Author: astherainandsnow

“I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint. And the Lord answered me: ‘Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.'” Habakkuk 2:1-3

Habakkuk, dismayed over Israel’s unfaithfulness, was even more distressed that God would use an unholy nation like Babylon to bring judgment on her. God had said, “Wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told,” and the earnest prophet was astounded, and was not believing it, so he brought his question before his holy Sovereign. Then he took his place “on the tower” to wait for God’s answer, to see with God’s eyes and understand His heart. Leaving the lowlands of human reasoning and the pull of feelings is the only way we can gain God’s perspective.

I remember about 25 years ago meeting my father in New York for the day, walking the city congested with bustle, noise, humanity, and grime, and after dinner, going up to Windows on the World to view the city at night night. From the inside quiet, gazing at the lit buildings and headlights of smoothly-moving vehicles, buffered from odors and horns and crowds, we saw the city in a whole different way, as if we’d changed our glasses. We’d ascended the ramparts and taken on a new perspective. That’s how it works when we climb upward with God to gain His view on all that concerns us here and now, all that twists our wants, diminishes the gleam of our dreams, hurts us from the inside out, distorts our plan of how things should be. He beckons us up above our complaints and circumstances to watch, to listen, to believe that He never delays but will fulfill every promise (even when, like distant separated mountains, their realization seems slow in coming), to wonder at His work because it is His. Do I resolutely take the stand?

Lord on High and in control, station me alongside you moment by moment so I can learn deeper trust, deeper astonishment at Your marvelous, oft invisible, but always good and perfect ways. Teach me patience and joy in the waiting, and always, always, greater love for You Who are working all together for good. (Romans 8:28)

“Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands. Solomon had made a bronze platform…, and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands toward heaven, and he said, ‘O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart, who have kept with your servant David my father what you declared to him. You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day…. Will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built!'” 2 Chronicles 6:12-15,18

Have you ever had too much for a container– groceries in a shopping bag, clothes in a suitcase, leftovers in a bag or jar– and tried to fit it all in anyway, only to be inefficient and frustrated? In our finite minds, we can imagine many ‘uncontainables,’ but kneeling before heaven and contemplating Almighty God brings a deeper and wider grasp of what His measureless infinity means.

At the completion of God’s temple, Solomon is obsessed not with its intricate beauties and grandeur, but with the magnificence of the God Who called him to reign and to build it, the God Who was to dwell there. Humbling himself on a platform above all the people, he is overwhelmed by God’s uniqueness, sufficiency, covenant-keeping integrity, and steadfast love. How could this great God be contained in a temple if even the highest heavens were too limited to hold Him?

What is my measure for God? Do I, even subconsciously, fit Him neatly into my box of expectations, trim Him to conform to my desires and adjust Him for my agenda? If so, my focus is on the ‘me’ and ‘my,’ not the ‘Him.’ Do I stand before God and expect Him to tag along and bless, while bowing to lesser gods who demand my attention, energy, time, resources? In what plans and activities do I need a higher view of God today? When and where will I take time to kneel before His uncontainable love and holy greatness?

“Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made, were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.” ~ Frederick M. Lehman (1917)

Lord, it is a mystery that You Who cannot be contained could fill your people, but I believe since You are limitless and all-sufficient, it is possible. So I ask this day for you to fill every part of me to overflow, that I go about in Your power and love and wisdom and others see only You. (Ephesians 5:18; Colossians 1:9)

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-8

We have been granted all things!! All things that pertain to life and godliness! We have been given knowledge of Jesus (Amen!), Who has called us to His glory and excellence (and His call is powerful and effective!), and has granted us very great and precious promises (Amen!) so we can partake of the divine nature (Amazing!)! We have been given escape from corruption, and destruction… is this not enough to make us shout in exclamation-marked-praise?!? And because of all this, because we have been granted, by God’s divine power and love and generosity and numberless mercies, all things to live for Him, we can, and should! It is for this very reason, because of what He supplies, that we are to add to our faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and on and on, increasingly, building the blocks of a fruitful life that makes a difference here on earth.

