Author: astherainandsnow

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God… These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:8-10,13-16

The ‘Hall of Faith’ in Hebrews 11 describes many other-worldly-thinkers and doers, men and women of God whose lives were not their own and whose treasure was with God. They were, here on earth, and in the turmoil and hardship of normal work and ministry, of complicated family relationships and moving and travel, fixed on the heavenlies. This perspective identified them and fueled their days.

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Colossians 3:2-4

How strong is our pull to things of this earth? To the places we love, to comforts of routine and security of our homes and entitlement to the absence of pain and difficulty? Is it greater than our longing to see our Savior’s face, for the heavenly city whose architect and designer is God? Do I consider the gift of my days through the lens of heaven? What evidence is there in how I spend time and money, where I invest talent and energy, that I am looking forward to the heavenly home my Lord is preparing? (John 14:2-3; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also… Seek first the kingdom of God.” Matthew 6:19-21,33

Hankering for our heavenly city means we regard ourselves as strangers and aliens here, yet those who live with vital faith that infuses our present with robust hope and meaning. With a limited number of days, we can embrace our opportunities to proclaim and live out the gospel, to feed the hungry with the bread of life.

Lord God, compel me to sojourn toward my sure heavenly destination with a loose hold on things of this earth, generous living for others’ eternal good, and an eye for Your glory.

“The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead, whom the men of Gath who were born in the land killed, because they came down to raid their livestock. And Ephraim their father mourned many days, and his brothers came to comfort him. And Ephraim went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son. And he called his name Beriah, because disaster had befallen his house. His daughter was Sheerah, who built both Lower and Upper Beth-horon, and Uzzen-sheerah. Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son, Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, Nun his son, Joshua his son.” 1 Chronicles 7:20-27

There are nuggets of gold tucked in to the holy scriptures, if we would but search for them. We might list our favorite Bible characters as those known for humble leadership or military might, warriors, judges, kings, sophists, missionaries, but do we also treasure those who are tender and ‘human,’ who are remembered for the way God met them and redeemed their suffering? Ephraim, son of Jacob’s eleventh son Joseph, was a seemingly ordinary man, noted for his grief over his sons who were killed in an attempted raid. From his ‘disaster’ we see the beauty of God’s redemptive mercy, borne from the seed of shed blood, come to flower through a son born out of the comfort of familial and marital love. That son’s daughter became an accomplished woman, and his son the predecessor, over generations, of Joshua, one of the greatest men and leaders of Israel who ever lived.

We can become numbed by pain in our lives, disasters of hurt from having been deceived or betrayed, from the punch-gut shock of losing a loved one suddenly, or the weary, draining sadness over a drawn-out suffering and good-bye. Our observation of long-standing, seemingly never-ending rebellion of a child, or our inability to shake off regret for what never came to be in our career or a relationship, can leave us frigid and in the dark, resigned to limited vision and thinking we will never get warm again. But God knows all our grief, His merciful Son bore it on our behalf, and He is nigh to brighten our soul’s winter with His light of hope. (Isaiah 53:4-5)

Almighty, omniscient God includes accounts like this in scripture to remind us He is intricately involved in every aspect of our lives, and is powerful to save, comfort, and redeem. Not one tear falls that He does not measure, not one pang pierces that He does not feel. He is indeed the God of all comfort, Who delights to exercise His perfect nature in our lives. (Psalm 121:3,8; Proverbs 15:3; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

Lord, thank You for Your loving and merciful light that permeates and dispels the darkest pain. Enable me to bring Your sweet comfort to those who mourn, that they are wrapped in warmth by Your palpable presence. (Matthew 5:4)

“Meonothai fathered Ophrah; and Seraiah fathered Joab, the father of Ge-harashim, so-called because they were craftsmen. The sons of Caleb: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the son^[c] of Elah: Kenaz. The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married; and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa. And his Judahite wife bore Jered the father of Gedor, Heber the father of Soco, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite… The sons of Shelah the son of Judah: Er the father of Lecah, Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the clans of the house of linen workers at Beth-ashbea; and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who ruled in Moab and returned to Lehem … These were the potters who were inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah.” 1 Chronicles 4:14-19,21-23

Reading through chapters and chapters of hard-to-pronounce names in the Holy Bible is an exercise in wonder, not tedium. Every one of these individuals was created in the image of God, named, known, important, valued, a part in the whole of history, divinely memorialized in His scriptures.

