Waiting for the Dawn

The creaking of the door hinge was the only sound that interrupted the pre-dawn quiet. I took my seat and joined with all nature as we waited together for the coming of the Sun. As the light began to once more overtake the darkness I participated in the art of worship. Slowly the new day dawned, first shapes came into focus and as the Sun rose higher those dark shapes were given color. The silence was replaced by the chorus of birds. As the light unveiled the beauty around me I was reminded that all of creation is eagerly longing for the return of the LORD who, "wraps himself in light as with a garment."

Long ago when sin first entered the garden, "the creation itself was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (Romans 8:20,21) When the ones created in God's own image rebelled against Him a curse was placed upon all of creation. Because man loved what was created more than he loved the Creator the ground was cursed, "thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you." (Genesis 3:18) As a result of this curse all of creation groans.

God is a God of beauty and creation and in the beginning when the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters His plan was to take the earth, which was then without form and void where darkness was over the face of the deep, and create light. As I read the words of Genesis again and again I see the joy of creation. "The LORD wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent." (Psalm 104:2) Day after day the Creator looked at His creation and saw that it was good.

Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over all the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth...And God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good." (Genesis 1:30) God's invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature were clearly perceived in what He had created. But the man and woman whom He created in His image did not honor Him as God but became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened. The enemy of their soul offered them the forbidden fruit and, "Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles."(Romans 1:22,23) With the fall of man came the curse and the thorns and the thistles.

The same God who subjected His creation to futility because of the rebellion of the first Adam also gave the promise of a second Adam who would come and set it free from the bondage of decay. The second Adam, Jesus stood before Pilate and declared that His kingdom was not of this world. In mockery of Him the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. Jesus bore the curse of death and the curse of creation as He hung upon the cross. In Him the full promise of salvation was completed.

Morning by morning I join with creation in the art of worship. As the Sun rises calling forth the song of birds and revealing the beauty of all that surrounds me I am reminded that this creation like me is eagerly waiting for the return of the Son of God. There will come a day when the one who wore the crown of thorns will come and night will be no more.

Last Will and Testamet

In the Spring of 2006 my husband and I decided to have our will drawn up but we did't finish. Then it was the Spring of 2007, then 2008. then 2009, 2010,2011,2012. Yesterday we went to the lawyer and finished having our will made. It only took about a hour. Why, why was that so hard?

The lawyer is about the same age we are and as we talked he kept coming back to the fact that when the will would be implemented we would be gone and our stuff would still be here. He also kept reminding us that not only would the stuff still be here but we would not have a lot of "say" when our voice was silenced. We left the lawyer's office having accomplished our goal but in deep reflective quiet.

When someone wanted to follow Jesus he said, "Foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no where to lay his head." Then, when Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven he said, "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also."(Matthew 6:19-21) But what happens to your treasure when your heart stops?

My experience at the lawyer's office also reminded me of Psalm 84:4,5 "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their heart on pilgrimage to Zion. As they through the Valley of Baca (weeping) it will become a place of refreshing springs, where pools of blessing collect after the rains! They will continue to grow stronger, and each will appear before God in Jerusalem." (paraphrase) So what do I want to leave as a legacy for my loved ones? I want to leave behind a redeemed life, a life where the places of weeping were transformed to places of refreshment for those who follow me on this journey home.

We Were Sojourners Together

Her husband wrote, “I remember when you and Debbie parted. She said, 'I didn't want to die before telling you how much I love you.' And she really did!" I remember saying goodbye to Debbie. For a moment the hustle and bustle ceased and was replaced by eternal quiet. My ever present "to do"list faded. The car door was opened and she was preparing to leave when she said, "I didn't want to die before telling you how much I love you." We embraced and I stood watching until I could no longer see her.

"Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me!" (Psalm 119:18, 19) Sojourner? Yes, but not alone. Debbie and I met in our early twenties. The pilgrim's path we were walking together was sometimes obscure. Sometimes we stumbled over unexpected obstacles. We needed to remind each other of the truth. Life took us in different directions but we always shared the same destination. We were sojourners together.

“He has made everything beautiful in its own time. Also he has put eternity into man’s heart.”(Ecclesiastes 3:11) Debbie loved maps. She liked being able to see how everything fit together. I was never good at reading maps but she taught me. When I stand on a mountain and I can see the scope and sequence of the land below me I smile and think of Debbie and her maps. I also think of the eternal perspective that God has given me.

The nature of a sojourn or a pilgrimage is that it is temporary. This journey doesn’t last forever in the end we come to our destination. I remember the day I got the phone call to tell me Debbie had reached her destination. Her words of love lingered in mind. For a moment I saw life from a higher vantage point a place where hustle and bustle ceases and is replaced by eternal peace.

I'll be at the Campohouse in Chattanooga Wed. at 6. I'll be reading several of my devotionals. I'll also have several book if you'd like to buy one.

