Response to Hopelessness


Dark Snow in the Rockies

Image by dj @ oxherder arts via Flickr

I sat beside a river of blood.

There! Look at that!

That’s who I was.

Fair? What’s fair?

There’s nothing left to do.

Whisper filtered through the trees,

“I care about you”.

Too tired to move, my ears searched around.

While dimming eyes stared at the ground.

Touch on my shoulder.

Who could this be?

That even one creature could care about me?

His Name is Jesus; who’s touch I now feel.

This stream before me was all I held as real.

“I have more for you to enter in.”

His heart was heard to say.

“Your life will not be taken.

I have use for you this day”.

He made me as He wanted.

And did not discuss His plans.

And now I walk undaunted.

This dark place is His land!

“Come, I’ll show you what to do”.

“Behold. I make all things new”.

“No man has seen the plans I have for you”.

“Today, you’re mine!

For I have purchased you”.

By His Grace.

Has the Lord Been Here?


Entrance to the cave

Image via Wikipedia

Every night my tent is pitched at the place my feet arrived.  And I settle down to rest from the noise.  The body seeks that certain death from activity.  And this rest is simply added to the history of many before.  I hope to dream something of interest; not just vague weird shapes.  The night has come.

Every morning I wake to check my camp.  “Has the Lord been here?”  He has come in nights past and left a blessing to that rest.  But none is found this morning.  Yet I take no note of sorrow or disappointment.  For another day has dawned.

The walk is like the masses are camped along a ridge.  And the shape of what lies before us lies vague but daunting beckoning.  “I bid you walk!”  The future thunders with a voice all men hear, “You will walk toward me!”  And we are forced to obey.

I will choose the place my feet will step.  I’m looking for that certain place.  In each day’s journey the Lord has placed a through way.  It might be a bridge, so narrow and spindly that only one may pass at a time.  It might be a hill so high and rugged that it will require every skill I possess.  It might be a dark cave, with only the dim glow of His presence shining from the deep bowels.  It might be a crumbling wall, impenetrable and tall.  Such walls are crumbling with time.  And only those who contain the Spirit of God will see the decay.

Some days are filled with “wait”.  Some are teaming with activity.  Some days are so threatening as to cause us to desire death.  And some days are filled with the blazing heat of God’s presence.  But each day is of its own character.  And the sleep before did not perceive the One who created what we now encounter.

He is God!  He IS!  Forever His will is to be accomplished, regardless man’s willingness to perceive or embrace it.  Look at your way, you people in the land of death.  Look at how your day dawns.  Consider your end and look around you with eyes of understanding.  One more night has escaped your grasp. Though you wished to hold it to your chest, it has evaporated none the less.  Do you really think the day belongs to you?  It will belong to God!  As the night has gone, so will the day.

Eternity is His.  Goodness is His.  Righteous belongs to God alone!  Hatred, ignorance, blindness, doubt, stumbling, and striving are ours.  Yet He is More!  Rise up and look with wisdom at the place you find your soul.  Today is all you have.  And even that is not fully yours.  For our hearts might fail this very day.

 

By His Grace.

Morning


Twilight

The colors are almost here.  And the dew is suspended like a blanket.  Listen to the Robins praise the joy of the coming day.  “Eat!  We will eat and fly!  Ah, to fly again.  It is a day for us to soar.  Thanks to God for this beautiful morning!”

Stillness reigns at the advent of day.  The world is not yet awake.  Ponder, Saints!  Give that moment of marvelous joy a place to light.  For your day is nearly here.  He watched over your sleeping, though He left your dreams alone.  No message has been delivered while you rested your weary bones.  But now your eyes are open and your neck will crane to see.  sovereign Lord please help me to perceive what must certainly be.

Those whose faith has blossomed into a sort of knowing are so very blessed.  Though we can’t touch our desire, we are propelled into a hope beyond anything this world offers.  The longing becomes intense.  Yet the strength of what we don’t have is stronger than what man perceives.