Each one of us is created unique; God numbers our days and the hairs on our head. He knows who we are, what we are made of and gifted to do, and He calls us by name. We may feel at times we are insignificant, directionless, we do not belong, or cannot make a difference. Yet, when we listen to God’s voice, His messages affirm our personal significance, our value to Him, and our specific place in time, history, location, the world. (Psalm 139:13-18; Luke 12:6-7; Acts 17:24-28)

“Thus says the Lord, he who created you,.. he who formed you: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine… I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you.'” Isaiah 43:1,3

Why fret? Why tarry in zeal, in serving, in living fully? If we would stop our ears to godless banter and social media that say we will never measure up, we find security in our Father Who beckons us by name to know and live for Him exactly where we are.

“The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out… He goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice… I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me..; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:3-4,14-15

Almighty God, may I thrive in the identity You have given me, and affirm value to every one of Your image-bearers.

The shepherd prophet Amos illustrates, with several common and understandable life instances, the power of cause and effect: nothing occurs without a first cause, and every cause necessitates an effect. He who carried God’s prophecies to Israel used the art of the words to describe the purpose of the Word, and like a lion, roared the meaning loud and clear. Every word of God was true and meaningful, and came as either cause, or effect.

In other words, “Every word of God proves true.” None of God’s words falls to the ground without accomplishing its intended purpose. “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” If every part of the Bible has meaning, how am I availing myself of its rich bounty? (Proverbs 30:5; Isaiah 55:10-11)

I cannot walk in step with Christ without committing to meet with Him, and learning His stride. How deliberately do I carve out uninterrupted time to worship, read His very words to me, listen for His instruction, blessing, comfort, wisdom for my need? Every challenge I encounter is designed with holy purpose, and I can miss out on seeing God’s providential hand, or participating in His work, when I fail to consider the divine cause of what comes my way, or the effects of how I respond or behave. His determinations are wise, and I would be wise to get in sync with them by seeking His intentions behind the scenes.

Am I rattled by difficulties? Do I fear or lose focus when things get off-kilter? Or will I look to the Master Architect of time and circumstances and look for His purpose in my hardships? Am I doubting His goodness, or accusing Him of arbitrary inflictions, without seeking understanding of His higher ways? What might He intend to reveal of Himself, or teach me? How might He desire to use or sanctify me?

Father God, You rule over all things visible and invisible, all beginnings and endings. Grant me keen insight through Your word, and compel me to take full advantage of Your every cause and effect, for the accomplishing of Your glorious purposes.

“And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes, and when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled.” “These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters.” Numbers 11:1; Jude 16

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.” “Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.” “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Ephesians 4:29,31; Philippians 2:14-16; Colossians 4:6 

Screens drone on with deep colors swathing the country’s heartland. Animated meteorologists warn with tones tinted with urgency and dread about snow and frigid temperatures. Chatter heightens and complains about the cold, the threat of weather, none of which we can control or change. As I am carried high in the plane, suspended in thick grey-white clouds, the storm could seem ominous if I let the negative talk seep in and unnerve me. But when I land, I am immediately taken in by happy white flakes blowing and blanketing the earth with breath-taking beauty. I cannot help but smile in wonder.

As with so many things in life, we can tend to take the ‘slopportunity’ to hate what is occurring, or fear what is coming, to rant, to ‘slop’ on others, to trash talk our circumstances, to dwell on the worst, the inconvenience, the discomfort and ‘can you believe they did that?!’ But in every slopportunity, we are given equal ‘opportunity’ to accept what is before us with optimism, to marvel at snow storms with grateful hearts, to wonder at the High God’s creative purposes, to try to understand why people behave and react as they do, and show compassion. When muddled in the low lands, we as God’s children are called to lift the atmosphere.

When caught in conversation that has hit the lowest common denominator and idled there, what will we do to elevate it? How can I heighten a low view of God, and turn a complaining into thankfulness, or at least a more positive spin? With what words do I fill my vocabulary? Instead of going along with complaining, or castigating another, or nit picking about all that was not up to my par in a situation, do I have the guts and wherewithal to inject the fruit of a grateful heart, a positive outlook, a different sense of understanding? Are there questions I can ask that steer in a fresh direction? In every sloppy storm there is beauty to behold, and sometimes I am the one appointed to unveil it.

Lord, please guide my thinking to see things as You do. Fill me with Your words of light that puncture the prevailing darkness with Your glory and greatness at every opportunity.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” “Be careful lest the light in you be darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be wholly bright, as when a lamp with its rays gives you light.” “In [Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men.” Matthew 5:14-16; Luke 11:35; John 1:4

I watch as the sun, not yet risen, tints periwinkle the inky pre-dawn sky, then sets ablaze in red the underside of clouds. The white hot sun itself is not visible, but its effects are undeniable, captivating in their array of breathtaking beauty. While in this world we do not see God Himself, His light is reflected in numberless ways in His creation, and His people.

