Author: astherainandsnow

“What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?” “How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand.” “O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?” Psalm 8:4; 139:17-18; 144:3

When the psalmist considers God’s greatness, His sustaining power and order over all things, he is humbled by His thoughtful care of him, His constant vigil over his life, His knowledge of all that concerns him, His abiding presence. Are we not also overwhelmed at His thought for us? That the God of the universe would care about and set His attention and affection on us? “You are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you. I formed you; you are my servant; you will not be forgotten by me.” Thinking thus of God brings deep worship and thankfulness, humble abandon, rest and peace. (Isaiah 43:4; 44:21)

I awakened today, thinking of the woman with whom I would walk in a few hours. She was born and raised in another country, left her family to move here in love and marriage, and has lived in several cities as jobs changed. I thought of her adjusting to a foreign land, and to new homes and communities again and again. I prayed for her, holding her before God’s throne in care, compassion, the love of our friendship. Yesterday, a friend left me a message that she was thinking about me and a situation we had discussed; she was praying for me. What a blessing– to have a heart for others, and to be thought of! 

Through the years, and in difficult times, I have been humbled, and palpably, inexplicably helped by the supernatural sense that I am being ‘carried’ not only by God but by others; there is real comfort and strength that comes from being held in the prayers of the saints, from knowing others have me on their hearts in loving concern and before God’s throne.

In my scurry of activity, planning, doing, of what and whom do I think? When I first awaken or arise, am I front and center– what I plan to accomplish, what I need or want, how I can fulfill my desires and expectations? Or do I train my mind to think first on my Savior, beholding Him in His glory and worth, and ask Him to place in my thoughts and heart those He would have me minister to, pray for, visit, encourage? Am I self-centered, or God- and others-centered? What motivations drive my choices, decisions, words and tone of voice, expenditures of time and money?

When Jesus died on the cross, it was with me in mind. God carved me in the palms of His hands; when I consider those pierced hands, I remember His thoughts and sacrifice for me. Will I, in gratitude, think on Him, and for His sake, others? (Isaiah 49:16)

Loving God, may I ever hold You, and others, in my heart. May I decrease, and You increase, in my thoughts and in my living. (Philippians 1:7; John 3:30)

“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; so this same night is a night of watching kept to the LORD by all the people of Israel throughout their generations.” Exodus 12:40-42

There is something especially beautiful about this concept– a night of watching by the Lord. For Israel, after centuries of slavery, it was to be a night of escaping to freedom, something long-hoped for but still unimaginable. Their bonds were released, their blood-covered doors opened, they fled in droves with great spoil, driven out by a powerful but defeated Pharaoh who found himself helpless against the supernatural plagues from a God he refused to know. Israel’s God, Who in constant vigil was both their Captain and Read Guard, fixed His watchful eye on them for good and for His glory. (Isaiah 52:12; 58:8)

This Lord of watching is present in our darkness, He does not sleep or slumber, but actively watches over His own. His all-knowing eye is on all that occurs, all that squirms and stirs within, all that lies ahead; and He is never flustered. He is Lord over the night, over the recesses of our souls where we hide pain and fear and sometimes sin. He rules the night, the times of waiting, longing, sleeplessness, physical pain, anxious dark hours. He Who knows the beginning and the end tends to those He loves and what concerns us. He is a care-giver watching His children, a Sentinel watching for the approaching but invisible-to-us enemy.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

“The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, ‘This month shall be for you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year for you… Every man shall take a lamb according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household. Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it… The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD; throughout your generations, as a statute forever…’ [Moses said], ‘And when you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, “What do you mean by this service?” you shall say, “It is the sacrifice of the LORD‘s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.”’ And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.” Exodus 12:1-3,7,13-14,25-27

The Lord’s instituting the Passover was His initiating of a new life for His people– after 430 years of slavery He would rescue them from Egyptian bondage forever. This great deliverance would not only mark their memories and be celebrated in the years to come, but be the very foundation on which their counting of time would be established. They could never forget what He had done.

