Chrissy Siggee

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

Psalm 22:1-15

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them. They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother’s breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother’s belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.

Do you find yourself like David asking why bad things happen, or why someone close to you has to die? Have you ask God why you are in the situation that you’re in, or why people tell lies about you? Major catastrophes and personal disasters occur. Unfortunately, it’s part of life. Some people seem to experience these things more than others, and we ask God “WHY?” We often ask “Where is God in all this?”and just as David did, we cry out to God for answers.

I believe God is big enough to carry our doubts, criticisms, anger, confusion and frustration, but there often seems to be no explanation. We are left in doubt and confusion. And yes, we are free to question God, but we need to develop patience: for God will reveal the answers only when we are ready to hear them.

Our world is not at all perfect, and neither are we. God is perfect, He wants us to learn to be perfect, and He sent Christ to show us the way. We shouldn’t find meaning to our suffering, but let the suffering add meaning to our lives. If we have never suffered, how can we empathize with others who suffer? If we never fail, we can’t lift up those who also fail. Our suffering adds meaning to our lives. Our pain adds to our love for others who also suffer, as we suffer, as Christ suffered.

Hebrews 4:16 says. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

We need to ask God to help us to become more patience and more like what he wants us to be. Thank Him for the good things, and seek the resilience to endure the bad. To live, not in the shadow of fear and despair, but in the light of God’s love.

Perhaps one day, God will answer our questions of ‘Why?’ Perhaps we are just impatient, and want to know the answers before we are ready to understand or accept them. Whatever the reason, trust Him and know it’s okay to ask Him questions. Allow God to develop patience and trust.

Father, as we call on you in our time of need, help us to grow in patience and understanding as we learn to trust you in all things, bad and good, in our life. Amen

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

FEAR IS THE KEY

Revelation 14:6-7 “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

I don’t often use verses from Revelation but I like these. What does it mean to fear God? For the unbeliever, the fear of God is to fear the judgment of God and eternal death. As believers, fear is reverence of God.

Hebrews 12:28-29 says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.”

I’m not scared of God. As a believer I have no reason to be scared of Him. I have His promise that nothing can separate me from His love.

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Fearing God means to have such a reverence for Him that it influences the way I live. This reverence and admiration of God is what the fear of God means for me as a Christian. This is the motivation for me to surrender my whole self to God, the Creator of the Universe; the key to serving the Lord with all my heart and with all my soul.

Father, I worship You in awe of Your great love for me. Thank You for the key to being able to serve You in my daily life. I give You all the glory and worship You, the Creator and God. Amen

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

AND THEY BLINDFOLDED HIM

And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? Luke 22:64

And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. Mark 14:65

The death and resurrection of Jesus is completely in the past. It’s history. He died for sin once, and He will die no more. Death has no power over our Lord and Savior. But spiritually, the death and resurrection of Christ is ever present. Spiritually it takes place repeatedly in the very nucleus of humanity. We crucify Him again and again. Jesus Christ is betrayed, abandoned, spat at, mocked and crucified every moment of the day, every day. Every part of the passion story is characteristic. In a mystical sense, we were there when He died for our sins.

The verses related to the blindfolding of Jesus are often read as part of the story as a whole. Sometimes these verses are not even included in Easter Bible readings at all. I find that this particular incident is significant to the soldiers’ behavior toward the ministry of Jesus. There also doesn’t appear to be any recorded that Pilate directed them to carry out this specific treatment. These soldiers repeated mocked and struck Jesus while His face was covered.

