At Death's Door

We are very small; we just don't know it. Unless we are at Arches National Park in Utah, where everything dwarfs us. Or the Grand Canyon, or the Alps, or looking into a bright star-lit night sky.

But usually, we feel pretty big and important and needed. C.J. Mahaney, in his book Humility, defines that trait as "honestly assessing ourselves in light of God's holiness and our sinfulness." The ESV Bible calls it "a posture of lowliness and servanthood, as in Mark 10:45", where Jesus says that even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. He expands on what that might look like in Luke 6:27-36. Check it out. Yet, even in our serving, we feel proud and full of self-importance sometimes, don't we? Our very acts of living for Christ can sometimes turn on us and expand our heads without warning. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24)

Maybe we can ask ourselves a couple of questions to get to the bottom of our pride. We are justified by whom? And after our redemption by Christ, who sanctifies us, making us holy? If Christ justifies us and the Holy Spirit makes us holy, then what is left for us to do? To take up our cross daily and follow Him. The cross is not our suffering in this life, it is our death. You see, the cross is a symbol of death, not of hard living. For He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. For by his wounds you are healed. (1 Peter 2:24) It is His wounds, not ours, that make us good and holy and righteous. So stay small, and count your blessings in Christ.

Humble submission

Okay, it is time to put in another picture of our cute dog, Mr. Knightley. Isn't he the sweetest thing? If anyone else wants pictures of their cute creatures and/or children posted, just pass them along.

I actually used this picture because we're talking about humility today, and doesn't he just look so humble? Just waiting for someone to say "okay" and let him up from his "sit". Such a submissive little guy. Some of the time. Just like me, some of the time. The truth is, I am absolutely set on advancing and exalting myself, and having things my way most of the time. Aren't you? And then I fix my eyes on Jesus and this is what I see: "Though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:6-8) Oh my. This is who I am to be like, to reflect, on a daily basis in my dealings with all sorts of people. Can I do it? Would God ask me to do something He doesn't also equip me to do? He knows far better than I that I am dust.

In the very next paragraph, we are told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling [i.e.get serious about it!], for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure." I practice the disciplines while He works His image into my character and my actions. He is the vine, we are the branches that bear His fruit. Have His mind among yourselves. (from Philippians 2:5)

Kindness

The people of New Hope have been on some great mission trips. This is the California one, where they processed oranges to send to Third World countries. And most recently, a group went to Georgia to help clean up after the storms there in the spring. What a picture of kindness and compassion. Colossians 3 commands us firstly, after we have understood that we are chosen, holy and beloved in Christ, to put on compassion and kindness. Paul gives us in his letter to Timothy a pretty hard picture of kindness: "And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness." This takes it a little deeper than just delivering cookies at Christmastime or popping some money in the Salvation Army kettle, as good as those things are. Enduring evil? Correcting with gentleness?

But look at God's kindness to us: "I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them." (Hosea 11:4) This kindness is active and living and hard. What a kind God we have. And he wants to demonstrate this same kindness through us, His Body, to the world. How else will they know this kindness that has touched us?

Could you share a story of God's kindness to you? We would be encouraged to hear it.

"You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

Such a familiar verse, and yet so hard to appropriate in our lives. Mine anyway. One small thing can topple me off my place of peace, one spoken word, one hint of danger to one of my loved ones, one task too many on my list. What's my problem? My mind is not "stayed on" Christ; it's stayed on me.

A couple of weeks ago in class, we came up with four areas in which we are called to peace. There may be more, but we came up with these: peace with God in salvation, peace with others in our relationships, lack of anxiety about things in life, and clean slates before God/lack of guilty consciences. Can God handle all of this anxiety/stress in our lives? Isaiah 26 answers thus: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks." We are protected. By the almighty God himself. "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden [sounds like a harried mom to me] and I will give you rest [I'll take it]." Jesus spoke those words to those who were worried about so many things, like clothing and food. But to us too. Because we too are worried about many things. He wants us to know peace smack dab in the middle of our crunched lives.

What about peace with each other? Remember our lesson on forgiveness a few weeks ago? Janet's blog in November touched on it as well. Can we have inner peace when we are harboring resentment and unforgiveness? Give it up. Give it to Jesus, who knows how to forgive, and learn from him.

And as for that clean slate before God: When he most kindly wakes you in the middle of the night reminding you of a harsh word or a selfish use of your time, apologize. Right away. Get it out of yourself and accept his gracious forgiveness for it. Don't treat Christ's sacrifice as though it were not enough for your sins.

Isaiah 26 again: "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock." Amen?