In a very simplistic way, I think of a LEGO set our grandson is thrilled to receive, a sealed box filled with directions and every piece and sticker needed to complete a vehicle. He, in this one container, has received all things needed to build a clever moving machine that will fulfill its intended purpose when complete; and so he opens it and builds, connecting each piece in order, adding ‘quality upon quality’ to complete the object, to make it useful. Why do not we utilize all God has given us, build on every quality He imparts, claim each very great promise, and continually increase in faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, brotherly affection, and love? We can, by practice and perseverance–God has said so. Let’s get on with it!

Oh Lord, I am overwhelmed at all You have granted, and thank You for Your bounty to me. Thank You also for Your call to godliness and a life bound up with Yours. Pull me ever closer to You, and push me to add and build and bear glorious fruit for Thee. (Ephesians 1:3-4;2:10; Acts 17:28; John 15:16)

“The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim… And when the priests came out of the Holy Place (for all the priests who were present had consecrated themselves, without regard to their divisions,  and all the Levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kinsmen, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with 120 priests who were trumpeters; and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,’ the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.” 2 Chronicles 5:7,11-14

Does the great and personal God by His Spirit fill my house? Does praise befitting this worthy King fill my moments, His light fill my countenance and view? If so, then His glory will fill and shine and be so obvious none can see me without seeing Him.

The temple was complete, and Solomon assembled the eager, consecrated priests to transport and place the ark of the Lord in its designated Most Holy Place. He went before them making sacrifices, leading a royal procession of all Israel’s congregation. We can imagine the beauty of the voices in joyful unison, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, harps and lyres, filling this magnificent new temple, then the cloud of glory beginning– seeping, rising– to fill the lofty space.

What a picture we have here of God, transforming our life spaces. When I am on the altar and He in His rightful place, His might and glory are reflected everywhere. His power and peace cloud over concerns and fears, His compassion and lovingkindness encompass regrets and deep pain, His palpable comfort and hope replace sorrows and despair. When we fill our vision with Him, His wisdom shines in our confusion and need; when we praise and thank Him, His beauty overtakes all we see as broken because He sees it as redeemed.

O God, captivate my attention and every affection and fill me with You! Bring the cloud of Your presence to consume each thought, offering, and word with praise and thanksgiving to You alone. Make my life Your resplendent dwelling place, where worship defines my activity, and where, in unison with others, I reflect Your glory in Your church, and outsiders take note of You.

“Now Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the LORD. And Solomon sent word to Hiram the king of Tyre: ‘Behold, I am about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for the burning of incense of sweet spices before him, and for the regular arrangement of the showbread, and for burnt offerings morning and evening, on the Sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed feasts of the LORD our God, as ordained forever for Israel. The house that I am to build will be great, for our God is greater than all gods. But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? So now send me a man skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to be with the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom David my father provided. Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants know how to cut timber in Lebanon. And my servants will be with your servants, to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am to build will be great and wonderful.'” 2 Chronicles 2:1,3-9

Solomon was one gifted, wise man, and as new regent could have made the kingdom all about him, but he started off well and purposed to build for the name of the LORD. He was consumed with a holy drive to construct the temple, prepared for by his father, for the ministries and glory of Israel’s God, and he kept this mission at the fore. He took pause to ponder this God’s greatness, as though reminding himself that every ingredient, every article, every building piece had a glorious purpose. His was a divine undertaking, and God’s name would be exalted. He was only God’s subject, His servant.

Is my purpose the same? What exactly am I building with how I spend my time? Are my efforts spent with holy ambition, an eye for God’s higher and broader glory than the temporal doings of man, of me? Are my prayers consumed with my agenda and wants, or with praise to High God, seeking His ways and exaltation, and surrender to Him? Do I plan my days and go about my tasks in humble service to my King, endeavoring to build His kingdom and make His name great and known? In my relationships and conversations, am I actively seeking to upbuild His body with truth, love, and encouragement? How am I adorning the temple of His Spirit, my own body–for the notice of others, or to reflect His goodness and joy? Do I choose to construct carefully and generously with what is costly and precious to me, or selfishly and haphazardly with lesser things and cheap effort? (Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 3:10-17; 14:3,12)

Father, I know all building is in vain unless You are at the helm and are the aim. In whatever position You place me, at whatever duty- at home, at work, in the church- remind me that You are the object of my efforts, Your greatness my motive, Your glory my mission. Then may I put hands and heart to the task, and work with all my might. (Psalm 127:1; Colossians 3:23)

