What do you call your cape?
I did some lamenting this weekend. There was A LOT of laughing with my wonderful boys, some walking and playing, chores, and an intense workout through a personal training session with David. (He’s THE BEST and offers worldwide virtual training - click here if you want to know more!)
But there was also lamenting. Some of it was personal. It’s another story for another day, but I’m still wrestling through the loss of my NaNa and all of the places we need God to intervene for our immediate family - wondering why He hasn’t answered those prayers the way I thought He would, the way I was sure a good, good Father would. Some was in response to the way this COVID pandemic is affecting people we love. Marriages, children, mental health, education systems, and finances are feeling the impact of this long season in painful ways. We heard many heavy stories this weekend - not without hope, but heavy, nonetheless.
I got up early today and opened Lamentations 3. I knew somewhere in there was a promise for new mercies for this morning. I like to study the Bible with David Guzik’s commentary. It’s easy to access and understand. You can get a free app on your phone or use this desktop site to access it. Here’s a snippet from this morning’s reading:
This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23
“At the south of Africa the sea was generally so stormy, when the frail barks of the Portuguese went sailing south, that they named it the Cape of Storms; but after that cape had been well rounded by bolder navigators, they named it the Cape of Good Hope. In your experience you had many a Cape of Storms, but you have weathered them all, and now, let them be a Cape of Good Hope to you.” (Spurgeon)
We live here! We know those storms! We just went 24 hours without electricity last week because of them! A quick google search on this revealed that the actual Portuguese translation for the “Cape of Storms” could also be read “Cape of Torment”. The very same cape as the Cape of Good Hope. You could say it depends on the day, the wind, the weather. Or it could be the perspective and experience you bring. But you know what else... it could just be what you decide to call it.
I often feel like I’m in year 5 of a storm, and my boat is springing a few hope leaks from the wear and tear. But my boat is not where is started. It’s come far despite the weather, and it still floats. I’m going to remember this geographical object lesson, put up my sails and call it Good Hope.
Photo by Matthieu Joannon on Unsplash