As the rain and snow

“But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand… Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” Exodus 3:19; 6:1

“The time that the people of Israel lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of 430 years, on that very day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt… It was a night of watching by the Lord, to bring them out of the land of Egypt… On that very day the Lord brought the people of Israel out… by their hosts…

“Then Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out… You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt…’ For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt… 

“When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you,  you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb…  And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery… It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

“Your right hand, O Lord, glorious in power,
    your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
In the greatness of your majesty you overthrow your adversaries;
    you send out your fury; it consumes them like stubble.” Exodus 12:40–42,51; 13:3,8-9,11-12a,14,16; 15:6-7

Their remarkable deliverance from slavery, and the regular remembrance of it, were to commemorate for God’s people the movement and working of His strong hand. The Lord’s hand is depicted in Scripture as mighty and able to save. The same hand that set apart Israel and brought them out of Egypt continually led, prompted, and protected them on the other side, and would plant them in the promised land. The sovereign hand of God was to be revered and held, remembered and called upon, and praised. (Isaiah 59:1)

God’s hands carved out the seas and holds them at their borders. They made the heavenly lights and uphold them in place. His hand works to hem in and lead out, to harden hearts and make soft, to raise up and bring low, to disrupt and to settle. Where can I trace the goodness and power of God’s hands in recent history? Where has He opened doors and led me through, or will I in faith ask Him to? Where do I need the ministry of God’s hand steadying, delivering, comforting, guiding, or protecting today? (Exodus 14:4; 15:17; 1 Samuel 2:6-8; Psalm 8:3; Proverbs 8:29; Isaiah 40:12; 48:13)

“Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in him;
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my strength, my vict’ry wins.

Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.” ~ J. Wilbur Chapman (1910)

Father, to Your sovereignty and strength I raise my hands in adoration and dependence.

“O Lord, I call upon you!
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
    and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord!” Psalm 141:1-2,8a

“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense… in front of the mercy seat.., where I will meet with you. Every morning when [Aaron] dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and at twilight he shall burn it, a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.” Exodus 30:1,6-8

“When he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” “And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel.” Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4

The law prescribed the altar and its incense, the psalmist and elders offered the fragrance of prayer before God. In every case, prayer was God-ward, in reverence, dependence, and hope. The pleadings from God’s people through the ages were not only heard, but savored as a pleasing aroma by the One sought, honored, and trusted.

The Scriptures contain many examples of and commands to pray, to approach God’s holy altar by His mercy regularly, but we can misconstrue the intent of this instruction. In the flesh our concept of prayer can be limited to asking of God, coming to Him to get and take what we need. Yet prayer is not as much for us as it is for our God, the One to whom we lift our praises and concerns. When we cast our dependence on Him it is a pleasing expression of absolute trust in His sufficiency and goodness.

Incense is intended to be a pleasing, fragrant aroma to those in its circle of fragrance. As we set aside time for the Lord, we can train ourselves to think of offering instead of procuring, emitting instead of consuming. If we’ve grown, usually unconsciously, self-centered and ‘all about me,’ we must exhale self in order to breathe in His Spirit and think differently.

How might we set our eyes and yearnings toward the Lord anew? With what praises and gratitude can we fill bowls before Him today? He is worthy of our best.

“From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb higher;
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified)
From all that dims Thy Calvary
O Lamb of God, deliver me.

Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like fire;
Let me not sink to be a clod;
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.” ~Amy Carmichael (1870-1951)

Lord, may I continually exalt You and exude the fragrance of praise, dependence, and thanksgiving in pleasing fashion throughout my hours.

“Where can wisdom be found?
    Where does understanding dwell?
No mortal comprehends its worth;
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.
The deep says, ‘It is not in me’;
    the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed in silver.
It cannot be bought with gold,
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.

Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?
It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.
Destruction and Death say,
    ‘Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.’
God understands the way to it
    and he alone knows where it dwells,
for he views the ends of the earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,
when he made a decree for the rain
    and a path for the thunderstorm,
then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.
And he said to the human race,
    ‘The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil is understanding.'” Job 28:12-28

Acutely aware- through experience, observation, and the musings of suffering- of the intricacies of the Almighty’s designs and deeds, Job attempted to describe the source of priceless wisdom. His mind had explored the vastness of heavens and earth, his heart deep sways of emotion, his soul the intricacies of crushing pain, and still his finite mind knew “merely the outskirts of His ways.” The summary of his searching, contemplation, wonder, and longing was that wisdom came from fear of the Lord. It was not a thing to behold or be held, rather an intimate, reverent knowledge of God Himself. As one who’d wrestled with the divine through significant agony and palpable evil, Job was certain that wisdom involved the whole will attached to the Lord. (Job 26:7-14)

In our day, true wisdom can be elusive. So much information bombards our senses through incessant media and opining, and unless we have godly discernment we can be overwhelmed with knowing what is true. We face the ravages of the drawn-out consequences of the fall that teach lessons themselves. We enjoy sweetness in relationships and victories, and learn the benefits of disciplined and applied knowledge. We observe the Creator’s beauties. Yet rather than assuming wisdom from personal experience itself, we must understand it is gleaned only through a proper fear of the God behind everything. His works bear His signature, His Word and character impart wisdom. (Proverbs 1:2-7)

What stimulates our hunger pangs? Do we desire success, material goods, or approval, or long for the Lord and His wisdom? How will we daily dig, search, press on to fear and know God? Godly wisdom imparts knowledge, supplies guidance, protects integrity, and graces with discretion and peace. (Proverbs 2:1-15; Hosea 6:3; Matthew 5:6; James 1:5; 3:17)

Father, may I daily mine for wisdom from above, and apply it to Your glory here below.

“God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars.” Genesis 1:16

“O Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens…

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
    and the son of man that you care for him?

Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:1,3-5

“The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.
Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
    which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.” Psalm 19:1-6

Taking time to gaze into the infinite vault of heaven and contemplate the stars sobers the ego and corrects all inflated views of self. The longer beheld, the more seen, the brighter divine illumination of darkened perception, and the smaller man is in comparison. And yet, this Creator God who placed each moon, star, and planet made man as the jewel of creation, crowning him with glory and honor in His image and calling him by name to live for His glory. (Genesis 1:26-27; Isaiah 43:1,4-7)

Many times we feel small, not especially significant. Gazing amazed long enough at the dark sky with its twinkling array, we realize this is no haphazard sprinkle. Promises are in place. Plans cannot be thwarted. We are nowhere apart from God’s splendid order and orbit. Immersing ourselves in a majestically thought-out masterpiece executed with precise artistry and gravity and sustained by the Almighty’s infinite power, we are hushed, and drawn. The Lord’s Spirit welcomes us into His design. (Job 42:2; Psalm 8:3-5; Proverbs 21:30; Acts 17:24-26; Colossians 1:16-17)

Easily we get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent, pressed by responsibility or captivated by a myriad of manipulated distractions to what bears true significance. If we actually timed ourselves and counted the minutes become hours wasted in meaningless occupation, what would we change? If we spent part of that time beholding God in grateful worship, and soaking in His word, how different would be our attitudes toward others, or work, or the mundane? How about our mindset and worldview of current events? Stress could be reduced by biblical assurances, anxiety diminished by heavenly peace, and efficiency increased by clearer, more focused thinking.

Considering our private world and disciplines of life, where will we reduce haphazard use of time to more thoughtfully come under God’s gracious order? Where will we make an effort to fit better into His design in our marriages, families, churches, workplaces, communities? How can we live more purposeful days to better reflect His glory?

Lord, inspire me by Your beauty, power, and gravity, to Your unending praise.

“We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means,.. and beyond their means, of their own accord, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— and this,.. they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, he should complete among you this act of grace. As you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.