“As for me, I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes judgment for me. He will bring me out to the light; I shall look upon his vindication… Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion on us;
he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. You will show faithfulness and steadfast love… as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.“ Micah 7:7-9,18-20

I have been stricken by ugly, despicable sin attitudes that rage in my heart. I know mine is a wrestling not against flesh and blood, but against an enemy whose goal is to steal, kill and destroy– my communion with Jesus, my joy, peace, loving relationships, any fruit  of the Spirit or fruit for Him–, and I praise God He is greater in me than this wily one in the world, His Holy Spirit convicts, and Jesus my Advocate sets me free! There is no God like this Who pled my cause and bore judgment for my sin on the cross, Who brings me into the light because He is light, Whose compassion and amazing love drown my iniquity in the depths of the sea! I see the waves, rolling over and over in constant, beautiful rhythm, reminding me that His deep deep love washes and renews and refreshes and regenerates, again and again, and that my forgiven sin will no more rise. (Ephesians 6:12; John 8:12;10:10; 1 John 1:5;2:1-2;4:4)

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Great God, temptations come, but You are the shield round about me and the lifter of my head. I cry to You for Your merciful pardon and casting of my sin into the depth of the sea, and You answer. Please keep me in the light, and at the first hint of darkness, coming into Your light. May I ever rejoice in Your faithfulness and love, showing the same grace to others You show repeatedly to me. (Psalm 3:3-4)

“‘With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’ He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:6-8

It is the human condition that we want to contribute what we want to give toward our acceptance by God, in our worship, for our very salvation. There is something in us that wants credit, wants acknowledgement for our sacrifice, wants to ‘do’ so we can know we’ve done something to deserve God’s favor–it’s in our DNA since Adam. And it is a method God rejects. Here in Micah He exposes this pride, this self-will, this desire-run-amok, and counters the proposed list with a very simple requirement that costs what we don’t like to measure: do justice, love kindness, walk humbly with God. That’s all.

That ‘all’ is not easy when we want to determine our own gifts for God, when we want to choose what we will give up and what we must hold on to, and when and how we will serve. We say we have rights, we have needs, we deserve comfort, we can control our worlds and donate some from our bounty and that’s enough, we can give when it is convenient and feels good. God says I want your heart, your willingness to see the world and your life my way, in the grand scheme of my perfection and purposes; I am asking that you surrender your self-righteous ways at the cross, to walk alongside me in humility, to live extravagantly in kindness toward others in ways that are subversive to our culture, and to love unselfishly and mercifully as I do. That’s all.

“Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.”  ~Augustus Toplady (1740-1778)

O LORD, only You can work this willingness in me, and train my perspective to be like Yours in every encounter, every choice. Release me from my lists and write Your good word on my heart and into my living. Mark my moments and days with justice, lovingkindness, and humility of Calvary, that You are the One seen and known in the works of my hands.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” 1 Peter 1:3-9; Hebrews 11:1

It is God’s gift to us that we cannot see everything, because this is His way of developing our faith. Our new life, our living hope, our sure and perfect inheritance kept in heaven, our full salvation– these are invisible and good gifts God, in His mercy, lavishes on us and guards for us, but does not yet allow us to see fully. We are assured of them because He has told us they are secured by Jesus’s blood. By faith we hope for them because His word is trustworthy. And by faith, though not seeing Jesus, we love Him, believe in Him, and rejoice in glorious joy that one day we will. Blessed be our God for His gift of faith! (Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 3:2)

Were all His promises immediately fulfilled and visible, we might take them without thought or thanks, and perhaps with a sense of entitlement or having earned them ourselves; our longing would be limited and not bear out the patience and anticipation that fuels our faith. How many earthly inheritances have been squandered by impatient, immature impulses that failed to understand and appreciate the heart of the giver! It is the eager expectation and glad wonder at what is in store that expands our hope and swells our love for the One Who has promised and perseveres. Joy increases when it is fixed on the invisible and builds over time.

Lord, thank You for keeping much unseen, and so testing my faith. Cause it to grow strong, that that my love for You abound, and my faith’s exercise results in Your praise and glory and honor.

