"You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me." - Psalm 56:8-9 NKJV
Wow...
God keeps a memento, a tally and writes something perceptive down about us all the time. What care that is!
We take photos, buy postcards and take rocks off the beach. We want a touchstone of some kind to remember our trips or special occasions. God does this even during our wanderings (Nowd - Strong's H5112). Even if we feel we are a fugitive or someone no one is noticing as they are wandering directionless God is taking note.
This isn't the tally of a time keeper saying, 'Late again... that's the third time this week.' This is the tally of a mother or father making marks in the doorway that say, 'In 2012 you were this tall.' It is the tally of someone who loves us.
We may not remember how many times we prayed for something but God has an exact count.
Our heartaches may be repressed in our memory but God knows and puts those tears in a bottle. God loves us like a mother who goes in their college bound child's room and sits on their bed and hugs their pillow.
"In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" - Psalm 56:10-11 NKJV
Two words for God are here in this passage... Elohiym (H430), the triune judge, and the great unpronounceable essential intimate name Yahweh (H3068) that can only be said as an exhale. It is His word that reveals His mind. We only know of this scrapbook through His word.
"Vows made to You are binding upon me, O God; I will render praises to You, For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?" - Psalm 56:12-13 NKJV
These vows are the vows of a worshiper. We can get bound up in love when we realize His attention and care. We are not alone. We are not forgotten. Someone understands our heart and our situation very well.
God is with us.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." - Isaiah 61:10 ESV
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Showing posts with label Awareness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Awareness. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Monday, April 13, 2015
Ripened To Perfection
Gracious eyes see us. That is amazing to think about.
"O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it." - Psalm 139:1b-6 ESV
That thought is like warm sunshine on my face. I bask in the light of it with my eyes closed.
"A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities." - Psalm 130:1-8 ESV
This idea is a great place to start. When I have nothing to give I can return here and start a dialog with God.
Worship can begin to flow out when this truth dawns on us.
Moses met God at a burning bush. Jacob slept on a rock and saw a ladder with angel going up and down to Heaven. The disciple met Jesus as they were going about their lives. They became awere of God's eyes on them. They onserved God observing them. God wasn't judging them even though all of them were living in a kind of self judgement. God saw them but did not judge them.
We can get busy without this truth but I don't want to. I am very familiar with where I go and what I do also. What I do and where I go isn't enough. I need God to hem me in and direct my path. Awareness of grace gives me an unusal path to walk on. It is a highway of holiness. There is worship there. Nothing is mundane there. God's light brightens that path.
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." - Isaiah 35:5-10 ESV
We don't have to be anybody or do anything. We can just bask in His love and awareness. His light will do His work. His light will ripen us to perfection.
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"O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it." - Psalm 139:1b-6 ESV
That thought is like warm sunshine on my face. I bask in the light of it with my eyes closed.
"A Song of Ascents. Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope; my soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities." - Psalm 130:1-8 ESV
This idea is a great place to start. When I have nothing to give I can return here and start a dialog with God.
Worship can begin to flow out when this truth dawns on us.
Moses met God at a burning bush. Jacob slept on a rock and saw a ladder with angel going up and down to Heaven. The disciple met Jesus as they were going about their lives. They became awere of God's eyes on them. They onserved God observing them. God wasn't judging them even though all of them were living in a kind of self judgement. God saw them but did not judge them.
We can get busy without this truth but I don't want to. I am very familiar with where I go and what I do also. What I do and where I go isn't enough. I need God to hem me in and direct my path. Awareness of grace gives me an unusal path to walk on. It is a highway of holiness. There is worship there. Nothing is mundane there. God's light brightens that path.
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." - Isaiah 35:5-10 ESV
We don't have to be anybody or do anything. We can just bask in His love and awareness. His light will do His work. His light will ripen us to perfection.
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Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Hush, The Neighbors Are Sleeping
Have you ever been quiet for the neighbor's sake? Maybe you want to do something but the thing you want to do is loud and it is late at night so you refrain.
"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him." - Psalm 62:5 ESV
"For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling, and you said, 'No! We will flee upon horses'; therefore you shall flee away; and, 'We will ride upon swift steeds'; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." - Isaiah 30:15-18 ESV
Sometimes we quiet ourselves for our sake but this morning I am thinking about how we can respond to grace and enter into quietness for His sake.
Instead of staying here in quietness our minds can run away. We can run to fantasy and have our own little never never land. We flee away. The television becomes our noise or perhaps it is alcohol or lust of some kind. We chase the different scenarios around the living room of our mind. We make a ruckus with our 'should of's and 'could of's. We bang the drums of right and wrong. Perhaps it is a violin of self pity or maybe the hip hop of anger and self entitlement. We laugh loud to stave off the boredom. Instead of quiet purpose we run.