With what do I mark my days, my sense of time? In this life, it is easy to recall and commemorate small milestones– a move, a graduation, a new job. We make a big deal of birthdays, celebrating another year of life, growth, even God’s faithfulness. But how well do we memorialize and implement what He has done for us, what difference is it making on how we live forward? The blood of the sacrificed unblemished lamb was the Hebrews’ protection from certain death and their ticket to freedom, pointing to the deliverance from our deserved penalty for sin Jesus would win at Calvary, and this was to be “the beginning of months.” Am I fully living, since the beginning of my new life in Christ, all He has for me? Are my choices and days, expenditures and activities, indelibly impressed by the salvation He has granted, the purposes He intends? How carefully do I think through how He would have me plan and proceed? Can others identify my life as counted in and for Him? (Psalm 90:12; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Father, in remembrance of Your great love and mercy, cause me daily to hold fast to Your steps, keep Your way, treasure Your words, and complete all You appoint. May my calendar and years be measured by honor to, and praise of, Your holy name. (Job 23:11-14)

“You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.” “You are the God who works wonders; you have made known your might among the peoples.” “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.” “You, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. How great are your works, O Lord!” “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. Here is the sea, great and wide, which teems with creatures innumerable, living things both small and great.” Psalm 40:5; 77:14; 78:4; 92:4-5; 104:23-24

As the dark sky faded to periwinkle, then paled to lavender-white, I marveled at the graceful silhouettes of a happy pair of birds, flitting through the air, delighting in the morning. Our Maker imagined and created these winged beauties to delight our imaginations, spark our dreams, and lift our souls and eyes to wonder at suspension in space, flight across the eternal backdrop of sky.

And blue bottle jellyfish! As we climbed craggy rocks down to the coarse beach I marveled at the vibrant swath of purple-blue where the waves had been, enthralled to discover tiny detailed architecturally-magnificent creatures littering the shore. Each was a masterpiece, intricately striped with perfect helix-shaped translucent blue body, topped with a sail to keep them afloat in the ocean, the line of them a breath-taking beauty on a coastline that already thrilled the heart. O what wonder, how amazing, this Creator!

The wonder of His wonders is that He would choose to provide such delight for us, to manifest His measureless love in so rich a setting for our lives, to shout His glory in all He has made so that we might partake. His signature of love, of personal interest and care, of abounding grace, favor, protection, order, is written all over the world He has made.

“He stretches out the north over the void and hangs the earth on nothing.
He binds up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not split open under them.
He covers the face of the full moon and spreads over it his cloud.
He has inscribed a circle on the face of the waters at the boundary between light and darkness…
Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him!” Job 26:7-10,14

When we open our eyes and ears and schedules to take in His wonders, when we contemplate the “all” He has done that we can see and understand, we are dwarfed by His greatness, and lost in wonder, love, and praise. We behold Him, we are transfixed; His place in our lives increases, we become less; His beauty is magnified, He is exalted.

Lord on High, keep me in the place of wonder at Your works, and at the wonder of You.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.” “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Exodus 10:21-23; John 1:4-5,14

Palpable darkness. After eight plagues of pests, sores, and destruction, this final one before death touched, paralyzed the whole person. Darkness does that– it creeps into our souls, depressing, deceiving, blinding, taking over so that we stumble to where we cannot move, resist, crawl out. We cannot even make sense of or understand our situation or surroundings. Only light sets free.

The plague of darkness in Egypt is a picture of how darkness overtakes our world, creeps into our impulses and thinking and conversations and habits until we do not even recognize it is there. It is all-encompassing, overwhelming. We wear masks, we say ‘fine thank you,’ we justify horrid sin because it is ‘harmless,’ virtual not ‘real.’ We placate ourselves by comparison with worse, we let down our guard by thinking ourselves strong, we allow the slow steady drip of darkness to course through our veins by hooking up naively with the culture. We deny the ugly and destructive tentacles of self-medication and self-deception that are choking us and our relationships, our perspective and health and ability to reason and cope.

When Truth breaks in, when the living word, Jesus, enters and takes up residence in our lives, He supernaturally pierces and overcomes the darkness. He exposes truth, He lays bare all that we hoped to deny and keep hidden. He discloses every secret and purpose of our hearts to untangle and make right our impossible messes, to bring conviction and cleansing, to heal brokenness into wholeness. He floods us with hope and sets us free. Why would we not come to Him, the great Searchlight, this Lover of our souls Who is full of grace and truth? (Mark 4:22; John 1:17; 8:12,31-32; 14:6; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 14:24-25)

“O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death’s dark shadows put to flight. Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee.” ~12th Latin hymn, translated by John Neale (1851)

LORD, thank You that in the land, and heart, of deep darkness, Your light has shined. May I daily walk in it. Expose all that is dark in me for what it is, overcome it with Your grace, bring beauty for ashes. So shine Your light through me that all will fall facedown, know You are present, and worship You as King. (Isaiah 2:5; 9:2; 61:3; 1 Corinthians 14:25; Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 1:7)

“Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.”’ But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go… Why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens…’ The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, ‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, “Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.” Let heavier work be laid on the men…’ And the foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over [the people of Israel], were beaten and were asked, ‘Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?’

