Valerie Rae Hanneman
Isaiah 6:2-3 (NIV) “Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.”
I am going to Nigeria. Can you believe that? When I stop to think about it, it just blows me away. When Biana and I first talked on Super Bowl Sunday about me going to Faith Alive it didn’t seem like something that would really happen. Then came the jaw-dropping day when Dr. Chris’ invitation was in my e-mail. This great man, this hero of the faith (and one of my personal heroes) wanted me to come and use my skills to further his work. How cool is that? My acceptance was immediate. For a while, I was walking on clouds – but then reality set in. I, who manage to get lost in my own neighborhood, (embarrassing – but true – ask my kids) was intending to get on a plane – by myself – and fly through Los Angeles, London ending up in Abuja, Nigeria. When I told my mom what I was intending to do – she voiced my concern, “But what if you get lost?” And then other doubts – I don’t know the software program that Faith Alive uses – will I be able to learn it? And I am an insulin-dependent diabetic – how am I going to get six weeks of my meds to Nigeria when my plan will only cover a 30 day supply? How am I going to keep the insulin refrigerated? Where am I going to get the money? Will I get my passport in time? What’s a visa? Who’s gonna take care of my mom? My kids? Rascal? And I REFUSE to think about 18 hours with 30,000 feet and three inches of metal between the earth and me! “Abba!” my heart cried, “I know that this trip is from You – help me to have faith!”
Isaiah’s vision of the throne room of God is extraordinary! I love to read about the train of God’s robe filling the temple, the Seraphs flying, smoke billowing and the doorposts shaking. Is that awesome or what? And I bet that Isaiah didn’t write about even the half of it! I think there were sights so amazing that he was unable to describe them! But he did do a pretty good job of describing those Seraphs, didn’t he? In fact, the Seraphs are the best described things in the throne room. I am of the personal belief that when God takes the time to describe something in detail, it is because there is something He wants us to know – so what is it about those Seraphs? What is Abba trying to show me?
Then it hit me – it’s the wings. There is a lesson in the wings. Six wings, each pair of wings with a different function. With one pair of wings the Seraphs covered their eyes, with one pair they covered their feet and with one pair they flew.
It was a pretty gutsy move to fly in God’s throne room with your eyes covered. How could you tell where you were going? What if – heaven forbid – you crashed into God! Okay, okay – I know – they could not crash into God – He would have known they were coming and ducked. But what about the walls and the pillars? Why were they not fearful of plowing into a wall and becoming nothing more than some loose feathers floating around? They could cover their eyes with impunity because they knew that God had set their path and as long as they released themselves to His guidance He would not let them crash. Their trust in God and His ability to guide them and protect them was absolute.
The pair of wings that covered their feet demonstrated the Seraph’s part in all of this. They had absolute trust in God to guide them on the path they needed to travel, but more was needed. Their commitment to the path was needed. Their willingness to go where God was leading them was vital. They covered their feet to protect their feet from straying from the path that God had set for them.
And with the last two wings they flew. They kept on keepin’ on the path that had been set by God for them. They covered their eyes because they trusted God to set their path, they covered their feet to protect them from straying from the path, and now they are going down the path – and that is the most important part. They might have trusted God’s path set before them, they might have protected their feet from straying from the path – but until they started going down the path – it didn’t mean anything.
I was really “sweatin’ the small stuff” but then came the time when I realized I could not possibly deal with every issue that my mind threw up as a roadblock and I decided that if God wanted me to go then He’d have to take care of the details. After I released myself to God, things started to fall together. My passport arrived 12 days after I applied for it, my visa showed up in 6 days. Blue Cross cut through paperwork and requirements to get me three months supply of my meds, I was shown how a thermos and blue ice would get my insulin to Nigeria. A friend showed me a one-day class in the software, Terrie Hitch gave me an older version of it so I could continue to learn at home. Funding was somehow there. Things I had not asked for were there – a $350 digital camera on a one-day, unadvertised sale, and I just happened (?) to be there, and it just happened (?) to be within my budget. And as for getting lost? Father is sending Biana back to Fresno in July and she and I will be traveling together to Jos. How great is our God!
This is not to say that everything is perfect. Satan has come against me in a multitude of ways. And the most disturbing of all – my mom’s surgery has been delayed and will probably happen when I am in Nigeria. That’s a tough one, but I am trusting in Father that all will be well. Every time something else happens I determine again to keep my feet covered and not to stray from the path.
And so I keep on keepin’ on and I am going to Faith Alive. I will continue down my path with my eyes covered – trusting in Father, with my feet covered, not straying from the path, and continuing on down my path as I pray that I will be used by Father.
The Seraphs, as they flew, were so filled with love and worship that they cried out continuously, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God Almighty. The whole earth is filled with His glory.” That’s my song too.
Father God, thank You for the lesson of the wings. Help me to trust You enough to keep my eyes covered, to not stray from Your path and to keep on keepin’ on.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at Valerie@fresnofirst.org.
Posted by Valerie at June 29, 2007 05:29 PM