A coal in my stocking

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." Colossians 3:12-13. A passage that is becoming as familiar to me, and hopefully to you, as the freckles on my hands.

And do you know what I noticed recently about these virtues? They are not lived out while sitting by the fire with a good book. Nor sitting alone on the beach. Where does the rubber truly meet the road in my walk with God? In my prayer closet? Yes. But also in my workplace/church/family, with others.

None of these virtues can be lived out alone. Each one is demonstrated in my walk with others. Patience comes easy by the fire. I am very meek staring out at Lake Michigan. I can even be kind while walking the dog. It's when I encounter other people that my impatience, ego, and griping kick in. Big time. And then I say, with Isaiah, "Woe is me. For I am lost; for I am a [woman] of unclean lips!" (Isaiah 6:5)

So, while I can have peace by maintaining a certain quiet compliance to my own wishes, when I hang out with my fellow globe-dwellers (more of them every day!), I need the peace that rules in my heart because of Jesus Christ and His mercy to me. "For it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) And the virtues will be evident in my life by the things I do for others, and in the way I treat them.

How do we know about God's character? By His great deeds in history. The parting of the Red Sea, the rescue of Noah, the healings, the cross. How will God's character then be seen in me? By the same route, my deeds in history towards her and him and you. "Touch my lips, O Lord, with a coal from your altar, and make me clean." (Isaiah 6:7)

Peace

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

Aah, sitting by the fire with a good book on a cold winter's eve. Watching the sun set behind a steeple. Sitting on the beach alone, staring out over the lake. This is peace, truly.

Or is it? Is this the peace we are to give our hearts to, according to Paul? Romans 5:1 says that we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And Jesus says, in John 14, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." And, if our peace is found at the beach or by the fire, why would Paul begin most of his letters with "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ"?

Maybe our idea of peace is different from God's. Maybe God's idea of peace is better than ours, even. Here is a peace that comes from God, that reaches down deep, that has nothing to do with our circumstances and everything to do with our relationship with God. And it's a peace that should pervade everything we do and say and feel. As the world around us rocks us to our core, we can stand on a rock that is immovable and not be shaken. That rock is Christ; if we are in Him, He holds us steady.

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe." (Hebrews 12:28)

Running the Race

I hereby dedicate this post to an All-American runner who placed 21st at the NAIA National Cross-Country competition in Vancouver over the weekend. Hip hip hooray for Maggie!

This, of course, came at a price: running long distances daily for years in all kinds of weather (mostly 90's and humid, since she lives in southeastern Tennessee), enduring a myriad of injuries and illnesses, learning good form, buying expensive gear, eating healthy (and expensive) food and lots of it, attending all the training sessions and races (no matter how she was feeling), running even on Christmas vacation in Wisconsin when it was frigid and icy. This is the price of winning.

Now hear what the apostle Paul says: For while bodily training is some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. . . . For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. . . . Practice these things, devote yourself to them. (1 Timothy 4:8, 10, 15a) I encourage you to read all of 1 Timothy 4:6-16 to see what exactly we are to put into practice.

I am certainly good, and I suspect you are too, at putting sin into practice. I actually have no problem doing that. What can I learn from my sin habits that will help me in my holiness practice? Repetition. Giving up other things. Doing it over and over and over (I have this part down).

So first, I give up the sin. As Kelly Minter says in The Fitting Room, I ought to "relinquish the old, starve the flesh, cease from certain practices." Then, by the power of the Holy Spirit and keeping my eye on the cross, I put on the new practices. And I do them over and over and over. I let the fruit of the Spirit grow in me, I spend time meditating on the Scriptures, I memorize, I pray, and I ask faithful friends to keep me on track.

And speaking of track, Maggie didn't get to Nationals by sitting around eating donuts, although a certain frozen yogurt shop saw quite a bit of her. She did what she didn't always want to do, she fought against her nature, she obeyed her coach, she tried to beat her teammates and a certain now-graduated runner from Shorter College.

Paul again: Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13) Our salvation is sure; we must work to live as those who are saved, but not without leaning heavily into God who does His glorious work in us.

Congratulations, Maggie!!

Stunning Apparel

Several months ago, news outlets covered the account of the forgiveness a mother gave to the man who had killed her only son. This forgiveness actually led to a friendship between the two individuals. Why was this reported on the news? I suspect because this type of forgiveness is stunning, standing out from the normal response of a mother who has lost a child in this way.

