As the rain and snow

“One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they set out,  and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger.  And they went and woke him, saying, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm.  He said to them, ‘Where is your faith?’ And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?'” Luke 8:22-25

It was an ordinary day for these fishermen disciples. The shore, waters, and traversing of the Sea of Galilee were familiar, as was the lull to drowsiness by its lapping waves. And so were its storms. But this one day became an unforgettable day that Jesus wanted them to remember every day. He the Omniscient had suggested the crossing, and the band of brothers set out in the boat together. When ordinary jibing hit unexpected turbulence which upended unreasonable fear, the Omnipotent awoke and spoke.

Jesus did the extraordinary by rebuking the storm, then asked where was the disciples’ faith. While this particular moment would stand out and cause them to marvel, He wanted them to see that what had seemed a test of acumen and physical might was really a test of their confidence in Him. In every storm, at every sudden turmoil and temptation to panic, He was still Master of all. He who had led them into this storm was with them by His power during the storm, even when they felt that because He was asleep, He was uncaring, uninvolved.

As we go about daily duties, hopefully led by the Lord in our dealings, interactions, and decisions, we often meet unforeseen challenges. Unanticipated storms of disruption pelt us with difficulties, doubt, and discouragement. Overwhelmed by circumstances, we might think God has abandoned us because we cannot see for all the blinding wind and spitting waves. But He is nigh!

Are we alert to the Lord’s active presence in our ordinary? Do we pause from busyness and constant fretting to trace His hand of grace, His loving presence glistening in conversations and small actions and insights of the soul? Jesus has a way of turning everyday life into exercises in learning and stretching our faith. Would we invite Him into each day He has made to transform them into the day in which He works His glory? Not knowing what a day brings forth, would we expect Him to come and invite Him to have His way?

“Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.” ~Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Lord God, please grace my every day with the glories of Your character and expression of Your extraordinary ways. Be so evident in my routine activities that others marvel and ask who You are, that You might be known and praised.

“Solomon purposed to build a temple for the name of the Lord… 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?”

“Thus all the work that Solomon did for the house of the Lord was finished…

“Then Solomon assembled the elders and… the leaders…  And all the singers… [made] themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving… When the song was raised, with… musical instruments, in praise to the Lord,

‘For he is good,
    for his steadfast love endures forever,’

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.”

“Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel… He knelt… and spread out his hands toward heaven, and 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… You spoke with your mouth, and with your hand have fulfilled it this day…

“’But 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 2:1a,5-6; 5:1-2,13b-14; 6:12-15,18

Mighty was this God, and good, to promise David a forever kingdom. Faithful was this God, and trustworthy, to raise up Solomon David’s son to continue the line. Glorious was this God, and kind, to oversee the temple’s construction and fill it with His glory. And now that it was completed, Solomon recognized that the everlasting God who had called him was still the limitless God who reigned over all. The One who sovereignly designed the temple could not be contained by its walls.

A marvelous mystery of God is that He indeed dwells among us, yet cannot be contained. His grace is not limited by our need, nor His power by our weakness. His light is greater than darkness, His wisdom exceeds our imagining, His peace reaches beyond comprehension. (Psalm 139:7-12; Philippians 4:7)

Our actions betray what we really believe. We sing of God’s power, yet cower before the enemy and fret over what we cannot control. We claim God is love, yet nurse shame and feel unworthy to approach Him. We proclaim His grace and rotely thank Him for blessings, yet complain and blame with constant whine. Why do we contain Him in fabricated boxes of doubt and view Him as smaller than He is? Have we failed to praise Him for who He is?

When will we change our mindset about ourselves and our issues, and practice beholding and exulting in the uncontainable, unchanging, unlimited God? Would we confess flesh priorities, worries, and fears, and relinquish our grip to the mighty hands of God? Daily offer self as a living sacrifice, and watch Him work as only He can do! (2 Chronicles 7:1-4; Isaiah 41:10; Romans 12:1-2)

Lord, may I daily exalt Your attributes and trust them wholly!

“False teachers will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master.., bringing upon themselves swift destruction. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. In their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation… is not idle,.. especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

“Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme… [They] will be destroyed…, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing… They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions… They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed… Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray…

“For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. Speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh.”

“The Lord… is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. The day of the Lord will come… and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

“Since these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness!.. Be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace… Take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 2:1-3a,10,12-15,17-18; 3:9-11,14,17-18

The contrast Peter sets out could not be more clear. Aware of the culture’s conflicting versions of ‘truth,’ he vividly describes those enslaved by sin and those free in Christ. Mindset, choices, and behavior distinguish the rebel from the saved. He gives both warning and encouragement, graced with the patience, love, and mercy of Jesus, to help his readers daily choose how they’ll live.

