Author: astherainandsnow

“I am your God,..
    who leads you in the way you should go.
Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments!..

Go out from Babylon!” Isaiah 48:17-18,20

“’Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
    She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit…
All nations have drunk
    the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her,
    and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.’

‘Come out of her, my people,
    lest you take part in her sins…
heaped high as heaven…
She glorified herself and lived in luxury…

‘The fruit for which your soul longed
    has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
    are never to be found again!..

‘Alas, alas, for the great city
    that was clothed in fine linen,
        in purple and scarlet,
    adorned with gold,
        jewels, and pearls!
In a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste…

‘Babylon the great city [will] be thrown down with violence,
    and found no more…
for all nations were deceived by your sorcery.'” Revelation 18:2-5,7,14,16-17,21,23

There will come a time when all evil is called to judgment. God’s clock is ticking, though we know not how long. Every choice we make has consequences, and it’s imperative we are keen to the enemy’s seduction toward all things worldly and temporal, and away from what is righteous and eternal. He teases with filtered glimpses of beyond, but keeps us circling, never arriving. He would have us live only for today, taking no thought of accountability, or tomorrow’s reckoning. He deceives with feelings, self-gratification, sensuality, and cravings satisfied. (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 5:10)

In the order of our days, calendars, and schedules, we naturally get caught up in short-term rhythms: appetites, to-dos, check-offs, I-deserves. We are enticed by the thump of the world’s music, the luster of success, the thrill of easy entertainment, and perks of plastic beauty.

We must remember that all our short-terms make up our long term, and it serves us well to soak in the Word, connect in vital fellowship, and pray for wisdom over all. Redeeming our time means extricating ourselves from everything that would diminish a lofty perspective of God, or pull us away from His heart and reason. We might shrink from so sober a lifestyle, but judgment is far more sobering, and final. (Ephesians 5:3-12,15-18)

Where are we given to uncleanness- of thought toward others, indulgences, vocabulary? What passions do we allow to rule- lust, temper, jealousy, ambition, resentment? In what ways do we glorify ourselves- boasting, or smugly taking credit for what God alone has done or given? (Isaiah 48:11; 1 Corinthians 4:7; James 1:17)

What will it take for us to ‘come out’ from the mindset, habits, or company of Babylon, to once-for-all be done with empty and detrimental living? We need spiritual vision, holy resolve, commitment fueled by God’s Spirit, and maybe a friend to keep us accountable. We can, with the Lord’s enabling, seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, and surrender ourselves to please and honor Him. (Matthew 6:33; Romans 12:1-2)

Father, alert me to every whiff of Babylon, and give me courage to flee. Bind my wandering heart to Thee, that You be exalted in my every choice.

“He will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.” Psalm 27:5

“In the cover of your presence you hide them
from the plots of men;
you store them in your shelter
from the strife of tongues.” Psalm 31:20

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.’

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday...

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—
    the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you,
    no plague come near your tent...

‘Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him;
    I will protect him, because he knows my name.
When he calls to me, I will answer him;
    I will be with him in trouble;
    I will rescue him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
    and show him my salvation.’” Psalm 91:1-6,9-10,14-16

The thrum of rain on the metal roof keeps on, and on. This storm is no fly-by. Constant pounding of a thousand heavy fingers meddles with my mind in its attempt to unnerve, and unsettle. Lightning crackles and startles, yet it cannot touch, water pelts in torrents, but cannot soak. Here under shelter, I am untouched. It is well with my soul.

It is hard to describe the peace that resides in the one secure in salvation. It is strong, yet not restrictive, an immovable bulwark that encircles with formidable gentleness. What Jesus has done for us is finished, so we are safe forever- buffeted, jarred, even injured, but held. His is a peace that passes human understanding. (John 10:28-29; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10; 11:24-28; Philippians 4:7)

If this is true, why do we get so shaken at circumstances? Why allow anxiety to rule our minds and stymie our sleep? Instead of dwelling on what we cannot control, would we intentionally, actively, trust the Controller? Rather than stewing over wrongs done to us and what-ifs going forward, would we meditate on the enthroned and merciful Redeemer? Would we eschew media-driven frenzy and fear and instead rest in our Lord’s powerful sovereignty? These unnatural fixations of the heart and mind take determination and spiritual discipline, but a rhythm of contemplation on what is true, and active trust, can establish for us new defaults.

