I Can't Even Walk - Tuesday, December 8 (Advent 2020)
For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.
Isaiah 41:13
As the story unfolded, my heart was once again reminded of the absolute power, glory, and importance of the coming of Jesus. The north end of Winnipeg is well known for many things, one of them being the difficult time many First Nations people have living there. There are somewhere between seventy to eighty thousand First Nations people living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, most in the north end. There are many social problems, racism, people living on the streets, and so much hopelessness.
For about 20 years, I have been singing with Howard Jolly, a Cree Christian leader and pastor in Winnipeg, calling ourselves, “The Rising Above Band.” We choose that name because we believe it is only Jesus who can help us “rise above” all our problems, and He has the ultimate answers to the biggest questions and challenges in life. Only God can truly help us.
One morning, after we had finished a short concert at a mission in the north end, Cheyanne, from a First Nations Tribe, began to tell Howard she had had plans to take her life later that day. She had told no one about her plans and before she went through with them her sister asked her to come to this morning concert. For some reason, she agreed, and while we were singing an old gospel song called, “I Can’t Even Walk,” she broke down and changed her mind. Of all the songs we sang, I was surprised this, not some modern worship song, was the one that touched her heart and helped her find hope.
The chorus is simple: “I can’t even walk without you holding my hand, the mountains too high and the valleys too wide, down on my knees I’ve learned to stand, cause I can’t even walk without you holding my hand.”
Our world is going through troubling times. I have no idea what you may be going through this Christmas. But I do know one thing: Because Jesus came, there is hope.
Jesus came and will walk with you through anything! This Advent, meditate on the truth that with the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, we have eternal and lasting hope. Like Cheyanne with God holding our hand, we can make it through anything, having hope now and forever.
Dear Lord, we thank you so much for coming to earth to show us who you really are. Thank you that we do not have to fear and that you are holding our right hand, even though, with all our troubles, it may not seem so at times. We worship you for this great salvation and the peace in knowing that with you we can walk through anything. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.