In Colossians 3:13, we are told to bear with one another and to forgive as the Lord has forgiven us. The forgiveness of someone who has deeply wronged us is not something that can be conjured up in our own strength. As we acknowledge our own sins and sinfulness, we see ourselves as Isaiah did when he saw a vision of our holy God and said "Woe is me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips." (Isaiah 6:5) Once we realize our own need for forgiveness, we don't have to fear that we are giving in or losing control when we forgive those who have wronged us. We can place the wrongs against us in the hands of our God, who has forgiven us in Christ and who is fully capable of handling any situation in His sovereign wisdom.

The Lord truly does see and hear our troubles and grief, and He is at work in each painful situation, just as He was in the life of Joseph. Joseph was able to say to his brothers, who had tried to destroy his life, "What you meant for evil, God meant for good." Joseph had put on the virtue of forgiveness, allowing the mercy of God to flow through him, and this "outfit" was in stunning contrast to the reaction that his brothers fearfully expected from him.

You can entrust your entire life to your faithful Creator, and put on the virtue of forgiveness. Instead of placing the wrongs against you back in the hands of those who have hurt you, you can place them in the hands of our all-seeing, all-knowing, and faithful God. You may not end up being close to the person who has hurt you, but you can know the sweetness of release from bitterness toward the person.

Carving, just in time for Thanksgiving

Michelangelo is famous for saying about his stunning ability to carve, "I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."

When we desire to "put on" the virtues laid out for us in Colossians 3, we must begin with "carving" out the things in our lives that are not virtues. Verses 5 through 9 remind us, in case we have forgotten: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, which is idolatry. . . . anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk, [lying]. Ouch! Ready to start carving?

Not until you remember one more thing. Back up to Colossians 2:11: In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ. Do you remember that when Abraham and his family were circumcised, it signified his belonging to God? He and all his household belonged to the Creator God, who had great things planned for them. And by the circumcision of Christ, the shedding of His blood not yours, you too belong to this Creator God. And your heart has been circumcised by Him, so that your belonging has made you different. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you (Ezekiel 36:26).

You have the power to put to death those things that choke out the virtues that show you belong to God. So carve away with the help of God's Spirit that lives within you. "Set your minds on things above" (Col. 3:2), on Him, who alone enables you to do it.

Swans and cygnets

Oh wow. What an amazing picture. How well those little children follow their mommy. Or daddy. Not sure which.

What a great picture of what following Christ might look like, if we actually did it. As we look at Colossians 3:12-17, we see a snapshot of that very thing. Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other. . . . And above all these put on love. Can we do this? On our own, no.

That is why Paul reminds us just before he lists the virtues that we are God's chosen ones, holy and beloved. It is in our identity as belonging to God Himself that we are righteous and holy. It is the holiness that Christ bought for us at the cross.

Remember the clothing lessons? Remember the fig leaves. Remember that trying to cover our own shame didn't work out so well. It is in "putting on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24) that we can obey at all. Alone, we just don't have it in us.

I invite you, no challenge you, to spend some time in Colossians 1 and 2, seeing God's amazing declarations about who you are in Him, and what He has done to accomplish your wardrobe in righteousness. Marvel at His goodness and kindness and mercy. And then live like what you are.

As you can see, I love posting random pictures that have nothing to do with anything. This one is called "Great Sand Dunes", but it looks more like "Mountain on a Large Ranch" to me. Tim? Help me out here.

So, in the midst of talking about how God clothes us from Genesis to Revelation (I'm not kidding: it begins in Genesis 3:21 and ends with Revelation 19:7-8!), we see God in 2 Corinthians unclothing us just a tiny bit.

Chapter 3, verses 15 and 16 say this: Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Do you remember the veil in the temple being torn in two when Christ died? We know that showed that God was not separating Himself from us any longer, that the sin that had kept us from God had been dealt with, that God's wrath against us had been fully poured out on Christ.

Just so with the veil over our hearts. When we turn to Christ for salvation, He removes the veil and shows Himself more clearly to us. We get to understand Scripture in a way we never were able before. The Holy Spirit illumines our reading and our meditating. Surely you have found that to be true.

But here's the best part: And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (verse 18). The more, then, that we look at Christ in His Word, illumined by the Spirit, the more like Him we become! If that isn't motivation to stay in the Word regularly, nothing will be. From one degree of glory to another. Hallelujah.

The colors of His clothing

Hasn't it been a spectacular fall? The color has just gone on and on. Think with wonder of how God clothes the trees for us every year; it's a rather complicated scientific process, to be sure, but one that He orchestrated for our pleasure and His glory. And glorious it is!