We too are bombarded with varied versions of what is right. Scripture’s truth is plain, but the world distorts with, and adds to it, deceptive feelings, heresy, and self-interest. It may be in vogue to sin and condone others’ sin, but such freedom of thought is no freedom at all. Embracing a free-flow license of the flesh enslaves to sin and hinders spiritual progress. There will be a reckoning; each of us is accountable for choices made. (Romans 14:10-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 12:1)

To be God’s sort of people, it’s vital to heed these biblical admonitions. Be diligent not to sin. Take care not to be carried away by error. Remain stable, grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. We must immerse ourselves in the Bible to hone keen discernment, and offer our bodies as living instruments to be fueled and used by God for the working out of His will. (Romans 12:1-2; 1 John 4:1-3a)

When our goal and hope are in this world, we behave to the lowest denominator of banality and selfishness. But when they are fixed in Christ and His advent, we desire to be pure and please Him. What causal attitude toward falsehood, or complacency with sin, need I put away? What sort of person will I be? (1 John 2:28-3:3,6-8a,9-10)

Lord, by daily choices may I be the person You deem Your child: wholehearted and growing, to Your praise and glory.

“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… You have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God.” 1 Peter 1:3-9,23

Blessed be God, the Father of Jesus Christ! Why? Because He has caused us to be born again! He has effected salvation that brings light and life to the lost and dying! He has secured for us an unshakable, everlasting inheritance, and guards us now with mercy and faith. He has ushered in vital hope and assurance for dark and difficult times, and through them makes us holy. He works all things for good to bring about the highest good, His glory, when all praise and glory and honor is bestowed on Jesus. (Romans 8:28-30; Philippians 2:9-11)

So how will we bless Him? By allowing His highest best cause to be borne out in our everyday living. By trusting His resurrection power to enable real victory over sin habits and wayward affections. By yielding to His benevolent authority and cooperating with His sanctification. By loving Him, believing Him, and choosing to rejoice in the midst of grievous pain and uncertainty. These blessings to Him will fill us with inexpressible joy, even as He works out and completes our faith.

If indeed we have been born again to a living hope, how does that hope affect the way we ponder, plan, work, serve, spend, and worship? How does a sure inheritance placate fears, and God’s mercy cover regrets? How does heavenly purpose adjust our priorities, and the love of God define our interactions? How and where will joy and rejoicing spill from us to shed abroad the beautiful glories of our Savior?

“Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King.‘” ~Charles Wesley (1739)

Father, keep my hope set fully on the grace that Jesus’s coming brings. May my cause be Yours: to embrace and impart Your holiness and eternal, living hope in Christ in every way. (1 Peter 1:13,15-16)

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,
from you shall come forth for me
    one who is to be ruler in Israel,
whose coming forth is from of old,
    from ancient days.
Therefore he shall give them up until the time
    when she who is in labor has given birth...
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
    in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great
    to the ends of the earth.
And he shall be their peace.”

“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 to Jacob
    and steadfast love to Abraham,
as you have sworn to our fathers
    from the days of old.” Micah 5:2-5a; 7:18-20

The Person is forever, eternal God, the Ancient of Days, who is from everlasting to everlasting. And His promise is forever, spoken and sustained by His knowledge and power to perform. Jesus came to earth in Bethlehem as the fulfillment of God’s pledge, a branch from Jesse, the Prince of Peace to redeem the broken and estranged, to make enemies friends and strangers His children. (Psalm 90:1-2; Isaiah 9:6-7; 11:1; Daniel 7:9,13; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:14-16)

Do we know this God who offers peace that is otherworldly? Have we received His forgiveness that puts the misery of sin and conviction to rest, and His exquisite reconciliation that plants true peace in our souls? Are we daily trusting Him with every anxious concern and stress, by prayer and with thanksgiving, inviting His peace as the guardian of heart and mind? How consistently are we abiding in His presence that brings peace in and into the midst of relational, emotional, and circumstantial storms? (Psalm 32:1-6; 107:23-31; Isaiah 26:3; Mark 4:35-39; John 14:27; Ephesians 2:1-5; Philippians 4:6-7)

“O little town of Bethlehem,
how still we see thee lie!
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
the silent stars go by;
yet in thy dark streets shineth
the everlasting light.
The hopes and fears of all the years
are met in thee tonight.

For Christ is born of Mary,
and, gathered all above
while mortals sleep, the angels keep
their watch of wond’ring love.
O morning stars, together
proclaim the holy birth,
and praises sing to God the King
and peace to all the earth.