Look!  We too can walk in places without feet.  We see what is, in a place of temporary colors.  This is the land of shadows.  But every shadow is cast by something of substance.  And every shadow lands on something of substance.  How unspeakably brilliant is the Glory of God to even cast a shadow in a land of darkness!

Glory to God Most High!  He is the Father of the Lord of Life!  May His will be done forever.

By His Grace.

Consume Me Lord! Please!


Whirl-fire

Image by Loving Earth via Flickr

How irritating it must be for those who know me and those who come into contact with the mind I carry around.  Regardless the subject, I find God in it.  And what shall I say about this?

How many of me are there out there?  I’ve met less than 5.  The majority of people I meet are consumed with the things the world offers.  Sports takes a few.  popularity takes a few more.  Possessions take even more. Power, prestige, and belonging take most.  But God’s things and ways consume me.

Was it like that for the prophets?  I am not a prophet.  I am simply a man who is leaning to desire the things of God over the things of this world.  And I stand out like a sore thumb.  I know I’ve written about this before.  But the closer I get to the Lord, the more it stands out. 

I don’t want to talk about the things the world thinks are glamorous and beautiful.  I don’t want to be entertained.  I’m not interested in becoming someone of importance according to the standards of the world.  I want to be a righteous man before the Lord Most High.  And this “want” has become something close to an obsession.  People ask me what I want to do.  I want to speak the things of the Lord.  But that’s not what they mean.

I simply posted this because it is a snapshot of what it’s like to become a man who loves God more than the world.  I don’t know if it would help anyone, that I typed these words.  But This is such a marvelous quandary I find myself in, that I’m compelled to speak it.

 

By His Grace.

Hurricane of Hatred Guarenteed.


Hurricane_off_Florida

Image via Wikipedia

Stand strong for the Lord Jesus and you will be misunderstood.  It is an absolute truth.  You can set everything you are and own on that.  You will be misunderstood by the entire world.  And you will be misunderstood by the majority of those who call themselves Christian.

It is acceptable to perform life at minimal amplitude.  But this acceptance comes from those who chase after Holiness through a half witted strength and desire.  Those who bend their entire self toward the Lord will not look like anything natural to this world.  They will be different in all their dealings.  They will submit to that which is “other”.  They will search after the will of God without regard to their own personal gain.  And this search will yield all the godly attributes we expect from Christians.

I look at my ability to convince others of this and realize that I have no power to help anyone else define their allegiance to God.  All I can do is jump on here and type what is true.  It remains in the hand of each of us to force our hearts to look into the perfect face of God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son.  We have all been warned.  And we will all stand individually before Him on “That Day”.

As you stand you will encounter a certain bracing wind of opposition.  Stand strong and you will face a hurricane of hatred from anyone who hates the Holiness of God.  There should be mentioned here that there is a place of “standing” in which you will not have the strength to stand.  You can’t perform a truly godly life without the Spirit of God within you.  You can pace yourself in a “religion”.  But you won’t be able to withstand the onslaught from man with God’s help.  And one more point:  No one can enter into the godly life without the Lord opening the door.

By His Grace.

The Gentle Breeze of God


Path Through Culbone Wood

Image by me'nthedogs via Flickr

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

I sit this morning and ponder my bruised mind.  Why do I do these things?  I want to do what is right.  But I am forced along by what I don’t understand.  The Apostle Paul spoke about sin living in him that causes him to do what he does not want to do.  We are caught in a horrible fixture.  We learn to listen to what the Lord speaks, both through His word and in our soul.  But we often find we have wandered off the path a bit.  In a frantic scramble, we trace our way back.  Then, out of breath from the struggle, we sit to ponder why we wandered.

We are not yet perfected in our worship of Jesus.  But as fast as we can, when we find our way gone wrong, we recover and make amends as we are able.  It is the Spirit of God who enlightens the horror of sin in a man.  He alone can show you what needs fixing.  And by the Grace of God, you are bid to take part in this dance of salvation.  “Let’s work hard on this today”.  Though you didn’t realize why you did those things, God will show you.

Listen to Him and live.  Stop your ears and you remain in death.

By His Grace.