When All You Can See is a Dim Relection

"For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been known." (1 Corinthians 13:12) I have watched my friend this week trying to understand painful confusing events that have taken place in her life. Her understanding is dark and obscure now because somethings will only make since in the light of Heaven when all the clouds and darkness that hide God's face are removed. Today she is walking by faith, anchored by hope and trusting in the love of God.

I have watched my friend longing for the time when she will have complete understanding of all that God is doing and this partial understanding will be a thing of the past. As I have walked with my friend during this time I have been reminded of Daniel. Daniel was a man to whom God had given prophetic powers, through God he understood mysteries and had great knowledge. But Daniel lived during a time when nations where shifting like tectonic plates. "In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three week."(Daniel 10:2)

Daniel had set his heart to understand and to humble himself before God. God responded by sending him an angel with the message that Daniel was greatly loved. This messenger from God spoke of what was even then taking place in the realms of the spiritual world. God showed Himself to Daniel as the Sovereign Lord, God who has a detailed plan for the ages. Even then Daniel did not fully understand what had been shown him because he was looking, "in a mirror dimly." He didn't completely understand but he put his trust and confidence in the God who greatly loved him and he lived out the rest of his days in faith believing that God was in control.

I watch as my friend humbles herself before God longing to understand. I stand beside her with the message that she is not forgotten and that she is greatly loved by God. I remind her of what she already knows. "We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against authorities, against cosmic power over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."(Ephesians 6:12) I pray that the eyes of her heart will be enlightened and that she will know the hope to which she has been called. I pray God will open her eyes and give her the ability to see beyond the suffering of today so that with the eyes of her heart she will see the riches of God's glorious inheritance. "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power." (Ephesians 1:18) I pray for my friend that though she doesn't completely understand what God is doing she will choose to put her trust and confidence in the God who greatly loves her and that she will choose to live her life believing that God is in control and has chosen her to be part of His story.

To Walk on the Path of Peace You Need Clean Feet

I spent most of my Summer days as a child barefooted. When the time came to go to bed my feet held the evidence of every where I'd been. I often heard, "Do NOT get in bed until you wash your feet!" You just can't help getting your feet dirty if you walk around in the dirt barefooted.

"The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean." (John 13:10) This is what Jesus told Peter when He washed his feet. Because Peter had believed Jesus and trusted that He was the Messiah Peter was clean. But Jesus showed by His illustration of washing His disciples feet that just as your feet get dirty by walking on dusty roads (even when the rest of you is clean) that though we have salvation through our belief in Jesus still our spiritual feet get dirty in a sinful world. This is a story full of humility. First we see Jesus putting on the garb of a servant and getting eye level with His disciples feet. Next the disciples are humbled as they experience Jesus washing their dirty feet.

Often during the day I am too busy to stop and consider any dirt my spiritual feet may have picked up along the way. However, when I go to bed my subconscious mind begins to untangle the events of the day and I awake to the uncomfortable truth that I need help. I humble myself and admit my sin. When my spiritual feet are clean I experience what "putting on the shoes that are the gospel of peace" means.

Jesus didn't just wash His disciples feet He told them to wash one another's feet. When I joined my church they told me, "We are a family but sooner or latter someone is going to hurt your feelings. It just happens when you live together in community." It takes humility to admit someone has hurt us but it also takes humility to hear that we have hurt someone else.  But it's only when we wash one another's feet and allow others to wash our feet that we can stand in the shoes of peace.

Lord Jesus, help me to humble myself today by accepting the truth that I need to both give and receive forgiveness in order to walk in peace with you and with others.

Are You Going Insane?

"So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard." (1 Samuel 21:13) David was under terrible pressure he was running for his life. I know that there are things I've done when I've been under pressure that I would not want to be recorded. What I find interesting is that not only do we have a record of when David, "let the spittle run down his beard," but he wrote a Psalm that referenced this time in his life.

"I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed." (Psalm 34:4,5) In the introduction David points to the time when Abimelech drove him out because he was acting insane. I appreciate stories like this in the Bible because although I would like to go through life always responding correctly to every situation the truth is I don't. David wasn't ashamed because God delivered him from shame.

If God had only used perfect people who only responded in perfect ways to the pressures of life I would have given up long ago! But instead I read David's invitation, "Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8) David's first response to the threats he encountered was to act like a madman but then he used his own failure to point to God's faithfulness.

When David was driven out for acting crazy he departed to a cave. "And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became captain over them." (1 Samuel 22:2) These were the men he was captain over I also think these were the men he addressed in the Psalm he wrote during this time when he said, "My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!" (Psalm 34:2,3)

Lord Jesus, when I think about the people You surrounded Yourself with when You were here on earth I see those who were in distress, in debt and bitter in soul. Thank You for showing me in Your word what it looks like to take refuge in You. Thank You that you accept me just the way I am. Please help me to magnify You and exalt Your name together with David.