How will we begin to alter our mindset? To turn our reactive thoughts upward and settle our emotions above? What new habits can we implement to tether us in God’s shelter against all that pelts and taunts? How might we today exercise faith in what is absolutely true? (Psalm 109:2-4; Colossians 3:1-2)

“My heart is steadfast, O God!
    I will sing and make melody with all my being!..
For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” (Psalm 108:1,4)

Amen.

“O God, do not keep silence;
    do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
    those who hate you have raised their heads.
They lay crafty plans against your people;
    they consult together against your treasured ones.
They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation.'” Psalm 83:1-4a

“How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of hosts!
My soul longs, yes, faints
    for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and flesh sing for joy
    to the living God…

Blessed are those who dwell in your house,
    ever singing your praise! 

Blessed are those whose strength is in you,
    in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
As they go through the Valley of Baca
    they make it a place of springs;
    the early rain also covers it with pools.
They go from strength to strength;
    each one appears before God in Zion…

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does he withhold
    from those who walk uprightly.
O Lord of hosts,
    blessed is the one who trusts in you!” Psalm 84:1-2,4-7,11-12

“You are precious in my eyes,
    and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
    peoples in exchange for your life.” Isaiah 43:4

“To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ…” Jude 1:1

The day starts slowly, sun bright somewhere above the thick Marine layer that blankets the city. For a while vision is limited, the sky too near to give perspective, too close to give any sense of freedom beyond. What we see and feel is what we get: chill, grey— they could dampen and oppress if you let them. But the flowers smile, their faces leaning to the light.

There is something special about standing out in the drear. As a treasured one, my hope breaks through clouds of present pressures, animosity and strife, enemy taunts that determine to unsettle and sow discord. I know whose I am, and that no swipe can touch me, or snatch me away. I look up, and find the Lord’s radiance. (John 10:28-29)

As God’s treasured ones, we are loved! Christ’s love that is greater than any man’s should cheer and steady us in any unrest. (John 15:13)

As God’s treasured ones, we will be persecuted! In trials we can have joy knowing we are blessed, and God is using them to sanctify us. (Matthew 5:11-12; 2 Timothy 3:12; James 1:2-4)

As God’s treasured ones, our hope is certain and our future secure! We have the Holy Spirit as our indefatigable guarantee and look forward to being with Jesus forever. (Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

How confidently do I live, and carry myself, and communicate, and serve, as God’s treasured one? Do I doubt God’s covenant love for me? Am I uneasy about future provision and strength? How seriously do I take God at His word, and stake my daily hope on His sure promises?

Lord, may others see You as the sure and highest treasure of my heart, even as I trust all Your good promises and love for me.

“Restore us, O God;
let your face shine, that we may be saved!

O Lord God of hosts,
how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
You cleared the ground for it;
it took deep root and filled the land.
The mountains were covered with its shade,
the mighty cedars with its branches.
It sent out its branches to the sea
and its shoots to the River.
Why then have you broken down its walls,
so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?
The boar from the forest ravages it…

Turn again, O God of hosts!
Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
the stock that your right hand planted…
They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down!..
But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
Then we shall not turn back from you;
give us life, and we will call upon your name!

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” Psalm 80:3-19

Restoration: renewal, revival, or reestablishment; a return of something to a former, original, or unimpaired condition. Biblical: to receive back more than has been lost, where the final state is greater than the original condition; someone or something improved beyond measure.

A call for God to restore assumes the ear of One who has faithfully shepherded with a long view for good. It presupposes a knowledge and desire for what once was, and what could be even better. An honest call also acknowledges the reasons for present ruin: sin pests that have nibbled away at undivided hearts, boundaries that have not been tended, little foxes allowed to spoil fruitfulness. The description of the vineyard reminds us that God’s ideal can be either ravaged or intentionally pruned, but strong roots firmly planted will remain and can flourish again. (Song of Solomon 2:15)

Divine restoration begins with strong stock— in a faith commitment, a marriage, any relationship— and proceeds with a resurrecting God who calls it to spring anew. What sin and trouble have hidden or destroyed, God is able to revive and regenerate.

We may be innocent victims in present miseries and strained relationships, but likely we have played a part in the pithy grapes we’d rather spit out. God justly allows us to reap consequences for wayward actions and languid affections. His eye is ever on us, and His face shines ready to light our darkness, show us the way forward, and restore us to wholeness. (Isaiah 5:1-7)

Where specifically will we ask for restoration, and commit to seeing it through? Passion for Jesus and His word? The joy of our salvation?(Psalm 51:12)

Father, apply Your hand and shine Your face to restore all in me that is broken, so I bear forth Your glorious ideal.