And then think with wonder, even greater, of the garments with which He has clothed us: The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me . . . to grant to those who mourn in Zion--to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified. (Isaiah 61:1, 3)

How can this be said of us? Because the Anointed One, Jesus Christ, has done it. God has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13, 14)

If we think the fall colors are amazing, consider the beauty of those who have been freed from the wrath of God, freed from the penalty of sin. Consider also the One who freed us, that One who is called Faithful and True atop a white horse, with His robe dipped in blood. He is called The Word of God, and He came to rescue us. Consider the beauty of His robe, showing us the deed done, the wrath of God against us satisfied.

Now those, white and red, are colors worth exclaiming over.

Lilies of the Field

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin. . . . But if God so clothes the grass of the field, . . . will he not much more clothe you? (Matthew 6)

Lilies remind us of God taking care of all of our needs. Let's look a little deeper at why God clothes us. Genesis 2:25 tells us that Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed. A mere seven verses later: Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew they were naked. We all know what earth-shattering event took place in the six verses between. Shame entered the world on the heels of the first sin. Did anyone ever want a do-over more than those two? And all they could do was sew flimsy leaves together to hide their shame.

Did God leave them in their flimsiness? Did he give them what they deserved? No. In a stunning act of condescension and compassion, after the curses were pronounced, the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21)

Why did they, do we, need to be clothed? Because we are covered in shame from head to toe and all points in between. Psalm 53:3: They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Isn't that a sad verse?

But we are not left naked in our shame. We have been clothed. We wear the robes of righteousness that Jesus bought for us at the cross. He took our shame; it is gone, it is finished. So be not anxious about your clothing. God has clothed you, as surely as the father of the prodigal ran out to meet him with embraces and kisses, followed posthaste by a robe and shoes. Wear those robes with humility and grateful hearts.

Are there days when you would love to escape to a place like this . . . and leave no forwarding address? So secluded and quiet, except for the crashing waves. Probably no phone signals either. Nice.

I actually don't know where this is; I found it in Tim's photo archives. Must be somewhere out west or out east, or down south. We don't need to know; just knowing it's there is comforting.

Now, where did you go this year that felt like a real getaway? A place like this, or with family, or just into a quiet room in your house? My getaway this year was to North Carolina, visiting our daughters and son-in-law. There is a wonderful lake hidden in the mountains there with a walking trail around it. Twice a day I walked it, in the morning, and usually again when the sun was setting. I felt a million miles from obligations, and that was good.

What about you?

Who doesn't love Bananagrams or Scrabble? Okay, playing Scrabble with my genius mom is no fun, but BG with Ben is great. We both look pretty smart, at least to ourselves!

This week's question: Favorite game, from childhood or adulthood?

Our current fave is "Garbage", two decks, total luck, borrowed from the Slippys.

Yours?

Raise your hand if you like wearing new clothes. Raise your hand again if you love looking at brides in their gowns. One more time if you agree that the best-fitting clothes are also the most expensive. Okay, your family's starting to look at you, so put your hand down. By the way, isn't my daughter-in-law gorgeous in her wedding dress?

Well, piggy-backing off of Pastor Jim's sermon on Psalm 45, we'll be talking in Sunday school this week about the clothing God provides for us, His bride. Verses 13 and 14 say this about us: All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. In many-colored robes she is led to the king. . . ." These stunning robes have been provided by the king. We, Christ's bride, couldn't possibly afford them, not soaked in our own self-absorption and self-gratification as we are. In fact, left to ourselves apart from His work in our hearts, we don't even want to be His bride; we just want the pretty clothes and sumptuous feast. But God began clothing us directly after the fall; remember the fig leaves that didn't work very well? And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them. (Genesis 3:21) Whew.

Join us this Sunday as we take a long look at the clothing God has so lavishly provided us throughout history.

Aahh . . . the last lazy days of summer. Just looks like Sunday afternoon, doesn't it? Sweet Willie, who thinks he's a cat.

Speaking of Sundays, before the nap (okay, not the greatest segue, I admit), we will be reviving the women's Sunday school class. Please join us as we explore indicatives and imperatives in Scripture, everyone's favorites!, and Colossians 3, about what we look like when we dress in the robes of righteousness that Christ bought for us on the cross.

We'll be meeting in the conference room, where the sun shines in warmly. Do join us . . . but save your nap for after church.

Books!

C. S. Lewis writes about books:

“Eating and reading are two pleasures that combine admirably.” (Don't you agree? Are you one who can hardly eat lunch without reading something?)

“I can't imagine a man really enjoying a book and reading it only once.” (So true, but who has time with so many other books waiting to be read?)

