Author: astherainandsnow

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:25-26

“(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.)

“And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, saying, ‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.'” 1 Kings 21:25-29

“Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way,.. he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he went on his way, suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ And he said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said, ‘I am Jesus.'” Acts 9:1-5

The most determined atheist, the cruelest enemy, the one raised in a false religion, or void of any knowledge of or accountability to a higher being at all. Each heart, hard as flint, can be penetrated by the omnipotent Holy Spirit. When He sets His affection on and pursues, He will break down, soften, and rush in to shape and fill and flow through. Who can deny His power?

In the grind of life and grit of relationships, we meet people we deem impossible- to get along with, to break through to, to see redeemed. But God their Maker doesn’t see the same way we see, and in full concern for and consideration of the heart has His mysterious and majestic ways of working. He’s not limited by our apathy or callousness, limited vision, or anemic faith. (1 Samuel 16:7)

Who is it who keeps us in constant turmoil or angst? With whom are we incessantly critical or negative? What relationship do we see as beyond repair? On whom have we given up altogether? Have we checked our own hearts for a superior attitude, pride in our salvation, prayerlessness, or hard heart? Would we confess our assessment of impossible and ask God to perform His possible, to His glory? When the love that transformed us begins to flow through us, our flint turns to conduit that can be life-changing. (Romans 4:17-21; 5:5-8)

Often the Lord works in such ways to magnify His grace, and increases our awe and faith in the process. Would we choose expectant trust over entrenched stony attitudes and to hope in who He is and what He can do?

Lord, soften and sculpt my heart to be a vessel and conduit for Your living, life-giving Spirit, to the praise of Your salvation and glory.

“The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go… to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ And Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.’ And the Lord said, ‘Take a heifer and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do…’ Samuel did what the Lord commanded and came to Bethlehem…

“When [Jesse and his sons] came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him.^’ But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or the height of his stature… For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.^’ Then Jesse called Abinadab… And he said, ‘Neither has the Lord chosen this one.’ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by… and seven of his sons… Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen these… Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains the youngest, he is keeping the sheep…’ And he brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him, for this is he.’ Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him.” 1 Samuel 16:1-4a,6-13

Samuel was a man of God. He’d early learned God’s voice and through the years faithfully proclaimed it. But he was also just a man, with fears and flesh. His consistent walk and communion with his Lord enabled him to continue as God’s prophet to perform His bidding, even when questioning and needing correction. Careful, honest hearing translates to the heart for those intent on God’s will over their own. (1 Samuel 3:1-14,19-21; 4:1a; 7:3; 8:6)

It is a temptation to talk with God and suggest how He might work, and to hear only what we want to hear from Him, even to distorting His word to fit personal desires or agenda. But the faithful servant opens himself to hear God’s word straight and unadorned, and is willing to act as He directs. He confesses doubt and fear with ears for consolation and reminding. He moves forward with each step of instruction. He trusts God’s plans and perfect will. He is open to have distorted vision corrected by heavenly lenses, and ready to be taught His ways of the heart over man’s rude and prejudiced inclinations. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

How about us? Do we have a hard time letting go of failing efforts, stewing in stubbornness or regret? Are we prone to pushing what first pops into mind, rather than considering various sides? Do we tend to easy, beautiful, effortless choices over seeking God’s best?

Where do we need the Lord to open our ears and hearts to new directions and different ideas? Would we ask Him to make us willing, then walk forward at His every word? Would we obey expectantly and watch His glorious plans unfold? (Psalm 32:8; Proverbs 3:5-6)

Lord, for every errand You command, help me hear and act according to Your heart, trusting You with all results.

“[Saul] waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come, and the people were scattering. So Saul said, ‘Bring the burnt offering here to me…’ And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished… Samuel came. And Saul went out to greet him. Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ And Saul said, ‘When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash,.. I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.^’ And Samuel said, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord.’”

“Saul defeated the Amalekites… [but] spared Agag and the best of the sheep and oxen and fattened calves and lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them…

^“Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, ‘Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.^’ And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?^’ Saul said, ‘They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction.^’ Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop!

“‘The Lord anointed you king over Israel [and] sent you on a mission and said, “Go, devote to destruction the Amalekites…” Why then did you not obey?..’ And Saul said, ‘I have obeyed… I have gone on the mission… But the people took of the spoil… to sacrifice to the Lord your God.'” 1 Samuel 13:8-13a; 15:7,9,13-21

King Saul was a master at making excuses for his willful sin. Urgent circumstances, his impatient subjects, and tardy Samuel all forced him into wrongdoing that he refused to see as an affront to his Sovereign. When self is king, self is always right while everyone else is wrong. Saul’s foolish decisions became his curse, and his kingship was stripped.