How silently, how silently,
the wondrous gift is giv’n!
So God imparts to human hearts
the blessings of his heav’n.
No ear may hear his coming,
but in this world of sin,
where meek souls will receive him, still
the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem,
descend to us, we pray,
cast out our sin and enter in,
be born in us today.
We hear the Christmas angels
the great glad tidings tell;
O come to us, abide with us,
our Lord Immanuel!” ~Phillips Brooks (1868)

Plant Your peace within, dear Lord, that I might live it out in this frenzied, fearful world.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
    and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
    more than watchmen for the morning,
    more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
    For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
    and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
    from all his iniquities.” Psalm 130:5-8

The psalmist’s hope lifted his head and buoyed his soul. It was no empty wish but a solid, unwavering expectation tethered to his certain and true God. The God who called, led, provided, and delivered. The God who was eternally present to save and inspire, and who would come as promised to reign forever. The covenant LORD who kept His promises and fulfilled His every purpose.

Our joy in living is limited because we misplace our hope. We invest in the temporal instead of laying up treasure in heaven. We make much of frenzied activity instead of thoughtful steps, of urgency over the long view. Genuine thrill of hope gets drowned by the tyranny of the urgent, which renders us incapable of reordering our lives. Unfulfilled earthly expectations disquiet the soul and make a mess of God’s intended joy. Will we pause, take a step back, say no to hurry and yes to wait? Will we raise our sights, and wonder at the divine sparkling on our fleeting days to remind us of the lofty One who reigns over all? (Matthew 6:19-21; 2 Timothy 4:7-8)

Waiting on Jesus trains us to wait for other things, and often serves to eliminate earthly desires altogether. Waiting on Jesus transforms thought processes and ignites the spirit where all was flesh. Waiting on Jesus breaks into our weary world with the abounding thrill of heavenly hope. And that hope not only never disappoints us, but is contagious to those around us with eyes for only this life. (Romans 5:5; 15:13)

In what areas are we flagging in expectancy because we’re seeking the wrong solutions? And who among us needs encouragement to open to God’s hope-filling, life-giving Spirit?

In celebration of the first advent of Jesus, we are drawn to hope for His second, the glorious day when He returns to fulfill His word to take us to be with Him forever, to restore His creation in a new heaven and earth. The longings with which we yearn here will be swallowed up in perfect fulfillment. Sorrow and tears will be banished forever. Does this truth not set us on tiptoe, expectantly rejoicing? (Revelation 21:1-4)

“Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.” ~Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Father, infuse me with the thrill of hope for You and Your presence in every aspect of every day. May both mindset and countenance bring You glory, even as I wait on You.

“Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:7-8

“By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.” “Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.” Hebrews 11:24-26; 13:13-15

“Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked,
    and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations,
with which your enemies mock, O Lord,
    with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed.” Psalm 89:50-51

To understand the worth of something there must be a counting of the cost. Weighing what is expended against what is received makes clear the choice: is this worth the exchange? For the people of God, when deliberating between heavenly and earthly, the answer is always yes! The supernatural value of knowing Him, sharing His resurrection power and painful sufferings and holy insights, is inexplicably beyond any good we can imagine. (Philippians 3:10)

Yet, we live as paupers. We go about day to day with such limited hopes, trading in the exercise of heaven-given verve and talents for bland, insignificant living. We pass through uncounted hours opting for cursory conversation, meaningless entertainment, and crude humor over robust interaction, meaningful relationships, and hearty joy. We who own every spiritual blessing in Christ and know Him personally behave as though there were no tomorrow, no accounting, no thrill of hope awaiting. (Ephesians 1:3)

What keeps our sights low, our hearts disgruntled and ungrateful? How will we take full advantage of the inspiration, love, and fulfillment of knowing Christ and making Him known? Let us come, adore, and rejoice!

“O holy night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!” ~Placide Cappeau (1847)

Amen!

“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’  And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.’” Luke 10:17-20

“David and the chiefs set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied… who did the work and their duties… for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained…, all who were skillful, was 288.” “To Shemaiah were sons born who were rulers, men of great ability. The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed and Elzabad, whose brothers were able men, Elihu and Semachiah… men qualified for the service… Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was chief… King David appointed him and his brothers, 2,700 men of ability, heads of fathers’ houses, to have the oversight… for everything pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.” 1 Chronicles 25:1,6b-7; 26:6-8,31-32

The young-in-faith disciples were pretty excited that they could perform miracles in Jesus’s name, and eagerly shared their success with Him. Jesus quickly reminded them that He also had some unique credentials, and yes, they’d been given supernatural authority to do pretty spectacular things, but all this was of and for Him. Their ministry, and these miracles at their voice or hand, were not to be their boast- Jesus who inspired and enabled them was. They were in service of the King their Savior. ‘Look what you’ve done? No, look what I’ve done. Don’t rejoice in these earthly successes and temporary displays of extraordinary power… the most amazing feat is that I saved you! You are Mine! Take real joy that your names are written forever on My hands and in heaven.’ (Isaiah 49:16; Malachi 3:16; Revelation 3:5)

