolishness.

Kristi has been holding tightly to what is written in Psalm 3

“But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.” Psalm 3:3-5

He is our source of protection. He is the One who lifts our head. He is the One who gives us wisdom for today. He is the One who caries us during good and bad seasons. He is the One who gives meaning to our days.

We are counting our days as God lifts our head.

By the way – isn’t she beautiful?

Ray Rhoton

#jointhefight

#warriorqueen

#kristiswar