“The foremen saw that they were in trouble; and they said to [Moses and Aaron], ‘The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.’ Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, ‘O LORD, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.’ But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand… he will drive them out of his land. I am the LORD.'” Exodus 5:1-2,4,6-9,14,19-23; 6:1-2

Isn’t God true to His word? Aren’t there blessings in obedience? When Moses finally approached Pharaoh, bravely armed with God’s promise, all he met was trouble, for himself and his people. This was not how he thought things would go. God lifted his chin and reminded him Who He was, that He had made himself known to the patriarchs, He had established His covenant, He had heard Israel’s groaning, and He would bring them out, deliver and redeem and plant them in their land. While His timing and circumstances may not be what Moses would choose, He was still fully “on it,” His word would not fail. (Exodus 6:2-8)

Obedience does not guarantee freedom from hardship. Sometimes God uses ‘slow’ to sharpen our vision, deepen our knowledge of Him, increase our expectation. His promises still hold, but His ways are higher than ours– He has more to teach than easy resolution. Would we trade quick answers for the sanctifying lessons of long obedience, the spiritual fruit of patience learned, the blessings of increased prayer, the broader understanding of God’s sovereign ways and character, the sweeter fellowship with His Body when unified in anticipation and growing faith? (Isaiah 55:8-9; Galatians 5:22; James 5:16)

Lord, keep me persevering in long obedience, trusting You to be Who You are, and to do all You have promised. Have Your way with me along the way, that You be exalted.

“Then the LORD said, ‘The cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have seen [their] oppression. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘But I will be with you…’  Then Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM…’ Then Moses answered, ‘But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, “The LORD did not appear to you.”‘ The LORD said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A staff.’ And he said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent…‘Put out your hand and catch it by the tail’—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— ‘that they may believe that the Lord… has appeared to you.’  But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Who has made man’s mouth?… Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.’ But he said, ‘Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.’” Exodus 3:9-11,13-14; 4:1-5,10-13

There are times we resist God’s call because we choose to look at ourselves instead of Him. Moses is captivated by the burning bush, and upon exploring it, hears God summon him by name, declare where he is standing holy ground, identify Himself, and issue the call to lead Israel from Egyptian slavery. Then Moses seems to forget the supernatural flame and gets tangled up in his “buts,” a stream of excuses not to obey and trust the LORD. He is tripped up by fear and weaknesses, and God addresses every one by miracles and promises of His presence and power. Moses names the covenant LORD Who issued the call, then addresses Him as Lord (Adonai, Master); his view of the All-Sufficient, Almighty LORD is limited by his own resistance. Moses would, by his refusal, miss out on what Paul experienced, “I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” (1 Corinthians 2:3-4)

In the flesh, we can focus on the near-term, the stinging pests of our inabilities, the possibility of being criticized or misunderstood or rejected altogether, and fail to look beyond to the Almighty King Who wields the flaming scepter of authority, and wants to be trusted and magnified in His enabling. Would I today decide to release my excuses and train my eyes on Him? Will I choose to relinquish my consternation to His sufficiency and power?

LORD, take all my “buts” and envelop them in “but God.” Your grace is greater than my fears and distrust, Your strength perfected in my weakness. At every bidding, may I wholeheartedly respond, “Here am I, send me!” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Isaiah 6:8)

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord‘s table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts…  I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.

“For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering… But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the Lord of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the Lord. Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.” Malachi 1:6-8,10-11,13-14

Ananias and Sapphira were similarly condemned. They sold a piece of property to share the proceeds with the church, but let the temptation of greed and dishonesty win out over full disclosure. Their ‘contrived deeds’ brought strong judgment; God would not be mocked. (Acts 5:1-4; Galatians 6:7)

How prone we are to giving half-heartedly, with us in mind rather than God. We gather, accumulate, see ourselves as king of our own, then dispense with chintzy hands, casting only a glance skyward to get a nod for our meager offerings. We have great intentions, even make bold promises, but try to justify weak execution when once we consider the ‘loss’ to us. We see so dimly.