God made man to work, and appoints skills to enable him to do so. He assigns roles and expects vital industry that contributes to His kingdom good. Sometimes the heft and toil distort our thinking, and we begin to take credit for good results. It’s vital we remember the One to whom our work pertains, and who has blessed us with every attending skill. His is the work, and His is the glory. (Genesis 2:5-8,15,19-20; Colossians 1:16; 3:23)

How can we work so our days are crowned with His glory, not our own? Could we ask Him to do in and through us what doesn’t come naturally or easily so He gets the credit? Would we expend ourselves in His energy, when we feel like sitting back? How will we add a hint of divine beauty to ordinary work? Will we speak for Him, and exude the joy that comes from delighting in his work? Can we bless those we serve with a benediction in His name? (Psalm 65:9-13)

Father, may my work done heartily through and unto You bring You delight and glory. May my boast ever be that You have saved me, and given me the privilege to serve You in return. (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Prepare the way of the Lord,
    make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
    and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall become straight,
    and the rough places shall become level ways,
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”’” Luke 3:1-6

In a set moment of time, to which Israel had looked forward for centuries, John the Baptist was anointed to announce the Messiah. In all the ages of history, the day of Christ’s coming was at hand. The way of the Lord would bring change like none other, a revolution of righteousness and salvation and hope that would make sense of the world’s chaos since Eden.

Jesus would fill every valley of lonely and hopelessness, and bring down every mountain of impossibility. He would straighten out confusion and smooth every rough circumstance with peace, comfort, and hope. By carrying our grief and shame, He would deliver us unto eternal joy. What a message, what a hope, available to all flesh! This beloved Son of God, with whom He was pleased, was coming to make us sons forever! (Isaiah 53:3-5; Luke 3:22; Romans 8:14-17; 1 John 3:1)

Assigned to our season and place and moment in time, do we look for and see the Lord’s life at work? How are we making smooth His way in our homes, workplaces, churches, communities? To whom, and how clearly, are we proclaiming the hope of salvation? How might we join the angels’ song to laud our Lord and tell of His healing and hope? What needs to change in our demeanor and daily practices for the world around us to see Him in all His glory? (Esther 4:14; Acts 17:26)

“Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!’
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
‘Christ is born in Bethlehem!’

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.

Hark! the herald angels sing,
‘Glory to the newborn King.'” ~Charles Wesley (1739)

Lord, may I see Thee afresh every day, and by my life cause others to see You too.

“We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

“I press on... One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way.” Philippians 3:12-15

“Continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel… For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” Colossians 1:23,29

“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.” Isaiah 55:10-11

Into the quagmire of struggling to concentrate in prayer, rain breaks in, pelting through angst and wrestling to remind that this effort and God’s word would not return void. Keep on, keep on pounds the heavy, rhythmic tap of rain. Ah, how kind and timely is the Lord, listening intently to soul cries, granting both will and way to Him, answering even as we ask. My word shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed. (Isaiah 65:24; Matthew 6:8; Philippians 2:13)

We may see only grey haze, He sees eternal blue. Clouds clog, swirl, speed along, His clarity remains untouched. We agitate and choke on uncertainty and always-changing scapes, yet He serenely, sovereignly rules. The enemies of distraction and doubt persist in their pester, but He stays steadfast, available, real. Keep on, keep on. Always He listens, always He abides. Faithfully He answers, guides, and inspires. When we taste His good, He turns apathy into appetite, dread into desire. (Psalm 34:8)

What causes us to resist reading His word and approaching His throne? Have we allowed enough time, separated from distractions? Have we set aside other responsibilities that would draw us off course? Have we opened the door to competing affections that vie for our devotion? (Do we need to leave our devices elsewhere?) When we shake off spiritual sloth, boldly press toward God’s throne of grace, admit our struggle, and plead for His intervention and favor, He helps, and blesses our effort unto immediate growth. (Hebrews 4:16; 1 Peter 2:4-5,9-11)

His word is not empty, but our very life! Why do we doubt its power and benefit? Keeping on is always worth the struggle, and that keeps the enemy taunting, beguiling. What lies are we believing: that my gut feelings are better, my instincts need no heavenly enlightenment? My other priorities are more important? My drive is sufficient, my strength adequate, my present knowledge enough? I don’t have time? Keep on, keep on through the urgencies of this world. Denounce the devil’s deceptions, press on in faith, and enjoy the life-giving blessing from time with Jesus. (Deuteronomy 32:47)

Lord, keep me pressing on the upward way, delighting in and taking nourishment from You daily.