“We read to know that we are not alone.” (Aren't you so glad to be friends with Jane Austen, Dorothy Canfield Fisher ["Understood Betsy"], and John Bunyan?)

So what did you read this summer? No. What did you love reading this summer? There are just some books you have to stop and hug because they are so delicious. Right?

Give us a favorite fiction and then a nonfiction that you loved. I'll go first: For fiction, I liked Anna and Her Daughters, an old book by G. E. Stevenson, Robert Louis' cousin. For nonfiction, One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp was exquisite.

Now you.

Ladies' Kickoff

Please join us for the Ladies' Kickoff Event in the fellowship hall tomorrow night at 7:00 (Thursday, September 14).

Sharon Woodmansee is preparing a devotion just for us, and you don't want to miss it.

We'll also talk about the events and studies we'll be doing through the fall and winter.

We'll introduce you to the newest Bible study teacher at New Hope, who will be leading the evening studies.

Last but certainly not least, we'll enjoy, maybe even bathe in, a chocolate fountain and all its accoutrements. Okay, not bathe in. I just threw that in to add a little zest.

Do join us. You may even see some of the women pictured above. In fact, I'm sure you will.

the Light

Look what I found: a parallel. In my daily devotions (Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament), Nancy Guthrie pointed out Isaiah 60:19 to me: "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." Doesn't that sound familiar? Where have we heard that before?

That's right. Revelation 21:23 uses almost identical language to describe the end of this world as we know it, and the beginning of the next: "And the city [The New Jerusalem] has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb."

So when God said, "Let there be light" in the very beginning, it was always meant to be temporary, looking forward to the day when His glory would be all we would need, and His Son would be our lamp. "Your word is a lamp to my feet." (Psalm 119:105) Indeed. Jesus is the Word (John 1:1), and He is our lamp for all eternity.

Thanks to Tim Opelt for the glorious sunlight picture, which for some reason was stored on my computer. I hope it's not copyrighted.

Favorite verses

This is not my backyard. I wish it were so tropical. It must be Opryland Hotel in Nashville, and I inherited the picture from the elder son, who used to live there. Not at the hotel. In Nashville. Anyway, it's pretty, isn't it?

Today I thought we could share our favorite verses, and I also thought I could start with mine. But I don't know what it is, because I have so many. The first verse I ever memorized, back in 1974, because it struck me as so amazing was Hebrews 13:5b: For he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." What comfort.

Then came Philippians 4:4-7 about anxiety and rejoicing and the incomprehensible peace of God. More comfort.

Many favorite verses later, I think my current favorite is Psalm 104:1: Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great. Great in mercy, beauty, strength, wisdom, love, faithfulness, kindness, perfection. Great in more things that I can name, or even know.

What is your favorite verse of today or yesterday? Please share under anonymous, but with your name included.

Plentiful Redemption

Here's a cool picture I found on my computer. I'm thinking that little person is an offspring of mine, and that this was taken by another offspring last spring on our travels to the southwest U.S. I love this shot.

Psalm 130 is a wonderful study, parallel to Matthew 11:28-30, on resting in the Lord. We cry to the Lord when overwhelmed with our own sin, knowing that somehow he forgives us.

But we wait, hoping in his word, for an understanding of how that forgiveness works and how it can possibly cover even my sin. "I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope." (v. 5)

And then, glory of glories, hope! With him is steadfast love! With him is plentiful redemption! He will redeem Israel (His elect -- me!) from all his (her -- mine!) iniquities! (v. 7)

And now we turn to Matthew 11 to see the "how" of it: "Take my yoke upon you and learn of Me"--your very great Redeemer!--"and you shall find rest for your souls." (11:29) "Come to Me." (v. 28) Those who labor to redeem themselves and those who are heavily-laden with their sins are invited to come and find rest in Christ alone, "who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree". (1 Peter 2:24)

Psalm 62:1: For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.

So there is our answer, the thing for which we wait. Plentiful redemption--hallelujah!

On our knees

Just a relaxed summer pose from a few years ago, but indicative of this year's summer, once VBS was history. It's been completely lovely, and I hate to see it end. Anyone with me on that? Raise hands.

While walking the trail this week, I noticed an interesting black tee shirt: I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees. Certainly an apt motto for one who desires to live fully, and give 100% to all her endeavors. But it begs the question: Why can't we do both? Both live on our knees, and live fully on our feet? In fact, I would argue that living on our knees is the only way to die on our feet, living fully until the end.

Philippians 4:13 says this about that very thing: I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Do you see both there? Remember imperatives and indicatives, two of my favorite Bible study words? We can do all things, why? Because of Christ who gives us strength. How do we appropriate/ask for/even whine for Christ's strength? On our knees. Frankly, we are helpless without him.