“I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love is genuine. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:1-9

Paul encourages the Corinthian church to accompany their many excelling ministries with the grace of giving. Commending their faith, speech, and knowledge, he points to Jesus as the example of ultimate generosity. In grace, and by grace, He became poor and gave His all so that the destitute could be made rich. When the grace of God takes full effect in His people, it is always adorned with selfless generosity that mimics that of Christ.

But how hard it is to let go of what we want and cherish! We prefer in the flesh to select our obediences, to be miserly about the things we care about and mete out sparingly those that impinge on desire or comfort. ‘Lord, I will give and do this and this, but don’t touch that.’ We can be sad, like the rich ruler, when called upon to release what we treasure most. (Matthew 19:16-22)

This self-serving provincial attitude is borne from a narrow view and love of Christ’s church. If we truly see ourselves as a vital part of the Body, and all that’s been entrusted to us as the Lord’s and not our own, we will eagerly, joyfully give in abundance to meet others in their need. Our world and sin nature preach self-sufficiency, greed, and independence, while the Lord preaches freedom, generosity, and faith. (Ecclesiastes 11:1; Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-13)

Do we recognize the clenching of fists at particular passages of scripture? Do we find ourselves bargaining with God over where we will heed His commands? When did we last meditate on the astounding grace of Jesus Christ toward us? We cannot consider His absolute, humble emptying of Himself for us without gratitude and desire to give back to Him. (Philippians 2:1-8)

Where has the Lord called me to give today- of my time, compassion, or resources? Who needs what I have, and that only because of His grace? How will I honor Him and His church in willing obedience?

Lord, in grateful awe for Your grace to me, make me by grace bountiful in all I extend to others in Your name, for Your glory.

“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:  ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.  The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.”  But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.’” Luke 18:9-14

The Lord Jesus always aimed to expose the heart. His target in this parable was clear to Luke, whose description is divinely inspired to poke many a wayward Pharisee’s puffed estimation of himself. To stand proud assuming superiority, informing God of others’ ill motives while boasting self-righteousness, is the epitome of pride that will be debased. His sole mention of God was to call His attention to himself. Only the hated tax collector who reverently exalts God and humbles himself as a needy sinner before His mercy will be exalted. Convoluted thinking results in convoluted conclusions.

Focused on ourselves in most of life, our devotional life is no different. It is natural in the flesh to conflate our importance and fill our prayers with hot air and empty words. We posture and pretend, explain and defend, claiming regular (but often rote) spiritual exercises, checking off our accolades against the faults of those beneath us. The sincerely humble focus on the Lord, drawn to His majesty, captivated by His love and grace, and bow themselves as unworthy apart from His mercy. One needs nothing, the other everything. One informs God with brazen cockiness, the other implores God with desperate need. God hears each word and heart, and esteems and demotes according to His righteous judgment. (1 Samuel 2:6-8; Hebrews 4:12)

What posture do I take before the Lord Almighty? Do I approach God’s throne haughtily, expecting favor while looking down on others, defending my goodness? Or I do I approach as unworthy, grateful for His goodness and the access His mercy makes? Am I so focused on myself that I inflate my prayers with condescension, entitlement, and little to no reverence for God? Or am I consumed with Him and His holy character, claiming only my depravity?

“O for a heart to praise my God,
a heart from sin set free,
a heart that always feels Thy blood
so freely shed for me.

A heart resigned, submissive, meek,
my great Redeemer’s throne,
where only Christ is heard to speak,
where Jesus reigns alone.

A humble, lowly, contrite heart,
believing, true, and clean,
which neither life nor death can part
from Christ who dwells within.

A heart in ev’ry thought renewed
and full of love divine,
perfect and right and pure and good,
a copy, Lord, of Thine.