God calls to account every grab of His authority or glory. He sees through every false veneer of crafted alibis and blame on people and predicaments. He does not stand for pompous swagger. He is a God of truth and demands it be our measure. (Isaiah 42:8; Jeremiah 49:16; Galatians 6:7)

Where do we flaunt ourselves as victims, excusing bad behavior on hard circumstances or offenses by others? When do explain away poor choices by blaming group pressure or pressing necessity? Where do we muddy the bare truth by whining, or simply talk too much, rather than hold our tongues in responsible maturity? Any such behavior is unappealing to those around us and an affront to God. It demonstrates weak faith and wobbly convictions.

When will we take full responsibility for our words and actions? In prayer, we can confess our worst and grasp by faith God’s redeeming best. Before others, we can speak honestly or not at all. Identifying lies and excuses and putting them away frees us to walk in the light. (1 John 1:7-9)

Father, keep me honest before You and others, replacing excuses with ownership and confession, that I would freely and openly shine unshakable truth wherever I am.

“Make me to know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.”

“One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple…

You have said, ‘Seek my face.’
My heart says to you,
‘Your face, Lord, do I seek.^’

Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.”

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul…
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!” Psalm 25:4-5; 27:4,8,11; 32:8; 143:8,10

“Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you.” Exodus 33:13

As we mature in Christ, we grow in desire to know more of Him. And the more we know Him, the stronger and more wise we grow. Such is the dynamic life of a child of God.

“Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:1-3

Has our walk with Christ grown static, bland, anemic? Has a spiritual drought caused or been caused by a lack of church involvement, a distancing from the healthy refinement of fellowship, an apathy toward deep reading and study of the scriptures? Have we grown complacent in grabbing and fast-tasting others’ sound bites without significant soul nourishment, giving as rote habit with no sacrifice, settling into provincial comforts and ease with no connection to God’s larger world? These are symptoms of sure stagnation, but they can be remedied.

It is a healthy practice to regularly assess our spiritual stance: how earnestly do we desire the Lord? How do we pace our walk? On what principles do we daily stand for decision-making and interactions? Where do we sit for input and refreshment?

What steps can we take today to foster growth that blesses others and honors the Lord? How will we put into practice what we learn from God’s word? What can we get rid of that hinders high stretching and wide reaching?

Father, stir passion in my heart and mind to seek You and to grow and bear much fruit for the good of those around me and the magnification of Your splendor.

“When Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch who was in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern,.. [he] said to the king, ‘My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they did to Jeremiah the prophet by casting him into the cistern, and he will die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.^’ Then the king commanded Ebed-melech, ‘Take thirty men with you from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet out of the cistern before he dies.^’ So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe in the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, ‘Put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.’ Jeremiah did so. Then they drew Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.”

“The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah while he was shut up in the court of the guard: ‘Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day. But I will deliver you on that day, declares the Lord, and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword, but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have put your trust in me, declares the Lord.”’” Jeremiah 38:7-13; 39:15-18

Tucked into international political tensions and intrigue is the remarkable servant Ebed-melech. His importance to the Lord becomes important to us as inspiration for unselfish boldness and faith. He acted out of a sense of rightness, kindness, and justice, and God blessed his intentional expressions of faith.

How and where are we exhibiting courage in faith? To whom are we reaching out, for whom helpless and voiceless do we intercede or speak? In what situations have we gone to the wardrobe of possibility and storehouse of grace to lighten a burden, ease a pain, or participate in rescue? What opportunities await our involvement?

And how has the Lord returned blessing to us? For what relief, encouragement, unexpected provision can we thank God today? How might we offer that blessing, by word or deed, to those who faithfully serve Him and His causes?

Our generosity can never exceed that of Christ’s to us, but it can honor His grace and make a difference for others. As we make ourselves available, He will open opportunities to minister to the needy and rely on His means to bless in His name. He hears what is prayed and sees what is done in secret, and meets it all with heavenly benediction. When our goal is pure in giving, by His spiritual economy we receive much more in return. (Proverbs 11:25; Matthew 6:2-4,6,20)

Father, out of Your bounty to me make me grateful, and bountiful to others for Your name’s sake.