To show most gloriously, His work needs to begin in our deeps, behind the masks of “everything is fine” we wear for others. His light must get underneath the layers of appearance we put on to impress, into the darkness of our self-convinced justification of godless attitudes and reckless treatment of others, all the way to the bottom of our self-centered hearts and dark recesses of our thought. When He burns inside and underneath, His refining fire can consume the root of our selfishness, our self-righteousness, our limited vision for what can be. His light cleanses, frees, transforms, and opens wide a new way before us. (Psalm 119:105; Isaiah 1:25; Malachi 3:2; Hebrews 12:29)

In order to shine His light in my world, I must tend the light in my life. Looking after the light takes effort and care in looking to the Light, receiving and applying the word of truth, making sure it fills every crevice of desire and insight. When do I set aside time to take in God’s light for me? I cannot expect to burn bright if I never come to the flame and let it ignite my passion, my drive, my plans.

When once He takes hold, I cannot hide His fire of contagious love and compassion. When He makes me wholly bright, He is evident in my every decision, undertaking, act of service. His light infuses my strategies, my priorities, my interactions with others. In His light I not only see light, but I spread it abroad. As every morning the sun’s light appears gradually, and it brightens until all the air is infused and nothing is untouched by its glory, so God’s people can shine Him to be recognized in every facet of life. (Psalm 36:9; Romans 5:5)

Begin deep, every day, my Lord. Burn warm and bright. Ignite Your glow in me and blaze Your glory in my countenance and actions so I reflect Your grace, power, joy, and love to others. (Numbers 6:26)

“At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. Nebuchadnezzar took [Jehoiachin the king of Judah] prisoner in the eighth year of his reign… and carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord, which Solomon king of Israel had made. He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.” 2 Kings 24:10,12-15

“By the waters of Babylon,
    there we sat down and wept,
    when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there
    we hung up our lyres.
For there our captors
    required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying,
    ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’ 

“How shall we sing the Lord‘s song
    in a foreign land?
If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
    let my right hand forget its skill!
Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth,
    if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
    above my highest joy!” Psalm 137:1-6

How hard is it to sing when all seems lost? When a marriage is stressed to breaking and appears beyond repair, when rebellion or bitterness has wedged vitriol into a relationship, when disease wracks the body or mind of a loved one? Judah’s Babylonian captors, after wrenching them from everything they valued in the world- comforts of home, place of worship, treasures, identity through work, and pride, mockingly demanded a song, and the psalmist replied by pen with a beautiful dirge.

Our music may not always be light and melodious, but the Lord, with His undying love and mercies, and His very presence, still gives us songs in the darkness of our circumstances. We can sing with longing and lament, but always with hope, because He is good, and His ways are perfect and sure. He is our refuge and stronghold in every captivity of loneliness, fear, and heart-rending consequence of sin. He is our hope and trust. (Psalm 18:28,30; 33:11; 71:5; Joel 3:16-17; Colossians 1:27)

Where am I languishing in complaint? Are there circumstances that trigger despondency, criticism, whining, self-pity, that can instead prompt a song to the Lord, Who wondrously reigns over all? Might He be training me to look to Him in every shadow, every heartache, every impossibility, and trust Him? He is worthy of my confidence and music and praise all the time, not just when my life goes as I would prescribe. As we turn our eyes from self to Jesus, He Who authors our faith composes for us songs and loosens our lips to sing. (Hebrews 12:2)

God my Maker, You are my strength, and song, and salvation. Fill my mouth with Your song in sad night as well as glad day. May I ever sing unto Thee, for Your praise. (Job 35:10; Psalm 77:6; 118:14-15)

“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes… ‘Because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the Lord, when you heard how I spoke, and you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you,’ declares the Lord.” “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” “Whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” 2 Kings 22:11,19; 2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 4:10-13

The living word of God, unlike any other book, has power to convict, give sight, bring low, transform, assure. Godly King Josiah was struck to his depths with the words of the Book, repented for himself and his people, then set out to lead reform. The word gives us the standard of which we fall short, but also the way to soul rest by offering us Jesus and His finished work on the cross. The word that exposes the horrors of the human heart also reveals the loveliness and mercy of God’s toward us.

