We have the POWER to tread upon serpents

We have the power!

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’ve just woken from a nap. My intention is to start some spring cleaning and organizing but my heart is overwhelmed. My heart is overwhelmed with people and situations I have placed there in prayer and it’s busting at the seams. I can feel it. This is not the same feeling I get when I harden my heart but a pressure from its softening. The softening of compassion. It allows me to feel the pain, anxiety and sadness of all who’ve asked me to pray for them. I place these people and situations in my heart so that I won’t forget them. More importantly, I place these people and situations in my heart because my heart is big enough, strong enough and made to withstand the pressure. My heart is where the Spirit dwells.

What am I overwhelmed with? I’m overwhelmed with concern for the sick and suffering: for my brother who’s in the fight of his life; the brother whose closest support is both narcissistic and selfish; for a brother in Christ whom I recently met who’s also in the fight of his life. There are so many others. I’m overwhelmed with emotion for those who have lost loved ones: those whose lack of faith leaves them inconsolable and those whose faith allows them the grace to rejoice. I am overwhelmed with concern for the mother whose child has been wrongly accused of a serious offense and the consequences that may result from that accusation.

I feel so overwhelmed with concern and sadness. It makes me wonder how I can maintain my joy? As I wonder, tears well up in my eyes because I feel like such a hypocrite. I feel like a hypocrite because I often advise my friends and family to not lose hope when they’re experiencing pain and struggle. I’m usually the one who says “trust in God”, “pray” and “all will be well.”

Today, the pressure of the struggle, sadness and evil that surrounds us suddenly became palpable for me. I find myself asking: what is going on? how can I possibly keep up? So I give up cleaning, knowing that what I NEED to do, what really MATTERS at this moment is prayer. I grab my Bible. An act of defiance against the tempter. Against the one who believes my God-given spirit can be weakened or worse, BROKEN! Not so, not so!

Before I opened my Bible, I decide to write a bit. I need to vent, express myself and release some pressure, so I do. When I open my writing notebook – BAM! God, front and center, never ever ceases to amaze me.

Here’s what I read: The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the Spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20

We are a powerful people! Jesus tells us so in this Gospel story. Shortly after acknowledging the power of the faithful, He reminds us that we should not rejoice over the “power” but over the fact that our names are written in Heaven. We are children of God. I am a child of God!

Today, amidst and despite the overwhelming emotion stirring within me, I rejoice over the Spirit also stirring within me. The Spirit that’s always leading. Leading me back to the place where God speaks. Back to that place where I hear and believe that ALL WILL BE WELL! As I write, I switch my focus and I’m reminded of the survivors, of the faithful, of the graceful. Now the tears welling up are not only tears of joy but the tears that come when I am in God’s presence. He is here with me, consoling me, giving me the eyes to see and the ears to hear! I can feel Him! Never underestimate the power of just being in God’s presence. Praise God! Thanks be to God!