The battle belongs to the Lord, so, while we may be dying on our feet, we are acknowledging his governance of all things on our knees.

The tee-shirt paraphrased (if I actually designed and wore such things): I would rather die on my feet after spending life on my knees.

Exchanges

This post should actually be about reflections, not exchanges, because of this great photo. But what, after all, is a reflection but an exchange of one image for another? This is, in fact, the gospel, the exchange of my old image for that of Christ's image in me (Romans 8:29).

But that is not where we started. Psalm 106:20 reminds us that after all God had given to the Israelites (rescue, freedom, food, even indestructible shoes), "they exchanged the glory of God [which they had seen in all its magnificence!] for the image of an ox that eats grass. They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things . . ." Who can read those words without aching over the stupidity and faithlessness of those creatures?

Aha, but not them only. The New Testament pegs us, too. Romans 1:21, 23: For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but . . . exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and etc. Who can bear to read on? This is me, this is every-man. Daily we choose to honor ourselves and forget to give thanks.

And this is where the gospel comes in, the greatest exchange of them all: For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Christ took our sin; we are now righteous. We don't have to live in ingratitude and self-honor. We can be free from ourselves by attaching ourselves every morning to him who had no sin. The exchange is ours to own, to live, to reflect. Live there . . . in Christ alone.

Dead-end Thoughts

Do you ever feel that God has forgotten you in certain areas? That some of your concerns are not His? That no matter how much you pray Biblically about a specific issue, there seems to be a cement wall between you and God, because He's not answering?

So, the other day, I whined. I mean, screechy-voiced whining. "Why aren't you caring like I do about this issue, God?" "Why do I feel more compassionate that you seem to be regarding thus-and-so?" It wasn't pretty, but it was honest. My skies were gray, and this problem seemed a little like Henry there (may he rest in peace), dead and buried as far as God was concerned.

And then John Calvin sauntered into my life and spoke thus: "And whenever God does not assist us according to our wish, but conceals his aid for a little time, it is a frequent stratagem of Satan, to allege that our hope was to no purpose, as if his promise had failed." (Calvin's Commentaries, Vol. 17) Gulp.

And to think that just weeks ago in my devotions I was reminded that This God, his way is perfect, the word of the Lord proves true. (Psalm 18:30) And this God has promised to never leave nor forsake me in Hebrews 13:5. And that he fulfills his purposes for me and others (Psalm 57:2). And that all of God's promises find their yes in [Christ]. We are free from our burdens because of Christ's death on the cross, who carried then and carries now our burdens for us.

So I need to stop whining and start believing that God is answering my prayers in his way and his time and for his glory. And remind myself again tomorrow . . . and next week.

Birthdays and Gratefulness

Happy birthday to the last of our brood, 18 tomorrow, a grown-up. What a sweet journey we have had with him. I am so grateful.

And in the spirit of birthdayhood, I look at one of my favorite Psalms: 103. What an amazing God this speaks of, who forgives all our iniquity, heals all our diseases, redeems our lives from the pit, crowns us with steadfast love and mercy, satisfies us with good, so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's. How can he, a just and perfectly holy creator God, do all of this for us, who deserve only wrath?

Because of the "one act of righteousness" (Romans 5:18) that Jesus Christ performed on our behalf: his death consuming God's wrath against us. That's it. That was God's plan all along, even as David penned Psalm 103. There was no other way for our forgiveness and pit-rescue to be accomplished.

Oh, let us "bless the Lord [Jesus Christ], and all that is within us, bless his holy name" this day.

Pleasures forevermore

Isn't this a most peaceful end-of-summer shot? As summer wanes, and the cooler temps help us to sleep better at night (or should, anyway), I think of these lines from Psalm 16:

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.

The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places:

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Do you ever feel that way? That you have a choice life, that you have been blessed in so many ways? Or is your life one of unmitigated stress and tragedy? I know women in both camps. Being in the former camp, I can easily quote these words and mean them.

Having known those in the latter camp that can also quote and mean them gives me pause. How can she say these words, that woman who lost three of her four children in young adulthood, that one who lived many years in an unhappy, abusive marriage, the one who has been a quadriplegic for over forty years? How can they say that they have a beautiful inheritance?

Only because the Lord is their chosen portion and their cup. They can say with David: I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. (v. 8)

I have seen more than one dear friend come out on the other side of intense pressure, still praising God, still hungering after the things he has for her, still wanting to honor him with her life. You have too, no doubt.