It is our wont to strive to conform to God’s patterns and keep His rules, but we struggle in frustration and defeat at the impossible. Yet, as God rested from His very good creation, and Jesus rested after winning our redemption on the cross– “It is finished!”– we are graciously offered this rest from working for our own salvation. In setting aside our self-driven efforts and receiving His saving work on our behalf, we are given a new work to do for our Lord, not to be accepted by Him. (John 19:30; Ephesians 2:8-10)

“O Lord, Thou didst strike my heart with Thy word, and I loved Thee.” St. Augustine

When the word truly strikes our hearts, its rays pierce us with the bright vastness of God’s glories, and our love for Him blooms in a myriad of facets in the way we live. We think, converse, process media, work, behave toward others, differently. Living for Him, we are at rest with joy and peace, founded unshakeably on the Rock. (Matthew 7:24-25; 1 Corinthians 10:4)

Where have we made God’s word a priority in our schedules, our opinion-forming, our decision-making? Do we regularly study it, consult it, feed on it, apply it, measure by it, depend on its promises? How are we moved, convicted, guided, changed by it? How has it trained my striving?

Lord, may I humbly ingest Your word. Soften any hardness of my heart into eager receptivity. Give me wisdom to understand, discern, and know Your ways, and change me so that I walk by them, step by step, and ever love You more. (Hosea 14:9; Psalm 95:7-8)

“Hezekiah had very great riches and honor… He provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great possessions. [He] closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. [He] prospered in all his works.” “Merodach-baladan the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that Hezekiah had been sick. And Hezekiah welcomed them, and he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. Then Isaiah the prophet came to [him], and said,..‘What have [these men] seen in your house?’ And Hezekiah answered, ‘They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.’ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the Lord: Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left.‘” 2 Chronicles 32:27,29-30; 2 Kings 20:12-17

“And so in the matter of the envoys of the princes of Babylon, who had been sent to him.., God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart. Hezekiah did not make return according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. But Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart.” 2 Chronicles 32:25-26,31

Faced with the prospect of losing everything due to impending death from illness, king Hezekiah wept before the Lord, Who in mercy healed him to extend his life. But something from this divine favor tainted his humble heart. Pride sprouted and came to flower, and its intoxicating scent caused Hezekiah to stagger and fail God’s test of devotion. By God’s grace, the king eventually repented before life’s end, but not without shame, loss of reputation and standing, and prophetic doom for Judah.

Why is it that we can start so right, and get tripped up by successes and things that our affections warp and sour and get so misaligned? What lures our love to ourselves and the world’s trappings more than for God the Giver? What makes us slide from strong and sightless faith in our Maker to security in the accumulation of the seen? At what point do we transfer our identity from child of the Father to king of our domain, lord of our accomplishments, Master of our role and expertise?

The Giver of prosperity is also the Savior from its destructive tentacles. If we keep Jesus at the fore, disciplining our minds to remember the cross in the midst of temporal success, we nurture a godly perspective and keep our allegiances in proper order.  (Deuteronomy 8:18; 1 Corinthians 4:7; Hebrews 2:14-15)

“Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always:
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.” ~Translated by Mary Byrne (1880-1931)

Lord of and over all, captivate me, and fix my treasure, devotion, and glory in You.

“Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: ‘O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed. So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.’ Then Isaiah sent to Hezekiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria I have heard… And the surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the Lord will do this. I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.’” “Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.” 2 Kings 19:14-20, 30-32,34; Psalm 112:4

Ruthless Sennacherib, king of Assyria, destroyer of many nations, had his greedy eyes set on Judah, and his leaders provoked with vicious threats and mocking. Hezekiah knew where to turn, for he knew the One Who held all history, kings and kingdoms, in His hands. In the dark of this intimidation, unclear of next steps and not knowing what would result from an attack, he sought his King, and received His light. (Psalm 95:3-4)

We often see life situations unclearly, as though through dim light, or a hazy screen, and we want clarity and reassurance. In our human frailty we can be unnerved by the darkness before dawn, the uncertainty of menacing circumstances, possible peril to our safety or plans or loved ones. But like Hezekiah, we can present our cares, our fears and specific needs, before the LORD, and watch for His light, knowing He will incline His ear and act on our behalf. We may not be sure of every outcome, or how He will accomplish His plans, but we can trust He will. His sun will slowly and surely rise.

What unsettles me today? What criticism, threat, chicanery, unknown, even potential external event, has left me confused or quaking in spirit? Will I fret in the mire, or spread open my hands before the Lord and allow His light to flood the recesses of my worries and dissolve them in His peace?

Father, keep me looking to You, and waiting for Your light, in every care and threat. May I ever trust Your victory to break through, for Your renown.