Thy nature, gracious Lord, impart;
come quickly from above;
write Thy new name upon my heart,
Thy new best name of Love.” ~Charles Wesley (1742)

Lord, focus my eyes, affection, and prayers on You, to Your honor.

“The Lord said to Abram,.. ‘I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing’… He brought him outside and said, ‘Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them… So shall your offspring be.’” Genesis 12:1-2; 15:5

“[King David said,] ‘And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches all hearts and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever. Be careful now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be strong and do it…

“Be strong and courageous and do it. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God, even my God, is with you. He will not leave you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the Lord is finished.” 1 Chronicles 28:9-10,20

Abraham received God’s promise by faith, and bore only one son by Sarah to carry the promised seed. Generations later, David had many sons, but the Lord had named Solomon as his successor. He wanted Solomon to know that his was no arbitrary naming or position or privilege, but a unique calling from God to carry on His work and promise. (1 Chronicles 3:1-9; 28:3-7)

We can have seasons of early, eager waking, yet without particular inspiration or defined direction. Clouds roll in, portending moisture, adding chaos to disorder, yet even these in movement and hue are measured and meaningful. The Lord is present in all weather with ongoing purposes to fulfill. His is a way of order and meaning. (1 Corinthians 14:33)

He bestows a bounty of hours designed to be purposeful and honoring to their Craftsman. Since God knows the number of our days and is intimately acquainted with our ways, He has assigned specific meaning to our time on earth. The Master is at work, and we are beckoned to step as stewards into His masterpiece and join Him. (Psalm 139:1-3,15-16; 147:4)

The priorities of this mighty, all-wise King are right, His purposes righteous, His gifts benevolent and generous. How familiar are we with His ways and guidance? Have we grown complacent, having ‘done our duty’? Do we go about days and seasons carelessly, following winds of desire, opportunity, and fancy? Or do we diligently seek our Creator and where He would have us serve, then follow His lead with excellence, care, and a wholly devoted heart?

“A charge to keep I have, 
a God to glorify, 
a never-dying soul to save, 
and fit it for the sky. 

To serve the present age, 
my calling to fulfill, 
O may it all my pow’rs engage 
to do my Master’s will! 

Arm me with watchful care 
as in Thy sight to live, 
and now Thy servant, Lord, prepare 
a strict account to give!

Help me to watch and pray,
and still on Thee rely,
O let me not my trust betray,
but press to realms on high.” ~ Charles Wesley (1762)

Lord, help me take seriously Your promises and serve Your purposes.

“Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.”

“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God…

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face… To this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away… But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 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.“

“Even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing… The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; 3:4-5,12-14,16-18; 4:3-6

Paul had turned to the Lord. Bent on persecuting Christians, strict about his professed religion, he was stunned by the Lord who arrested his rebellion along his loathsome path. He turned him to the light- at first blinding, then revealing, then reflecting. Unveiling his spiritual senses, the Holy Spirit freed Paul from his former life to make him a fragrant, bright, competent preacher being continually transformed into God’s image. (Acts 26:9-19)

Turning to Christ is a mystery in sovereignty. The stubborn human will is softened and moved by God’s invisible Spirit to respond to His merciful hounding. By grace, the shrouding veil donned since Eden is lifted, the Lord and the light of His gospel is beheld. Acrid turns fragrant, weak turns bold as the slave is set free. From the moment of rebirth life requires a constant turning to the Savior over self, godly wisdom over the world’s. Can we honestly say He has made all things new? (2 Corinthians 5:17)

What adjustments in our forward-face is the Lord prompting today? Where and when do we glance askant? What errant attitude, default response, ingrained behavior is He revealing so we can acknowledge and repent? What selfishness, greed, and pride do we need to leave behind in order to pursue His paths? Turning to Him initiates a triumphal procession.

“Finish, then, thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory
Till in Heav’n we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise!” ~Charles Wesley (1747)

Father, lead me by the light of Your glory in continual triumph and transformation.

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.’ But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.