“O Lord, God of my salvation,
    I cry out day and night before you.
Let my prayer come before you;
    incline your ear to my cry!

For my soul is full of troubles,
    and my life draws near to Sheol.
I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
    I am a man who has no strength,
like one set loose among the dead,
    like the slain that lie in the grave,
like those whom you remember no more,
    for they are cut off from your hand.
You have put me in the depths of the pit,
    in the regions dark and deep.
Your wrath lies heavy upon me,
    and you overwhelm me with all your waves. 

You have caused my companions to shun me;
you have made me a horror to them.
I am shut in so that I cannot escape;
my eye grows dim through sorrow.
Every day I call upon you, O Lord;
I spread out my hands to you…
Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,
or your faithfulness in Abaddon?
Are your wonders known in the darkness,
or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” Psalm 88:1-9,11-12

The answer is a bold, loud, resounding Yes! In every region of mind, heart, and experience, in every dark tunnel, deep chasm, and cobbled alley, God’s love is declared! His faithfulness reaches! His wonders occur! His righteousness prevails! His balm soothes every pang!

The psalms are personally and pointedly helpful in relating real struggles of real people. They can exquisitely mimic our very felt needs, deep regrets, and agonized questions. The descriptions of each night of soul are consistently met with mention of morning, just as in God the Creator’s majestic plan, every dark night is faded and followed by day. Jesus came as light into darkness, and He pledges to dispel it for us, no matter its source or measure. (John 1:4-5,9,14; 8:12)

We may be overwhelmed by besetting sin, our flesh inability to rid of pesky, relentless temptation. We may be battling an incurable disease, and face decision after difficult decision on our next course of action. We may be suffering unjustly under another’s mistreatment, false accusation, or broken communication through no fault of our own. We may be slammed by rejection every time we attempt headway. There are sorrows and horrors of this life we will not escape until we meet Jesus, yet He abides with steadfast love and constancy in the midst here below. (Psalm 46:1-3; 1 John 1:6-9;3:2)

What confusions, what predicaments, what griefs and horrid places and dreams have we allowed to take on darkness by keeping them from our Lord? There is no place too deep for His reach, His arm is not short to save. Would we come as the psalmist, and lay out our concerns, not in exasperated defeat, but in expectant surrender to His ability and promises? Would we walk with Jesus step by step, in His light of lamppost after lamppost? Would we honestly ask our questions, then receive, believe, and thank Him for His answers? (Psalm 139:7-12; Isaiah 59:1)

Good Father, tighten my grip on You, and Yours on me. Bring gracious morning into my every dark region, so I spontaneously praise You as my salvation in trouble. (Isaiah 33:2)

“I will sing of the steadfast love of the Lord, forever;
    with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations.
For I said, ‘Steadfast love will be built up forever;
    in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness…’

Let the heavens praise your wonders, O Lord,
your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones!
For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord?
Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord,
a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones,
and awesome above all who are around him?
O Lord God of hosts,
who is mighty as you are, O Lord,
with your faithfulness all around you?..

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours;
    the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.
The north and the south, you have created them…
You have a mighty arm;
    strong is your hand, high your right hand.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;
    steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.
Blessed are the people who know the festal shout,
    who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who exult in your name all the day
    and in your righteousness are exalted.
For you are the glory of their strength;
    by your favor our horn is exalted.
For our shield belongs to the Lord…

His …throne [shall endure] as long as the sun before me.
Like the moon it shall be established forever,
a faithful witness in the skies.” Psalm 89:1-2,5-8,11-12a,13-18a,36-37

It is impossible to gaze at the heavens without contemplating the infinite and eternal. We look up, and we are dwarfed. God created the skies to open the window of His dwelling place, to draw us into His sanctuary, to lure our thoughts upward, to elevate our souls to lofty and indescribable places that captivate our wonder and affection. The endless vault of blue above beckons sublime amazement and the soaring of the human heart. (Psalm 8:3-4)

The heavens cannot contain God, but they can praise Him. And this infinite God who owns the heaven of heavens and resides far above them has set His affection on us, and condescended to make His home among us. He is our sanctuary and delight. (Deuteronomy 10:14-15; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 108:4-5)

How else can we respond except to join nature in its praise? How can we not take time to soar above earthly busyness, to shrug off weighty cares, to exult in song? Partaking of the heavenly adds deep dimension to our human days and business. It affords keener insights, richer love, quickening compassion, godly wisdom, and appropriate responses to the world around us.