I often wonder why renowned artists, past or present, have never attempted to paint this appallingly tragic scene on canvas. At least I’ve never seen one. I understand from my own research that this incident took place in the courtyard of the palace of Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest, in the very early morning before dawn. There would have been an open fire burning, perhaps a full moon and eerie shadows. But one thing I’m sure of is that Jesus would not have been the only one unable to see in that courtyard. Our blindfolded Jesus, Christ our Lord, would have been surrounded by a group filled with blind hatred: servants of the Sanhedrin, those hired by the high priests, witness of Jesus’ miracles, and all from His own Jewish race. But Jesus remained silent…

This portion of the passion adds more emphasis on the repulsive behavior Jesus endured before the cross. Is this what Peter witnessed and where he denied His Lord? The last face Jesus looked upon before he was blindfolded was Peter’s so one assume it was. No wonder Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Jesus suffered for us not only to redeem us from sin and curse, but suffered to leave us an example that we should walk in His footsteps. In every incident of the passion, Jesus cries out for us to follow Him. We need to live boldly and completely for Him, without hesitation of the consequences of those who ridicule and scoff. Accept the mudslinging and hateful rejections. Be silent before your accusers, and for His sake and the gospel, do no grow weary in doing good. (Galatians 6:9)

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10

© Chrissy Siggee

Scripture Verses used are from the King James Version of the Bible

RIVER’S EDGE

It is hard to imagine my life without a daily walk down by the river. The river had been my life source in a way I have not experienced before at anytime, anywhere, or since. My river walk experiences introduced many changes into my life. It was a place where I could soak in the warmth of the sunshine and feel the coolness of a winter breeze. There, I pondered on God’s mercies and grace. There was no better place to spend time with my Lord at the start of the day than by the river.

The first few times I attempted those daily walks, I found it to be quite a difficult task to accomplish. I had previously considered it was enough to sit on the grass beside the car and enjoy the peace. Finally, I began to make that daily walk and found that place of solace.

Walking was a painful experience but after almost ten years of dragging my right leg behind me like a piece of heavy driftwood, a podiatrist introduced me to a new friend, a drop-foot brace. The orthotic gave me a much more normal gait pattern and allowed me to walk with less stress on the joints. It created a reflex movement that allowed me to swing my leg forward in a more normal walking rhythm.

After my times spent by the river, my writing inspiration came in torrents and swiftly, yet this river was calm and serene. It was like being in harmony with creation, independently closer to God the Creator. Expressions of my thoughts I shared through my poems and devotions were stimulated by my river walks. Words, sentences and even simple ideas, blended into my thoughts as I took in the glorious surroundings. I offered up many a prayer to my Lord when walking the brick pathway along that river’s edge.

A wooden park bench had been thoughtfully placed on a grassy bank, and there I would take in the panoramic view that overlooked a bend in the river. I loved to sit a while before taking the trek back along the pathway to the car and begin another day. I could view the distant mountain range which formed an uneven outline of the horizon. When I looked back up the river, I could see the still sturdy ancient bridge where cars and trucks travel back and forth to their destinations. The bridge spread over a wider section of the river. Its distance gave the scene a toy-like appearance.

Every living plant and creature around me worshiped the Lord with its uniqueness. Every day it amazed me at the many new discoveries in the beauty of that river. I learned much about my Lord in portraits painted by the Creator. The river reflected the majestic wonder of God’s greatness. The realisation that I too am unique in God’s plan had deepened my relationship with the Father.

Sadly, my river walks came to a sudden end. I spent months housebound, and eventually confined to bed until major back surgery October 2007. A few short months later I was mobile again but we moved interstate and hundreds of miles from the river that had changed my life.

I did have the opportunity to walk beside a lake, but it’s not the same, yet I know the creator meets me anywhere at any time, and He does.

Until recent knee surgery I had again experience the constraints of the home. Although not as long as my previous confinement, I was able to get through it all with the experience of knowing God is with me where ever I am. With time and healing I hope to find another special place; a place of solitude and peace where I can pour out my soul to the Father.

He knows my every weakness. He knows my every pain and I know He is always with me at my river’s edge.

In creation, I see peace, beauty and expectations of God’s promises to his children. One day I will be with Him, in all His glory, in a place where there is no more pain and tears are wiped away. Until then, I will enjoy the little pleasures in this life He has given to me. I will spend time walking beside Him…no matter where ever I am.

© Chrissy Siggee