And this is why:

You make known to me the path of life;

in your presence is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (v. 11)

Look up today. Reside in his presence, where joy is. Lean into him and know his pleasures.

Psalm 2

Here's something interesting: Psalm 2, only 12 verses long, has four voices speaking in it. Maybe you knew that already. The picture has to do with verse 4: He who sits in the heavens laughs.

David narrates this psalm, so we have his voice throughout. Then the kings of the earth (and the rest of us) say this against God and his Anointed One: Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us. That's when God laughs. Because we love to think we're in control. We love to think that when we build something, we are really amazing. We love to think that we can handle things without a creator of any kind. So God laughs. And then he speaks: As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.

Whoa, I can hear the kings sneering, so what? And then said King speaks of the inheritance he has as the Son of the Most High God, the rod of iron he will break the nations with, the dashing to pieces of his enemies.

David again: Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. We are wont to say: Well, I guess he told them! That'll teach 'em.

But we, too, are to kiss the Son, to fall at his feet in smallness, to bow at his throne. For we are the rulers that sneer, and take counsel against God, and try to break out of our boundaries. Daily we take the reins and do it our own way just because we want to.

I have a daughter who is famous for saying, "I'll do what I want!" But I am that daughter to my heavenly Father. Daily I take my stand against his will for me in a dozen ways. Maybe more. So I too must kiss the Son, my Savior, and hand over the reins. Psalm 2 reminds me finally, Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Amen, and amen.

Here is another reason I have been delinquent this summer in posting on the blog. Family! Here . . . and there, there being North Carolina and Tennessee. So good to be together, as you all know from your family times. It's such a blessing when three generations (and more!) can be in one place at the same time. Our summer was deeply satisfying in that way.

How about yours? What sorts of adventures/family times/trips did you enjoy this summer? Please share, and include your name so we can share more fully when we are together in person. Just click in as anonymous and share your summer story.

One More Word on Glory . . . I think

Don't you get such an amazing high from seeing blue sky through the green leaves? This alone explains my obsession with blues and greens in my home. Just in case you were wondering.

Here's something that I love about God's Word: It all ties together. Look at this: The heavens declare the glory of God (indeed!), and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)

Now read this: Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man . . . and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:30) The heavens have proclaimed his glory, continue to proclaim it, and one day will shout it with the trumpet. Those who haven't been listening will finally hear, with great horror at the lateness of the hour. Too late, really.

But for those who have been listening and waiting and bending their ear for that trumpet sound, those heavens will resound with great joy, and we will see glory like we've never imagined it: Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. . . . He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. (Revelation 19:11, 13) Jesus Christ is the glory that the heavens proclaim, because it is his robe that is dipped in blood and that proclaims the mercy of God once and for all.

And it will be us around the throne proclaiming back to him his glory, saying, Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. (Revelation 15:3, 4)

Weights

Oh, I know these are spring flowers, and they were indeed a Mother's Day gift, but don't they speak of glory?

The glory of creation, color, form, function? They speak of an amazing Creator God, if we keep still long enough to listen. We are a bustling bunch, to be sure.

Isaiah says that the whole earth is full of his glory. How true that is. And yet, these flowers, those mountains, that relationship, are mere shadows of the things to come, things of beauty beyond our dreaming, eternity with our Redeemer God.

This, a mere shadow? How can that be? Our hearts will surely break with the weight of all that glory and beauty. This is probably the reason for the new bodies; these earthly bodies couldn't possibly bear the strain of it; the first glimpse of his face would slay us.

Paul speaks of this weight of glory to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 4:17): For this light (Really?? Is that what it is?) momentary (It feels like light years of pain, sometimes!) affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient (though seemingly permanent), but the things that are unseen are eternal.

The Bernhardt men sang so beautifully and movingly about these truths on Sunday, didn't they? One day the trumpet will sound for His coming, one day the skies with his glory will shine, wonderful day my beloved one bringing, My savior Jesus is mine. One day He's coming, oh glorious day. What a day that will be, a day full of glory and grace to those who know him. For then we will know the true weight of glory.

Yet More Glory

Glory. That's what we've been discussing. Especially the glory of God in the face of Christ. Scripture is full to overflowing with it. In fact, everywhere I turn to find a good verse, I find multiple good verses. Here's one: [God's Son] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds all things by the word of his power. (Hebrew 1:3)

And another: [God speaking], As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill. (Psalm 2:6)

As for us? In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us. (Ephesians 1:7-8a) Glory indeed!

So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised in imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. (1 Corinthians 15:42, 43) This is our future, thanks to the redemption we have in Christ. Can anyone say Hallelujah?

