Author: astherainandsnow

“My feet had almost stumbled,
    my steps had nearly slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant
    when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

For they have no pangs until death;
    their bodies are fat and sleek.
They are not in trouble as others are;
    they are not stricken like the rest of mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace;
    violence covers them as a garment.
Their eyes swell out through fatness;
    their hearts overflow with follies…

Behold, these are the wicked;
    always at ease, they increase in riches.
All in vain have I kept my heart clean
    and washed my hands in innocence.
For all the day long I have been stricken
    and rebuked every morning…

But when I thought how to understand this,
    it seemed to me a wearisome task,
until I went into the sanctuary of God;
    then I discerned their end…

I am continually with you;
    you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
    and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
    And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
    but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:2-7,12-14,16-17,23-26

“Thus says the Lord God: Though I removed them far off among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a while in the countries where they have gone. I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land… And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes… And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” Ezekiel 11:16-20

The Psalmist is torn inside with angst and envy, mental turmoil over the unfairness of the wicked getting by with pride and violence, and prospering… until he goes into the sanctuary. There he contemplates his God, and God’s perfect character, and his soul rests in God’s presence, His counsel, His order of all things, His enough. The one who was slipping found his hope, his mind, His heart, his sustenance, restored.

The prophet tells those scattered in exile, as punishment for their rebellion, that even in lands distant from home, the Lord has been their sanctuary. Their place with Him would bring reunion and revival as He would redeem their spirit.

Sanctuary: a place of refuge or safety; a holy place; the inmost recess or holiest part of a temple or church. When we find ourselves in the far lands of envy, bitterness, or disappointment, our affections scattered among strange gods foreign to our intended first love, we can lose our center and grow spiritually cold. But when we delight in the sanctuary that is our God, He transforms our spirits, chiseling at wayward habits, bringing our senses and emotions under divine control, reorienting our loves. (Revelation 2:4)

What caverns of my life need to pulse anew, and with fresh passion for Him?

Lord, keep me coming to You, my sanctuary. May my worship there beat life into my spirit, even as it honors Thee.

“I saw vanity under the sun: one person [whose] eyes are never satisfied with riches… This also is vanity and an unhappy business.” Ecclesiastes 4:7-8

“They cast their silver into the streets, and their gold is like an unclean thing. Their silver and gold are not able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord. They cannot satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling block of their iniquity. His beautiful ornament they used for pride, and they made their abominable images and their detestable things of it. Therefore I make it an unclean thing to them.” Ezekiel 7:19-20

“Godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs… As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10,17-19

The trouble with earthly riches is that they’re just that: earthly. They are temporary, and distract from the heavenly and eternal. They were not created to be worshiped, but appreciated, and misusing them, or elevating them to idol or redemptive status through disordered affection, leaves us wanting, unfulfilled, and under God’s judgment. (Romans 1:18,21-23)

What draws us to slip into the trap of tinsel, to value shiny and material things more than we should? If we feel a sense of worth in what we own, we must remember God owns all, and what we have is merely on loan from Him. If we wield our treasure as a life-bargaining tool, to win us favor, popularity, or reputation, we must remind ourselves that being made in God’s image, not one of our own making, is our imprint of value. (Genesis 1:26; 1 Corinthians 4:7; James 1:17)

Where do things of this world get us? To maintaining, to fussing, to comparing, to envy, to ‘never enough.’ We cannot be satisfied, because God made us to be satisfied in Him, not things, not accolades, accomplishments, or acumen. We were made for eternity, to seek what is above. Let us turn from the allure of the present age and its trinkets to put our trust, and love, and identity, in what is of God. Let us choose contentment in Him, and all He provides for us so we can live full lives unto Him. (Psalm 16:11; Ecclesiastes 3:11;  Matthew 6:19-20; Colossians 3:1-2; 2 Peter 1:3-8)

Father, teach me to value You above all else. Develop in me Your qualities so my life bears fruit for Your glory, and the eternal blessing of others.

“Have you not known? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He does not faint or grow weary;
    his understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint,
    and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
    and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
    they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
    they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31

“Even to your old age I am he,
    and to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear;
    I will carry and will save.” Isaiah 46:4

“You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Matthew 5:14,16; Galatians 6:9

In the course of a day, lovely blooms wilt, fresh grass withers, fresh bananas grow spots, but if God can radiate out of the eastern sky at sunset, He can blaze the joy and freshness and expectancy of morning in our every hour, even as evening draws nigh. When the hustle and stresses of the day come to a close, when focus and energy wane, when light grows dim and songs come to their finale, when age takes its toll, we can still shine. Christ in us, our hope of glory, never diminishes in His radiance or sustaining power. He is near and unchanging; the bright morning star never ceases to shine. (Isaiah 40:8; Colossians 1:27; Revelation 22:16)

How easy it is, when we are tired, to make mistakes, to say things we wish we could retrieve, to make hasty decisions (that have lasting impact) with impatience and without keen thought. We can grow sloppy in our love, huffy in our attitude, irritable in our speech, and selfish in our bent. We make excuses that it is late, we are tired, we are depleted, yet every waking moment, yielded and lived unto the Lord, can glorify Him and build up His kingdom.

