The Missing Crown, the Lightning, and the Cross in the Shadow
It started at my men's morning group at Radiant West. We were doing a sermon recap on the fruits of the Spirit. When we broke into prayer, the guy next to me grabbed my hand, and a literal shock went through me. It instantly brought me back to 2005—the year Cash was born and the year I finally quit the band—remembering a specific moment when a man prayed over me to remove whatever darkness was in me. Later that same morning, the guy from the table texted me out of nowhere, saying he felt I was being seriously tormented by the enemy and that he was actively praying for me.
Ironically, later that night, the only dental crown in my mouth fell out. Most people would panic and say, "Wow, spiritual warfare," but I didn't have any pain. I managed to get an 8:00 AM appointment to fix it. It was incredibly annoying, and I didn't get home until 11:00 AM, completely exhausted, blowing up all my Saturday work plans. But honestly? I just felt an overwhelming sense of peace. This Wednesday is a heavy day in Lynchburg. It is the sentencing hearing for the man who murdered my son—not for Cash's death, but for assaulting four officers in jail. A missing crown and a blown schedule are nothing compared to the weight of this week, and I am thankful for the grace to just roll with it.
So here I am, up early at 5:05 AM on Sunday, sitting on my balcony. Lightning is rolling across the Gulf of Mexico, and there is a crisp feeling of fall in the air. I am looking over the edge, realizing that my lifelong, paralyzing fear of heights has slowly faded as God has given me a new spirit. But the most profound moment happened when I looked at the pillar on my balcony. I have a statue of Jesus sitting there. I have looked at it a thousand times since moving here. But this morning, as the light hit it, I noticed a cross perfectly formed in the shadow just above the statue. It has been sitting four feet from my face for the six months I've lived here, and I never saw it.
Today's SOAP
S - Scripture
Jeremiah 39:1-2 (NIV): "In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through."
Psalm 26:1-2 (NIV): "Vindicate me, LORD, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the LORD and have not faltered. Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind;"
O - Observation
The siege of Jerusalem lasted a grueling 18 months. During that time, King Zedekiah secretly listened to Jeremiah’s warnings but was too paralyzed by fear to actually take action. He had the truth right in front of his face, but he missed the opportunity to surrender. In stark contrast, David writes in Psalm 26 with a bold, almost terrifying confidence, actively asking God to test him, try him, and examine his heart and mind. David wasn't hiding from the truth; he was begging God to expose it.
A - Application
As I read about Zedekiah's stubborn blindness, I felt a wave of conviction. How can I possibly fault the King of Judah for missing Jeremiah's prophecies when I have been sitting on this balcony for the last six months, totally blind to the cross in the shadow right in front of my face? How many years of my life did I wander in the world, completely missing the cross that was staring me down? I don't want to be a passive listener like Zedekiah anymore. As I walk into this heavy week with the court hearing, I am adopting David's bold prayer. I want God to test me and try my mind. I am letting go of my fear, my need for control, and my blindness.
P - Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the peace You are providing ahead of this brutal week in court. Thank You for the brothers in Christ who pray for me when the enemy tries to bring torment. Forgive me for the years I spent blind to the cross that was right in front of me. Lord, I echo David today: test me and try me. Examine my heart and my mind. Whatever remnants of fear or self-reliance are still hiding in the shadows of my life, expose them and remove them. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Today's Challenge:
We all have a tendency to be spiritually blind to the things right in front of us. Today, ask God to boldly test your heart and mind. Pray specifically that He would open your eyes to one area of obedience, one unconfessed sin, or one blessing that has been sitting right in front of your face that you have been completely missing.