“But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest.” Jonah 1:1-4

“Where shall I go from your Spirit?
    Or where shall I flee from your presence?
If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
    and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me,
    and the light about me be night,’
even the darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is bright as the day,
    for darkness is as light with you.” Psalm 139:7-12

Jonah did not like God’s word. He fled in the direction opposite of His command to escape responsibility, but the Lover of souls never let him out of sight or mind. He had a work to do and Jonah was the instrument.

God Almighty knows all, sees all, and can do all. No matter our willful rebellion and attempts to hide or run away, He watches. The omniscient Savior mercifully pursues and fulfills His plans for His own. There is no escaping the eye, arms, and grace of God when He sets His affection on us. None can snatch us from His hand and nothing can separate us from His love. (John 10:28-29; Romans 8:35-39)

Most of the time, we think we’re grand, so smart and crafty. We control what we do or don’t want to do. We manage, finagle, order our worlds according to us, doing and going as we well please. But in the roil of self-determination we forget who God is: the ubiquitous Savior of men who knows His sheep by name and whose purposes won’t be thwarted. Our independent nature may be to evade His interference, shake off restraint, forge our own path. But God, intimately acquainted with all our ways, counters every rebel bent with His sovereign will and steady character. We try to run, He pursues relentlessly. We want to ignore conviction, His indwelling Spirit actively abides. We wish our choices would escape His gaze, but His sights are ever on us, His beloved, the apple of His eye. (Deuteronomy 32:10; Job 42:2; Psalm 139:3; John 10:14)

So rather than trying to flee, how can we align our wills with His, and submit anew to His commands? How might we enjoy His presence, and take rightful advantage of His unbroken companionship? He stands to reason and guide. He supplies strength, wisdom, and hope. He repairs what’s broken and redeems what we’ve lost. He shapes our will to obey and fulfills His purposes. Allelujah!(Joel 2:25; James 1:5)

Lord, may I daily receive and heed Your word, to Your glorious ends.

“He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, “A shower is coming.” And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat,” and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” Luke 12:54-56

“And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, ‘When it is evening, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.”  And in the morning, “It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.  An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.’ So he left them and departed.” Matthew 16:1-4

“Jesus answered them, ‘You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.'” Matthew 22:29

“He will be the stability of your times,
    abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;
    the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.” Isaiah 33:6

“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom,
    and the one who gets understanding.” Proverbs 3:17

Jesus was well aware of, and involved in crafting, man’s unique ability to discern. Man is uniquely fashioned with instincts and a mind that can intuit and distinguish facets of life around him. Jesus hones in on both ignorance and misuse of this gift, caused by limited knowledge and self-centered vision. As the disciples and crowds spent time in the nitty gritty of life with Jesus, He attempted to lift their spiritual eyes and expand their cognitive horizons.

We work, interact, and make plans and choices depending on the fraction of world we understand. We interpret life with the framework and information we have at hand, and often depend on previous knowledge either inherited or gained by experience. Jesus the infinite urges us to broaden, and deepen, any perspective limited by cultural boundaries and curated soundbites to the eternal and divine. He calls us to explore and know His living word so it becomes our lens of understanding all things.

We might avoid His word because of unfamiliarity or skepticism. We might resist it because we fear its exposure or conviction. Trusting second and third sources robs us of the insight and delight we garner from the Bible itself when we read it directly.

How are we honing spiritual discernment? How well do we actually think for ourselves based on God’s truth? When was the last time we related a passage of scripture to an everyday situation? How often do we turn off the noise of the world, even experts and ‘thought leaders,’ to steep ourselves in the Word of God and allow its potent truth to renew our minds and shape our insight and opinions? Are we dependent on how others spin current events, or can we recognize reality for what it is and implies by the Spirit ourselves? When I take a stand, does it mimic another person, or my Lord? (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:5; Colossians 3:2)

Father, keep me seeking You for understanding of our times and wisdom to live.