There is a place where God is waiting to be gracious. In quietness for His sake we find that place. A quietness in response to grace.
We might say, 'I need to turn this down because my neighbor is sleeping.'
On a spiritual level we say, 'I need to quiet down because God is resting in His Love. Is it right for me to panic so loudly? Is it really so good blare the sounds of my land of pretend when God is waiting right here to quietly speak to me?'
If is not a mindfulness born from demand. It is one born of grace, honor and love. He cares so we care. He has given favor because of His Son. We come under that favor and pass through the narrow space to find a wide open rest.
Hush now. Simmer down. What does the Bible say? Are we running or resting? Are we looking or leaving?
God is waiting to be gracious to us. He lifts Himself up to show mercy. He wants to speak to us in objectivity.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." - Psalm 23:6 ESV
If we run He will follow us and show us mercy when we have exhausted all our efforts but what if we just stay in quietness? If we rest then we will have the strength to rise early and seek Him at the appointed time.
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"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him." - Psalm 62:5 ESV
"For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, 'In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.' But you were unwilling, and you said, 'No! We will flee upon horses'; therefore you shall flee away; and, 'We will ride upon swift steeds'; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill. Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him." - Isaiah 30:15-18 ESV
Sometimes we quiet ourselves for our sake but this morning I am thinking about how we can respond to grace and enter into quietness for His sake.
Instead of staying here in quietness our minds can run away. We can run to fantasy and have our own little never never land. We flee away. The television becomes our noise or perhaps it is alcohol or lust of some kind. We chase the different scenarios around the living room of our mind. We make a ruckus with our 'should of's and 'could of's. We bang the drums of right and wrong. Perhaps it is a violin of self pity or maybe the hip hop of anger and self entitlement. We laugh loud to stave off the boredom. Instead of quiet purpose we run.
There is a place where God is waiting to be gracious. In quietness for His sake we find that place. A quietness in response to grace.
We might say, 'I need to turn this down because my neighbor is sleeping.'
On a spiritual level we say, 'I need to quiet down because God is resting in His Love. Is it right for me to panic so loudly? Is it really so good blare the sounds of my land of pretend when God is waiting right here to quietly speak to me?'
If is not a mindfulness born from demand. It is one born of grace, honor and love. He cares so we care. He has given favor because of His Son. We come under that favor and pass through the narrow space to find a wide open rest.
Hush now. Simmer down. What does the Bible say? Are we running or resting? Are we looking or leaving?
God is waiting to be gracious to us. He lifts Himself up to show mercy. He wants to speak to us in objectivity.
"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever." - Psalm 23:6 ESV
If we run He will follow us and show us mercy when we have exhausted all our efforts but what if we just stay in quietness? If we rest then we will have the strength to rise early and seek Him at the appointed time.
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Thursday, June 5, 2014
Aware Of Mercy
"...See that ye be not troubled..." - Matthew 24:6b KJV
What a great little phrase. If our eyes are open we will not be alarmed or startled.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." - Colossians 1:15-17 ESV
"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools," - Romans 1:17-22 ESV
"And Jesus cried out and said, 'Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.' " - John 12:44-46 ESV
The one who lives by faith puts two and two together adding God's power, plan, goodness and grace to each situation even if they are the only one present in the situation who can see God. The person full of biblical faith is a visionary seeing what is invisible to others.
What they see does not startle them or knock them off balance because they have a God who reigns over the visible and the invisible.
"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." - Jeremiah 17:8 ESV
The God of all grace knows what waits for us in the days and weeks to come. We may have no idea but He knows. Thank fact settles our hearts and in calmness we can see the mercy that we might otherwise have rushed past.
When everyone else has stones in their hands ready and energized by the mob mentality we can calmly can say, 'Neither do I condemn you.' because we have not missed mercy.
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What a great little phrase. If our eyes are open we will not be alarmed or startled.
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together." - Colossians 1:15-17 ESV
"For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, 'The righteous shall live by faith.'
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools," - Romans 1:17-22 ESV
"And Jesus cried out and said, 'Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.' " - John 12:44-46 ESV
The one who lives by faith puts two and two together adding God's power, plan, goodness and grace to each situation even if they are the only one present in the situation who can see God. The person full of biblical faith is a visionary seeing what is invisible to others.
What they see does not startle them or knock them off balance because they have a God who reigns over the visible and the invisible.
"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." - Jeremiah 17:8 ESV
The God of all grace knows what waits for us in the days and weeks to come. We may have no idea but He knows. Thank fact settles our hearts and in calmness we can see the mercy that we might otherwise have rushed past.
When everyone else has stones in their hands ready and energized by the mob mentality we can calmly can say, 'Neither do I condemn you.' because we have not missed mercy.
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