Malachi walks through all the machinations of our polluted hearts, pointing out spot on the contradictions in our allegiances, the inconsistencies in our arguments, the lack of reverence in our sacrifices (if we can even call them that), the greed in our attitudes. He condemns our snorting and selfishness, our weariness with correction and conviction, our impure motives and distorted excuses. As God’s prophet, he reminds us it is the vertical look that should rule, the pure heart that should decide, the open fist that should offer, the high honor of God as Father, Master, King, and Lord of hosts that should compel our actions. He alone is worthy of my first and best.

Lord, convict me of any hesitancy to give You my all and very best. Guard me from withholding for myself, my pleasure, my security what You deserve. May I give and live generously from a pure heart in thanks to You, Source and Ruler of all. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13)

“While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them… And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.  And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.  They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?

“As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’ And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them.” Luke 24:15,27-32,36,45-50

It had been three days since the crucifixion of Jesus, and some of his followers were marveling that He was no longer in the grave; angels had announced He had risen, just as He’d said He would. What Jesus did then for His people is what our Risen Lord does today for His people. He drew near to abide with them, interpreted the Scriptures to them, fed them, stood among them and gave them peace, opened their minds to understanding, gave them a purposeful assignment and the power to fulfill it, led them, and blessed them. What a ministry the Living Jesus has with His own!

Every day, every year that passes, I can count on my Lord to be faithful. He has risen to give me life, and I am secure in Him forever. He is ever present with me as my Prince of Peace, Comforter, Wisdom, Light, and Teacher. He satisfies me with living bread and water from His word, and gives me meaningful work in this world and fruitful service in His kingdom. He has blessed me in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing, and is preparing an eternal home for me. I am overwhelmed. (Isaiah 9:6; 33:6; John 6:35; 8:12; 10:10,28; 14:2-3,26,27; 15:16; 16:7,13; Ephesians 1:3)

Lord, thank You that I live in the “in-between,” where You are ever-present by Your Spirit, and the hope of glory to come when You return. Keep my heart burning for You as my first love, my highest joy, my lifeline, and make my years a blessing of life and light to others. (Psalm 4:4; 137:6; Revelation 2:4)

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’ In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:20-22

Job, the righteous, upstanding man of God, had just lost everything but his wife: livestock, livelihood, servants, children. All he had worked for, and all that would be easy to live for, was gone, in one day, yet Job fell on his knees and worshiped. How could this be an immediate response to the shock and breathless sorrow of losing all this? What prevented him from lashing out in anger, blame, confusion, inexplicable grief, or even crying out in anguish and questioning? Job was a man who feared and revered holy God, who knew He was LORD Who owned everything, and himself merely flesh who had no right to anything. His hope and sure foundation were grounded not in man or possessions, but in His Redeemer. His true wealth and sovereign preference was God, his value and treasure and identity in Him.

The freedom in acknowledging, and living it to be true, that God owns everything, and all we have is from Him, is that when it is taken away, it is well with our souls. We may say we know we are only stewards, our children are a gift from Him, and every grace and ability is bestowed by Him, but the test of whether we really believe these things is when He takes them back, when we are called to relinquish them and trust His goodness. Does the pain of the fire prove us true? (Psalm 50:10; 127:3; 1 Corinthians 4:2,7; 10:26)

At what altars do I worship? That of children, grandchildren, security, material beauty? To what rights do I cling? Right to comfort, self-rule, self-defense, my time, my plans for our family and future ‘because I have been faithful’? In order to get me to a place of intimacy and full identity with Him, God may strip away what I claim as mine to get me to the point of singular devotion to Him, of being solely satisfied in Him. He rules all with sovereign wisdom and goodness, and is in loving pursuit of my whole heart every day. Will I choose to cherish and bless nothing but His name?

“If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; and if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him.” ~Oswald Chambers (1874-1917)

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.            Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. It is well, it is well, with my soul.”  ~Horatio Spafford (1873)

Lord, You are a bountiful and gracious Giver. And You are also bountiful and full of grace when You take away. Help me accept and rejoice in this, and no matter what comes, exalt Your glory.