What will it take to turn ephemeral focus to eternal vision? Look up! How can we shrug off petty bothers and insignificant endeavors? Consider the skies! How do we guard against downward spiraling? Lift our eyes! What can transform flesh appetites into divine longing? Behold heaven! How can we dismiss heaviness and mourning? Praise heaven’s Keeper! (Psalm 94:19; 96:4-6; Isaiah 61:3)

Lord of the heavens, be always my praise, for You are my God, exalted above all. (Deuteronomy 10:21)

“I cry aloud to God,
    aloud to God, and he will hear me.
In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
    in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
    my soul refuses to be comforted…

I consider the days of old,
    the years long ago.
I said, ‘Let me remember my song in the night;
    let me meditate in my heart.’
    Then my spirit made a diligent search…

I said, ‘I will appeal to this,
to the years of the right hand of the Most High.’

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
I will ponder all your work,
and meditate on your mighty deeds.
Your way, O God, is holy.
What god is great like our God?
You are the God who works wonders;
you have made known your might among the peoples.
You with your arm redeemed your people.

When the waters saw you, O God,
    when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
    indeed, the deep trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
    the skies gave forth thunder;
    your arrows flashed on every side.
The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lighted up the world;
    the earth trembled and shook.
Your way was through the sea,
    your path through the great waters;
    yet your footprints were unseen.
You led your people like a flock
    by the hand of Moses and Aaron.” Psalm 77:1-2,5-6,10-20

“God my King is from of old,
    working salvation in the midst of the earth.” Psalm 74:12

There are times in the day of trouble and the midst of storms it is not even on our radar to get any perspective. We’re groping in the dark to get footing in the slamming wind. We’re treading water, choking for air, trying to survive, and it’s impossible to see any periphery or long view. But it’s there, and our Lord painted it, and still holds the brushes, and bids us come consider.

Look up, He calls, seek Me and bring Me your cares. And look back, He urges, remember how I’ve worked in the past and brought you to this place. In your dark trouble and melancholy, He prompts, remember bright blooms, and your song. In your immediate, remember My years, My wonders of old. In your helplessness, remember My might, and in your weakness, My strong arm. I waste nothing, and will redeem. (Isaiah 40:28-31; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Our God is more than a match for our every want and need. And once we are revived, we have a fresh and long perspective to stir gratitude and action. We recognize anew and sieze the privilege of passing on the stories of God’s faithful and mighty deeds to the next generation, that they, too, can take heart. (Psalm 78:1-4)

What discipline can we implement to seek the Lord with hungry intention? Deliberate praying, meditating, and journaling help bring His attributes and gracious works to mind. Pondering His greatness and might is sure to burst forth in glorious songs of amazement and praise.

Lord, captivate my heart and spirit. Fix my mind on Thee and keep me exalting You for Your wonderful deeds and plans formed of old, faithful and sure. There is none like You! (Isaiah 25:1)

“Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you’ve heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the Lord has promised.

“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out.., and that he may confirm the word that [he] swore to your fathers.

“The Lord is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people… you have been rebellious…

“The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession,.. not because you were more in number that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers… Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God.” Deuteronomy 9:1-4,5b-7; 7:6-9

Today. Nothing matches the anticipation, the excitement, like today. What you have looked forward to, the expected but unknown you have waited for, the fulfillment of a sure promise, is occurring today. Packaged with Moses’ bold announcement were tidbits of pointed reminder he deemed necessary as the Israelites would finally enter their land.

Remember your enemy, and the great thing God is about to do for you. Be realistic. They are big, foreboding, and powerful. They are entrenched in the land He will give you to possess. Do not forget the stronghold you are up against, and that He is your leader. (1 Peter 5:8)

Remember who this faithful, loving Lord is, and that He is the One taking You in and leading your conquest. He is the consuming fire in battle and in jealousy over His people. He is the One who subdues the enemy. Do not think too highly of your own strength or righteousness. God will thrust out your enemies because they deserve their judgment. (Deuteronomy 4:24)

Remember, you also deserve judgment. Don’t be haughty. God in sovereign, merciful love chose you as His own, not because you earned or deserve His favor. This is all of Him and His grace. (John 15:16; Romans 12:3)

Having assessed vicious enemies, alert to raging temptation, in view of flesh affections and weaknesses, what is God calling us to vanquish today in His strength? What anxiety has He promised to conquer, what apathy will He overcome, what giants of fear or confusion, timidity or regret, has He equipped us to take on and displace? Would we now march confidently in His armor, following His fire, and possess the free, wide place He’s promised? (Psalm 18:19; Ephesians 6:10-17)

Lord, help me seize all You have for me today, taking full advantage of Your promises and enabling to possess Your immeasurable bounty. To You be all honor and glory.

“Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them…

“The Rabshakeh said to them, ‘Say to Hezekiah, “Thus says the great king of Assyria: On what do you rest this trust of yours? Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? In whom do you now trust, that you have rebelled against me?.. If you say, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar’?.. Is it without the Lord that I have come up against this land? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”

“Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. Do not let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord by saying, “The Lord will surely deliver us. This city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” Do not listen to Hezekiah. Make your peace with me and come out to me. Then each of you will eat of his own vine, and fig tree, and… drink the water of his own cistern, until I come and take you away to… a land of grain and wine, of bread and vineyards. Beware lest Hezekiah mislead you.'” Isaiah 36:1,4-5,7,10,13-18

The Rabshakeh, a high-ranking military officer, was sent by King Sennacherib to unnerve Hezekiah and the people of Judah to topple their trust, disparage their God, and ruin their land. His psychology was to inflate the greatness of Assyria and belittle King Hezekiah’s faith in the Lord’s help. He undermined his royal authority by speaking directly to his people in their common parlance, doing all he could to discourage the soldiers and distract them with false promises. Such is the texture of the enemy’s tangle, and it has been so since the beginning. (Genesis 3:1-7)

Unbelievers do not comprehend the mind of Christ, but they certainly pretend to, and use their mental wiles to mimic truth and unsettle vulnerable believers. While their understanding is warped, their strategy is keen and effective when they bark loudly enough. We can buffet ourselves against attack by knowing our unique, almighty God, His word, and His ways. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

The Rabshakeh compared Israel’s God, who was personal, to other nations’ gods that are man made. He belittled their divine defenses matched against his numerous and muscular ones. While his gloating had merit by earthly measures, he failed to grasp the true spiritual nature of all warfare, and that there is only one ultimate Victor. (Ephesians 6:10-12; Revelation 17:14)

It’s important we not only ground ourselves in God’s word, but understand its context. The Lord would use Assyria as His instrument for judgment, but their pride too, in time, would be debased. (Isaiah 10:5-6)

Where do we fall prey to the devil’s distortions of God’s character? Where are we temporizing our allegiance to God’s word in order to adjust it to our preferences? In whom do we really trust?

Father, foundation of my thinking and doing, may I believe and trust in You alone.

“And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan. But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he shall go over at the head of this people, and he shall put them in possession of the land that you shall see.’” Deuteronomy 3:23-28

In one of the most poignant passages of Scripture, faithful Moses, almost 120 years old, pleads with the Lord with whom he’s walked humbly his whole life. From God’s marvelous protection at his birth, through 40 years raised, educated, and enmeshed in Egyptian culture; after his decades in Midian, the miraculous deliverance from the Egyptians through the Sea, and 38 years of desert wandering; now Moses proclaims that with the defeat of Sihon and Og he’s “only begun to see God’s greatness and mighty hand.” It’s hard to imagine his heart is not fully satisfied with all of God’s care and miracles and personal attention, but in fact, all he’s seen and known of his Lord has only caused craving for more.

Isn’t this inspiring? Shouldn’t the myriad of ways our God has acted and intervened on our behalf only whet our appetite for more of Him? With every new day, as the sun pokes its majestic colors through the dark yet once again, we are offered fresh promise. We can see new facets of His splendor, know Him better, love and trust and marvel in His ways more deeply. Our spiritual passion can be renewed, our soul cheer heightened, our anticipation of Christ’s fingerprints enhanced, our hope strengthened.

Have we grown complacent with, or apathetic toward, God’s graces? Has worldliness or self- effort numbed us to His supernatural deeds, His marvelous protections, guidance, and deliverances every day? Are we so distracted with lesser temporal things that we fail to behold the divine and everlasting? Do our urgent plans and frenetic strategies drown out His good and underlying purposes? Are we no longer thrilled with holy expectancy at who our God is, and all He continually does for His name’s sake?

Would we regularly recount our indescribable blessings in Christ, our encounters with His Spirit, our communion and fellowship with God, and say, “More, my Lord. Please, more.”

Father, your mercies are indeed new every morning. Awaken me daily to all that is fresh and new with You. Ignite my heart with joyful longing to know You better and love You more. (Isaiah 50:4; Lamentations 3:22-23)