Are there late-in-the-day triggers where I know I need to exercise extra caution? Does my fatigue remind me to adjust my filter and fasten the guard on my tongue? Would I be careful simply not to speak, rather than to blurt without thought, not to make big commitments that could become missteps, or cannot be kept? Would we surrender our crabby to His grace, our all-about-me to His selfless love? (Psalm 141:3-4; Ecclesiastes 5:4-5;  Matthew 5:37)

Would we renew and fortify ourselves with God’s living, sustaining word? Will we sing refrains of His fresh mercies and solid promises? Can we intentionally see and seize in every moment an opportunity? (Psalm 119:11; Isaiah 50:4;  Lamentations 3:22-23; Ephesians 5:15-18)

Lord on high, You who rule the beginning and the end, the morning and the evening, lift Your countenance upon me and rule all my moments.  When shadows fall, blaze forth Your glorious light, and when I am weak, Your strength, that no matter the time or my age, You are exalted.

“David struck them down from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives. Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken. David brought back all. David also captured all the flocks and herds, and the people drove the livestock before him, and said, ‘This is David’s spoil.’

“Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the brook Besor. And they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near to the people he greeted them. Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, ‘Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.’ But David said, ‘You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.’” 1 Samuel 30:17-24 

The red caught my eye, a single bright vermillion bloom on the grey pavement. It was uniquely exquisite in its symmetry, shape, and yellow-painted edges, a star with wings, yet fragile in its delicacy. Then I looked up, and was enraptured by the magnificent grandeur of the canopy from which it had fallen. A regal umbrella of blooms, that royal poinciana tree consisted of hundreds of these extraordinary, single blossoms, each one adding bright wonder, all needed for the grand display.

In a world where there is so much talent and talk, we might wonder where is our place. What if I did not show up? If one blossom were missing from that large tree, would it really matter? Yet, each is needed for the whole to have its full effect. 

When David set out to take over the marauding Amalekites and retrieve those and what they’d captured, each of his men made a contribution and a difference. Whether guarding their baggage, fighting the enemy, or hauling back the plunder, every man was necessary, valued individually and contributing to the victorious mission.

Some of us are called to influence a small circle– our neighborhood, team, or a group at church. Some are called to be active in a company, a community, or a city; still others to have a broader reach across a nation, or world-wide. Each one is significant, and together are part of God’s grand, unstoppable scheme.

What part do, or will, I play? Only God knows the specific flavor and color and action He has designed for me. He will direct when I seek Him, offer myself for His bidding, and report for service. (Psalm 32:8; Jeremiah 29:11-13)

Lord, help me do my part willingly and faithfully to further Your glorious kingdom purposes.

“The Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops… [Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, ‘Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.’ And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him… And Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God… Now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart…'” 1 Samuel 13:5,8-10,13-14 “Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him… And Saul had put the mediums and the necromancers out of the land. The Philistines assembled and came and encamped at Shunem… When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. And when Saul inquired of the Lord, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim, or by prophets. Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.’” 1 Samuel 28:3-7 Saul had some makings of a good king, but he never yielded fully to his Sovereign, and thus never grew into greatness. He was impatient in his faith and sloppy in his obedience. When God didn’t ‘deliver’ as he expected or desired, according to his timetable, he took matters into his own hands and bowed to the lesser god of self. He would never know what God could have done for and through him. Impatience insinuates regret.

When Saul failed to wait on the Lord the first time, he was given another chance. Sadly, he proved by his impertinence and self-driven leadership a weak confidence in the Lord who instructed him, and ended up regretting the shame his half-hearted obedience imposed. He never seemed to grasp what it meant and looked like to be wholehearted and submitted. (1 Samuel 15:17-30) Are there tasks or positions God has assigned where I think I have better ideas, better methods? Where am I prone to impatience for His process, for the fulfilling of His promises? Instead of taking control, would I practice turning over the reins to the Potentate of Time, the Sovereign who does all things well with no divine delay? What is He teaching me in the waiting? Deeper dependence? Better vision? Greater patience? (Mark 7:37; 2 Peter 3:8-9) What proclivities have we lamely accepted, excusing them as ‘just the way I am,’ and neglected to bring before Almighty God to hone? Imagine the beauty He could make from our weaknesses, the depth He could add to our character, the reflection of Himself He could polish if we would only surrender. Would we name these before Him today and yield to His chisel? Father, when I am tempted to be impatient at what I think vital, teach me to trust You to show up as You ordain and know best. Guard me from regret in the way I live; rather, may all my faculties be sold out to and for Thee.