“Outdo one another in showing honor.” “Pay to all what is owed to them:… respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” “Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” Romans 12:10;13:7; 1 Peter 2:17

Honor. There is something so moving about the shiny black of the cars, the flap of half- mast flags bowed in humble respect, the hush of a dignified, uniformed procession carrying a color-draped casket, the silent devotion and reverence of people lining the streets at attention as a respected deceased President passes by, regal bells tolling. I was struck by a neighbor who had taken the time to lower his flag in honor of this man who served our country in World War II, surviving being shot down, and then in various public offices, most recently as President.  I was stirred by the man himself who had honored his wife over 70 years in word and behavior, his children with love, others with whom he disagreed as fellow humans, and the highest office in the land because it was a public trust. It has become our entitlement, even the norm, to criticize those in authority, to play side-line coach and nit-pick their decisions, to dishonor with our rebellious attitudes, rolled eyes, and vitriolic words, that I relish this time to stop, be still and thoughtful, and honor. To hush. To be thankful for the freedom to serve others and for those who consider their lives as not their own and believe in causes larger than self, to focus on the good instead of the imperfections we all bear, to show respect for the sacrifice, to bow the head.

Whom are we called to honor? The King, all government authorities over us, our parents, our spouses and marriages, the brotherhood of believers, all God’s image-bearers. There are lessons to be learned for every day from a country’s honoring of one of its highest dignitaries: Make the effort to show honor, be deliberate in taking the flag of my pompous heart to half-mast; deflect attention to prefer and salute another; set aside your own agenda for a while and stand still and silent, let the other speak and affirm– with no qualification– what he says; use words not to pontificate about self-absorbed opinions but to build up and exalt the other. (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 5:33; Hebrews 13:4; Psalm 15:4; Proverbs 14:31; James 1:19; 1 Corinthians 14:3)

Above all, let us honor mighty God, Who alone is worthy of all glory, honor and praise. Let us honor Him with our first and best, with lips and heart, with praise befitting the King of kings. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Proverbs 3:9; Matthew 15:8; Revelation 4:11)

“All glory, laud and honor to Thee, Redeemer King; to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas sing. Thou art the King of Israel, Thou David’s royal Son; now in the Lord’s name coming, the King and Blessed One. The company of angels is praising you on high; and we with all creation in chorus make reply. The people of the Hebrews with palms before you went; our praise and prayer and anthems before you we present.” ~ Theodulf, Bishop of Orleans (c. 820)

Lord of lords, as I am mesmerized by the showing of honor here on earth, may I ever take it up as my banner toward all. Your creatures are worthy of honor, and You alone are to be exalted above everything. May my attitudes, words, and actions bear Your nobility, and honoring You be the rhythm of my living.

“It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and it shall be lifted up above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it, and many nations shall come, and say: ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem… For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.” “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” Micah 4:1-2,5; Matthew 7:13-14

It is one thing to walk, and quite another to climb. The first is rather easy and can be done without much (if any) thought or effort–it’s simply what we do in order to get somewhere. But climbing ‘above the hills to the highest of mountains’ takes planning, resolve, energy, effort, and strength; it never “just happens.” Walking is the wide way, climbing is the narrow.

My husband and I love to hike, and climb. Hiking on level paths is invigorating, and enables us to take in the beauty all around us, but climbing requires more strategy, concentration, skillful steps and balance and sweat, with an upward focus. The journey is exhilarating, expectation for the summit motivating, and the views are always worth the extra effort taken to get there.

In our lives, we can walk as most, in the name of our god– our children’s wants and demands, our educational and vocational pursuits, our desired agendas of fitness, recreation, indulging, ‘connoisseuring,’ or we can choose to walk in the name of our the Lord and climb His mountain, that He may teach us what can be understood only on the heights. Why do I choose to stroll in the lowlands when God bids me ascend? What apathy or complacency do I need to shrug off in order to climb unencumbered to learn God’s ways? What low, confined, and worldly views do I need to trade for glimpses of freedom and light broad perspective at the mountain top?

Lord on high, You have established a high place for us and bid us come. Prompt and compel me to climb, each day, to sit with You in the heights, learn of You, and beckon others to come to know Your ways too.