Therefore, my beloved [sisters], be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58) This is how we are to live because of the glory that has been shared with us. Keep in mind that in the midst of the imperatives in this verse (what we are to do), is that glorious, yes glorious!, indicative (what Christ has done for us): in the Lord. We labor in his strength, wisdom, power, and creativity, so that the only one that should get the glory, does get it.

Glory to God in the highest!

Glory without end. Amen.

Here's another thing that has kept me from the blog this summer: North Carolina and its stunning Blue Ridge Mountains and its residents, namely, our daughter Anne and her husband Owen. And yes, this is an actual sunset I saw from the deck of their home. Yes, this is their view every day. Yes, I am jealous.

However, I really posted this photo because I want to finish our June discussion of God's glory, and this seemed to capture that thought for me. As we look at what Jesus prayed at the Last Supper, in John 17, we see the word "glory" over and over again: the glory of God, the glory in Christ's death for us, the glory his disciples saw in his life, the glory in our unity as believers, and also the glory that we will realize when he returns. "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24) Indeed, one day we will see him "coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." (Matthew 24:30).

I know this is nothing new for us; it's something we've come to expect. But do we look to that day with high excitement? Jerram Barrs describes this glory like this: "It is the glory of his power and majesty as the Designer and Creator of this vast and magnificent universe. It is the glory of the One who was immediately worshiped and adored by the multitude of angels and the great host of heaven when he called them into existence. This is the glory of his eternal being." (The Heart of Prayer, p. 167)

These sunsets and mountains of ours are a mere foretaste of that day. Imagine the trumpet sound. Imagine the brightness of the clouds. Imagine seeing your Savior for the first time. That will be glory. Without end.

Yes, Lord Jesus, come.

Summertime!

Isn't he the cutest thing ever? His name is Mr. Knightley, and he's one of many reasons I have been absent for most of the summer. Little puppies take lots of time, you know. They need their tummies tickled, their ears massaged, toys thrown, balls rolled, and mostly they need snuggling. Lots of snuggling. That just doesn't leave much time to spend at the computer. Even as I write, he's curled up on my lap, and I am well-satisfied.

(I'm afraid I'm going to have to get Dennis a dog of his own. He keeps grabbing mine.)

Speaking of summer vacation pursuits, have any of you read any good books these last couple of months? Say, while laying on the beach or hammock, riding in the car to visit family, or whiling away the hours in a water craft? Please share any great reads you've enjoyed this summer. There's still a month left for the rest of us to catch up. And plenty of books at the public library. Trust me . . . I know.

Well, what of us? How can Jesus pray at the Last Supper that he is glorified in us? And that we have kept his word? How is that even possible for him to say of us, we who hourly find excuses to obey our own wills rather than his?

Well, answer me this then. How could he say to the common laborer Gideon, "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor." And again, almost in the same breath, "Go in this strength of yours [really?, Gideon must have thought] and save Israel." The man himself replied, "Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house." So there.

So the question begs to be asked: What does God see in us that we are missing? Himself! To Gideon: "I will be with you." There is our glory. To us: "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also, If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."(John 12:26) And: "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)

Try it on our own, this glory thing, and we fail. Pride and self-aggrandizement take over. Boasting and excusing ourselves become our mantra. But abide in Jesus? Read this: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." So no abiding, no glory. Abide, glory. Simple? Yes. Do-able? Not without the vine.

More glory

Glory. We see it in creation . . . the craggy mountains of Nepal and the rolling hills of Tennessee, the hummingbird and the macaw, the Milky Way and the blade of grass. It's hard to escape, unless our eyes are distracted by lesser things.

But do we see glory in the broken body of God's Son? For this is where glory truly resides. In Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper, he asked God to glorify Him: Glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you. (John 17) What does he mean by that? How can his coming last hours possibly glorify him? They were the most wretched hours in his life and in the history of the world . . . God Himself crushed to death on the cross. Glory? Hardly the word most of us would use.

Listen to what Jesus says in John 12 about that very hour: The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. So glory comes in death. Why? Because of the fruit that is born.

And we, sisters, are that fruit. It was His death that was "his greatest glory, his greatest triumph, the most wonderful display of his eternal nature as the God of love. . . The cross reveals Christ's essential nature as One who loves so deeply that he will sacrifice himself completely for those he loves." (Jerram Barrs)

Because at that death, God's wrath against us and all of our sin was poured out on Jesus Christ, who bore it willingly, even gladly, and we are free. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5:21) Glory indeed!

He became our sin, took it on, clothed himself in it. What, then, of us? More glory tomorrow.