“Then the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, ‘Is not David hiding himself on the hill of Hachilah, which is east of Jeshimon?’ So Saul arose and went down to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to seek David… When [David] saw that Saul came after him,.. [he] rose and came to the place where Saul had encamped…

“So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. Then Abishai said to David, ‘God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.’ But David said to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? As the Lord lives, the Lord will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go.’ So David took the spear and the jar of water from Saul’s head, and went over to the other side and stood far off on the top of the hill, with a great space between them. And David called to the army…

“Then Saul said, ‘I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.’ And David answered…’The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.’” 1 Samuel 26:1-3,5,7-14,21-24

In the immediacy and frenzy of being pursued for his life, David never lost sense of God’s call on his life or hold on his heart. His pursuit was righteousness before his Master, not his right to revenge wrongs done him. His patience in awaiting God’s timing and trusting His ways gave witness– to Saul, his armies, and David’s men– of a life yielded to the Lord and under His control. They displayed the faithfulness of God to care for His own and convict of sin. (John 16:8; Galatians 5:22-23)

We get our dander up at snubs, bullying, accusations, affronts to our egos. We are easily offended, and let ‘touchy’ reign. We allow threats to trigger anger, attacks on our ‘safe space’ to incite counter-attacks. But David’s response to the dogging and unfair treatment by King Saul, to whom he had been only loyal and true, was to cast his cares on God, and respond with kindness. Think what we miss when we do not do likewise! (Psalm 54)

Are we quick to react, to justify executing vengeance with anger or malice? Do we rush to take retribution in our own hands, or will we deliberately, patiently leave it in the Lord’s? (Romans 12:19-21; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8)

Father, keep my feelings under Your control, and my actions displaying Your grace.

“O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
    my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
    as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
    beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
    my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
    in your name I will lift up my hands.

Looking east in the cool dry air, I see that God his rouged the sky along the mountain tops. And as the rays from the yet risen sun pierce upward in all their splendor, streaks of blue gray rain stripe the pink. Ah, my heart exults at the distant storm and the dimension it adds to a new day! My soul thirsts and I come to drink, O my God!

When we arise and sense rain, we might be tempted to bow under the looming weight of another day of uncertainty, unfulfilled hopes, unfinished duties, unappreciated efforts. We allow the heavy clouds to dampen our spirits and outlook, rather than turn upward to behold the rays piercing through to heaven, the beauty of the colors a storm displays in God’s sky of possibilities. Oh, that we would rejoice in the beauties of His handiwork! What a difference it makes in how we set forth!

The thirsty soul finds its slake in Him, faint flesh its sustenance. Our lack is God’s vessel to fill, our need His opportunity to meet, our heaviness His to lift, our weariness His to refresh, and our despair His to alleviate. Dissatisfaction in our place drives us to His sanctuary, where we can gaze on His power and glory, and our restless hearts find haven under His wings. When we practice praising, our words penetrate the gloom to reach the heavenlies, and our souls learn to sing. (Psalm 81:10; Ephesians 1:3; Philippians 4:19)

What situations tempt me to wallow in doldrums, see duty as drudgery? What triggers complaining and gloom? Usually these come from a focus on self and circumstances, and a good dose of time in God’s presence, actively delighting with mind and senses in His steadfast love and goodness, can transform our perspective and enliven our vigor.

“Awake, my soul, and with the sun 
thy daily stage of duty run;
shake off dull sloth, and joyful rise
to pay thy morning sacrifice.

Lord, I my vows to Thee renew.
Disperse my sins as morning dew;
guard my first springs of thought and will;
and with Thyself my spirit fill.

Direct, control, suggest, this day,
all I design or do or say,
that all my pow’rs, with all their might,
in Thy sole glory may unite.

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise Him all creatures here below;
praise Him above, ye heav’enly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” ~Thomas Ken (1685)

Amen.

“He said to me, ‘Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.’ And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. ‘Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: You shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord God.” And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. Be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks… And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house. Hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.‘

“And he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat whatever you find here. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat. And he said to me, ‘Feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.’ Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. And he said to me, ‘Go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them.'” Ezekiel 2:1-8; 3:1-4

The call of Ezekiel is a call to open wide his mouth, both to feed on and to feed with the word of God. He could not speak until he had digested the word his God would give him. The Lord prepared him that those to whom he carried the message would refuse with their lips and roll their eyes, yet he was to be faithful to his call. Their accountability would come because they had refused to listen to and heed the prophet among them, while his accountability was to his Master alone.

