Heavy lifting

As we flip our calendars to September and start looking toward the fall, it feels like we’re all still trying to balance the heaviness of this year with some sense of hope. How can one year hold so many losses? I keep trying to push back against the weight of the disappointments with little pockets of celebration whenever we can squeeze them in. My mom just had a birthday and our middle one turned 12 yesterday, so that at least gives us cause for some cake this weekend. Our favorite canine also has a birthday in a few days (we’ll be the same age in dog years!), so she may even get in on the festivities if she can contain her excitement. That seems unlikely.

Since my oldest two are home doing virtual school, I’m hearing quite a bit more commentary about everything from my wardrobe to my hair color these days. One of their recent observations is that I need to strengthen my arms because I’m too weak. This is a fair assessment, albeit an unsolicited one. But I do know that all the experts say exercise is more important than ever for our bodies and our brains right now. So I’m trying to make daily walks and even some minor strength training more of a habit. I love the walks, but I hate the weights.

My biggest discouragement with the strength training happens every time I start the comparison game with my spouse. He lifts heavy weights for three days and his shirts get tight in the arms. I lift tiny weights for three months and some muscle in my necks starts spasming. His efforts reap a new physique. My efforts reap physical therapy. And I’m not even sure how this is possible given the size of my preferred pink weights.

I’ve about decided that some of us just aren’t made for heavy-lifting. Maybe my arms are destined to be weak. In the practical sense, I know this is a lame excuse to settle for low muscle tone. But in the spiritual sense, I think there’s some truth here. Truly, none of us are made to do all the heavy lifting. And certainly not the kind of lifting this year is requiring of us. We need the support of each other and a divine source of strength, sometimes just to get through the afternoon.

The right hand of God or the arm of God is often described in the Bible as “mighty” or “powerful.” No unsteadiness, no weakness. Mighty. The imagery is the exact opposite of my weak arms. But the arms of God are also portrayed as loving. He comes to us both as a powerful Savior and a tender Shepherd. Strong and gentle.

Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm… He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. Isaiah 40:10-11

When I think of lifting, I think of work. But sometimes lifting is just as much an act of worship. One of my favorite retired pastors always began Communion with a familiar liturgy, saying: “Lift up your hearts.”

And the people would respond: “We lift them up to the Lord.”

Maybe that’s the most important kind of weight-lifting we need to be doing right now. Lifting each other and lifting our own heavy hearts up to the Lord. His strong arms are open.