“Samuel said to the people, ‘Stand still that I may plead with you before the Lord concerning all the righteous deeds of the Lord that he performed for you… When Jacob went into Egypt, and the Egyptians oppressed them, then your fathers cried out… and the Lord… brought your fathers out of Egypt and made them dwell in this place. But they forgot the Lord their God… And they cried out, “We have sinned, because we have forsaken the Lord and have served the Baals…^” And the Lord… delivered you out of the hand of your enemies.., and you lived in safety. And when you saw that Nahash the king of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, “No, but a king shall reign over us,” when the Lord your God was your king. Behold the king whom you have chosen… If you will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel.., and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the Lord your God, it will be well. But if you will not obey.., but rebel.., then the hand of the Lord will be against you and your king. Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes… So Samuel called upon the Lord, and the Lord sent thunder and rain that day, and all the people greatly feared the Lord and Samuel.

“And all the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray.., that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.^’ And Samuel said, ‘Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. Do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver… For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself… Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:6-9a,10a,11b-16,18-22,24

Samuel in his old age was reflective and loving toward his people. As many spiritual leaders (and parents), he knew well what the fickle Israelites needed as reminders before his ministry was complete. They were a people who swung from devotion to the Lord to the latest enticement, prone to idolatry and subject to peer pressure of other nations. Stand still, God’s dearly beloved. Consider your gracious Lord, His faithfulness, and your proclivity to turn away from Him. Stand still and watch Him, submit to and love Him.

In the hustle of life activities and pressures, standing still can be difficult and rare. But intentional stillness affords the brain time to ponder and remember the personal care and might of God, and to determine our course of commitment.

Will we speed through life thoughtlessly on wings of false urgencies and excuses? How might our pace and measure of gratitude change if we regularly stood still and beheld the Lord in wonder, thankfulness, and wholehearted resolve?

Lord, help me stand in devotion that matches Your unwavering devotion to me, and honor You as You deserve.

“I love you, O Lord, my strength.
The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies…

In my distress I called upon the Lord;
to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
and my cry to him reached his ears…

He sent from on high, he took me;
he drew me out of many waters.
He rescued me from my strong enemy
and from those who hated me,
for they were too mighty for me.
They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
but the Lord was my support.
He brought me out into a broad place;
he rescued me, because he delighted in me…

For who is God, but the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?—
the God who equipped me with strength
and made my way blameless.
He made my feet like the feet of a deer
and set me secure on the heights…
You gave a wide place for my steps under me,
and my feet did not slip…

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock,
and exalted be the God of my salvation—

For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,
and sing to your name.” Psalm 18:1-3,6,16-19,31-33,36,46,49

Attacked by ruthless enemies, David held to his Rock. Distressed and embattled in spirit, he fled to his Rock. In turmoil and need, he cried to his Rock. By God’s grace, he was planted on the steady, firm, immovable Rock. And from that Rock he praised. David held varied roles through seasons of his life, but always he knew his Rock, the stronghold of his might, skills, defense, and wisdom.

We all choose a daily vantage point from which we hope, through which we see every situation and predicament, from which we make decisions. We each determine our foundation, be it self-will, personal talent, or a selected set of mores. Any manmade religion or system of belief apart from Scripture will become a foundation of shifting sand. Life apart from Jesus is uncertain, subject to whims, doomed to destruction. A steady building on the Rock assures stability in troubled times. (Matthew 7:24-27; James 1:5-6,17)

In whom do we place our trust? On what do we base our thinking and decisions? How do we set about maintaining stability of emotion, direction, devotion? Reading through this song, do we find our heartbeat and connect with this wondrous Savior? How will we settle and strengthen our trust in the immovable, unchanging Rock?

“O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer,
greatest treasure of my longing soul;
my God, like you there is no other,
true delight is found in you alone.
Your grace a well too deep to fathom,
your love exceeds the heavens’ reach;
your truth a fount of perfect wisdom,
my highest good and my unending need.” ~Nathan Stiff (2017)

Father, stabilize my resolve to trust, obey, and bless You as the Rock of my salvation all my days, to the glory of Your name.

“The Lord called Samuel, and he said, ‘Here I am!..’ And the Lord called again, ‘Samuel!’ and Samuel arose… Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.

“And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the Lord was calling the boy. Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

“And the Lord came and stood, calling as at other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant hears.^’ Then the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Behold, I am about to do a thing in Israel at which the two ears of everyone who hears it will tingle…’

“And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord.

“And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.” 1 Samuel 3:4,6a,7-11,19-21,4:1a

The word of God issued forth to the young Samuel, addressing him personally and powerfully in a life call for this servant and his people Israel. The Lord established him as a prophet, and Samuel obediently established God’s word as the standard for truth about what was to be.

When God’s word comes to a willing heart, it has great effect. We receive it and heed its prescriptions with urgency and joy. The living word that comes to a ready believer and sets him afire will also go.