Before we embark on a mission for God, we are to take in His instructions and supply. When He calls us to speak, we must be filled with His word; to love, we must first receive His love; to forgive, we need to understand His mercy and apply His forgiveness. He never asks us to do what He does not enable, and often uses our very preparation or provision to illustrate the specific ministry we will have, always to prove His sufficiency. (2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13; 1 John 4:19)

When am I taking time to listen, and willfully to open myself to the Spirit’s call? How often do I savor His word, soaking in its truth and transforming power in my attitudes, my will, my perspective toward others and current events and the future? Where and how has He filled me for a specific outpouring to others in the Body, and have I remained faithful, even when rejected? (1 Corinthians 2:12-13)

Father, keep my mouth open to receive Your word, and to give it to others. And keep me steadfast, whether they taste and see how good You are, or refuse to listen. (Psalm 34:8)

“And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, ‘Is not this David the king of the land?..’ And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish… David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. 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 commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men…

“Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah.” 1 Samuel 21:10-12; 22:1-2; 23:13

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me
    and delivered me from all my fears…

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
    and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps
    around those who fear him, and delivers them…

When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
    and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
    and saves the crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:4,6-7,17-18

David, the anointed yet not-yet king, had fled for his life from the volatile and pursuing King Saul. Uncertain and fearful, he escaped to a hideout to regain grounding in his Lord. And he was followed, not by the bold and beautiful, not by cheerful ‘winners’ who would encourage him, but by four hundred miserable souls. They soon multiplied.

Those who live with a sense of holy purpose are attractive. They may draw admiration and adulation from the secure and famous for their accomplishments, but they will also draw the allegiance of the needy who see in them hope, confidence, and vision. While I might prescribe for David some strong, stable comrades who would shore him up in time of need (and God does provide those too), the Lord intended this time on the run to develop trust and leadership skills in David he would exercise over his imminent forty year reign. (1 Samuel 18:1-5; 20:41-42)

If we spend our efforts seeking followers we prefer, or want to enumerate or define, our attention will be spent on doing just that– shaping our persona to fit a formula. We can exhaust ourselves trying to meet others’ expectations, and lose sight of the One we’re created to serve and glorify. But when we fix our identity in God, and who He’s called us to be, our lives will be permeated with a serenity of Spirit, even when we’re flagging, that draws others to our source of strength. (Isaiah 49:3,5)

Am I more concerned with followers than whom I follow? When those who are weak come alongside, will I invest in them to build them into God’s people, to lead them toward God’s transformation? Would I overlook impossibilities and instead work toward possibilities? Many of these who aligned with David became mighty men who accomplished much for the Lord. (2 Samuel 23:8-39; 1 Thessalonians 5:14)

My Lord and gracious Redeemer, cause me to see the weak as Your beloveds, and to do what I can to spur them to grow as Your people, all for the building of Your kingdom and exaltation of You, the King.

“Am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” Genesis 50:19-20

“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

There is a crater in Canyonlands National Park called Upheaval Dome, which is accessed only by a hike upward along uneven terrain. Geologists continue to research the mystery behind the unusual landform, whether it came from a salt bubble, or a meteorite whose impact caused a crack allowing former oceanic residue to burst forth. Visitors climb with anticipation, and marvel at its magnificent shape and surprise in the reddish Island in the Sky. It is an upheaval to behold and appreciate.

There are moments, situations, and seasons in our lives we might define as upheavals, and they are not usually welcome. Unexpected events can jar our sense of calm, thwart our plans, upend our dreams, or tear a hole in our hearts, leaving us bereft of direction and hope. We can spend much effort making our way toward our desired ends, only to find that God has prepared something else that makes no sense to our finite thinking. But God designs these upheavals to be times of hushed wonder at His loving care and unshakeable might, and places of marveling at His mysterious ways, His power to redeem the worst of circumstances.

How willing are we to look at these with fresh eyes? To contemplate the mystery of the why and understand what we can about God’s sovereignty? To relax rather than resist, and look for lessons we may never have learned otherwise?

And what might our upheavals bring forth? Deeper gratitude and greater spiritual anticipation? What will they change about the way we live and look forward? What might they cause us to leave behind–salt and beauty for others’ lives? How we handle these upheavals can cause others to cringe at the mess, or behold the beauty of our God. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Father, help we welcome the upheavals You bring into my life, receiving them eager to learn of You and be changed. May I learn to see the facets of Your character so beautifully revealed in all You orchestrate, and to reflect Your glory to those around me.