How and how regularly do we take in God’s word for ourselves? Do we listen as servants or debaters? Do we seek Him through the sound bites and interpretations of others, or directly from His word? Are we attuned to His voice, assured of His specific warnings, instructions, and encouragement for ourselves in present circumstances, then implementing them in obedience and faith? He will persist to reveal Himself as we willingly come, and His word will grip and use those intending to serve Him with it.

And once we’ve taken in His message, do we hide it to guard our hearts, hoard it in timidity, or speak it boldly as God compels? Among whom are we making a difference by living it out? Whom might we come alongside to help explain what it means? (1 Samuel 8:6-18; Psalm 119:11; Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 8:28-35; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 1:7)

“Lord, speak to me that I may speak
In living echoes of your tone.
As you have sought, so let me seek
Your erring children, lost and lone.

Oh, lead me, Lord, that I may lead
The wand’ring and the wav’ring feet.
Oh, feed me, Lord, that I may feed
Your hungry ones with manna sweet.” ~Frances Havergal (1872)

Oh Lord, keep me listening to and heeding Your word that I might tell of Your truth, excellence, and power all my days and unto Your glory.

“There was a famine in the land, and a man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons… These took Moabite wives,.. Orpah and… Ruth. They lived there about ten years, and both Mahlon and Chilion died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband…

^“So she set out… with her two daughters-in-law… to return to the land of Judah. But Naomi said.., ‘Go, return each of you to her mother’s house. May the Lord deal kindly with you… [and] grant that you may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband!’ Then she kissed them, and they lifted up their voices and wept. And they said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.^’ But Naomi said, ‘Turn back, my daughters; why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back, my daughters;.. I am too old to have a husband… Even if I should bear sons, would you wait till they were grown?.. No, my daughters…^’ Then they lifted up their voices and wept again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

“Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.’” Ruth 1:1,4-5,7-17

Intrigue in a foreigner, love in marriage, grief in death, sorrow in parting, fear in leaving, expectancy in change, compassion and tenacity in commitment. Years pulled and stretched the varied emotions of young Ruth up and down and around, and the thread of faith held her together. Only the resolve of a captured heart could determine passage and connection with a God not previously known. Faith tethered to this Holy One instilled eagerness in industry and confidence in favor expressed in humble service and gratitude. (Ruth 2:2-13)

Emotions lure, persuade, and captivate. They can unsettle, confuse, and deceive. They often arrest forward progress and detract from a goal or calling. But they are a gift from God to enhance, not disrupt, our devotion to Him. What we perceive as crises or instigators of upsetting change or devastation are no surprise to our Heavenly Father. Rather they are vehicles whereby faith is tested and His love and power are revealed.

How yielded are our emotions to the Sovereign? Are we easily moved and thrown off course by circumstances, or does constant trust tie reactions and feelings together in increasing steadiness? What can we do to harness volatile and enemy emotions into friends, spurring us on? How might God transform mood swings, fears, sorrows into fuel for flourishing faith in His steady and steadfast love? And how might this transformation bring blessing and hope to others? (Ruth 4:13-14; Ephesians 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 10:24)

Lord, weave Your strong thread of faith through my every action and emotion, that I will go and stay with and adore You always.

“Give ear to my words, O Lord;
consider my groaning.
Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
You destroy those who speak lies;
the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me…

Let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.” Psalm 5:1-8,11-12

“Jesus said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6

“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16

Driven by need, compelled by faith, drawn by irresistible love, the psalmist approaches the Almighty. Not everyone can stand before the King in His holy temple. No boast, no deceit shall enter. Only those on His straight way are led, and welcomed, to His house. Only they, made righteous by His blood, can cross the threshold. (Romans 3:23-25; 5:9; Ephesians 2:18; 3:11-12)

We have situations that suffocate, and challenges that test resolve. We carry regret for past actions and dreams for the future. We bear hurts and hopes. While we may not be able to escape or resolve them, we can always come to Jesus. But here we stumble in self- importance, presenting our tokens of comparison and desert and alibi. We forget His door is marked with death, unto ourselves and of our Christ.

When and why do I approach the Lord? Do I come with self-defined goods and effort or on the basis of His blood and grace? Am I an occasional visitor or regular guest? How might life change if I daily died to self and came in praise and gratitude for wisdom, sustenance, and power? (Galatians 2:20)

“Jesus, Thy blood and righteousness
my beauty are, my glorious dress;
‘midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
with joy shall I lift up my head.

Bold shall I stand in Thy great day,
for who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am,
from sin and fear, from guilt and shame.” ~ John Wesley (1739)

“No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!” ~Charles Wesley (1738)

Good Father, keep me humble and ever grateful at Your threshold, and dependent, expectant, and rejoicing in Your house.