As the rain and snow

“Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?’  He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, ‘Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.’  One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?’  Jesus said, ‘Have the people sit down.’ Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.  Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, ‘Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.’  So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten.” John 6:5-13

“You say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.  Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:17-20

The disciples thought they hadn’t enough, and the Laodiceans thought their wealth was ample- for themselves. Jesus upended both insufficiency and self-sufficiency to turn His people to Him as the all-sufficient Source for the spread of His goodness. His message is consistent: He is the giver of all, and supplies and multiplies His measure for His kingdom purposes. (James 1:17)

Our Lord’s thoughts, ways, and sights are far different from ours. Often what we view with limited vision is narrow and provincial. My troubles are the biggest, my challenges the worst, my responsibilities the weightiest, my needs the most urgent, and my self-determined boundaries better not be crossed. In other words, life is all about me. But when Spirit works and the Lord of multiplication and wide living enters, He opens the door to new possibilities. He pesters with the inner heart to transform our motivation and broaden desire. He grants new filters for new spiritual perspective that takes in new horizons for the spread of His truth, light, and sustenance. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Are we living timidly, doubting God’s promises, pessimistic about His goodness, afraid to step out in faith? Are we living narrowly, avoiding risk, hoarding resources, guarding against lavish giving? What fears and selfishness is He calling us to confess? What new vistas for contribution and service might He open if we answered His call to deeper trust and intimacy?

Lord, daily fit me with Your eternal perspective so I see with Your possibilities, live generously, and serve zealously for Your sake and glory.

“Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord,
    and whom you teach out of your law,
to give him rest from days of trouble,
    until a pit is dug for the wicked.
For the Lord will not forsake his people;
    he will not abandon his heritage;
for justice will return to the righteous,
    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Who rises up for me against the wicked?
    Who stands up for me against evildoers?
If the Lord had not been my help,
    my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.
When I thought, “My foot slips,”
    your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up.
When the cares of my heart are many,
    your consolations cheer my soul…
But the Lord has become my stronghold,
    and my God the rock of my refuge.” Psalm 94:12-19,22

Discipline chafes, troubles pelt and assail, and rest can be elusive. The psalmist flirts with feeling abandoned, forsaken, overwhelmed by these situations and the pressures and ubiquitousness of evil. But with every hint of pain or turmoil, the Lord’s constancy meets him. With every ouch, there’s the balm of blessing. With every near slip, his God grabs hold. It is his very struggles that magnify the goodness and steadfastness of His God. (Hebrews 12:11)

The Lord never abandons His people! He is our present help in trouble, no matter what shakes or is at stake! He is on our side to defend, advocate, redeem, and love without fail! When our cares are many and weighty and seemingly unending, His consolations are more, and cheer us! Will we look up from our circumstances to welcome their benediction? (Psalm 46:1-3; Romans 8:31-39)

What cares, what bitter angst, personality rubs, longstanding shame, weakness, ceaseless opposition or pressure or ungodly desires, can we bring to our Lord for His handling? Where do we need, and will we choose to take, the comfort He offers? Would we exercise faith this day to rest in the stronghold that is Christ and take relief in His calvary-won consolations?

“Trust Him when thy wants are many;
  Trust Him when thy friends are few;
And the time of swift temptation
  Is the time to trust Him too.

Trust Him when thy soul is burdened
  With the sense of all its sin;
He will speak the word of pardon,
  He will make thee clean within.

Trust Him for the grace sufficient,
  Ever equal to thy need;
Trust Him always for the answer,
  When in His dear name you plead.

Trust Him for the grace to conquer,
  He is able to subdue;
Trust Him for the power for service;
  Trust Him for the blessing too.

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
  Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
  Seems the hardest thing of all.

Trust Him; He is ever faithful;
  Trust Him, for His will is best;
Trust Him, for the heart of Jesus
  Is the only place of rest.

Trust Him, then, through cloud or sunshine,
  All thy cares upon Him cast,
Till the storm of life is over,
  And the trusting days are past.” ~Lucy Bennett (1850-1927)

Father, help me secure every care under Your grace-bought consolation and within Your love, so You are exalted and blessed.

“It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
    and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
    to the melody of the lyre.
For 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!” Psalm 92:1-5

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord!
    Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100

“This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Many of the psalms are songs of gladness, artistically composed and joyfully sung as praise to the Lord. They recite His deeds, love, grace, and goodness, and that focus on God elicits gladness within that wells up to come out. All God is and does serves to make the wondering heart glad, and we determine how to express our response.

In daily routine, are we more prone to griping or gladness? When faced with opposition or difficulty, or an ornery family member or colleague, do we default quickly to grouse and complain? How would interactions and attitudes be different if we chose instead to give thanks for all God has done and is doing in the situation? When we get fixated on imperfect works of others or personal failures, we can easily spiral into fussing, blaming, criticizing, even self-loathing. Pondering God’s providence and what He might be teaching or orchestrating in the situation illuminates divine possibilities and raises hope.

What can we implement by way of discipline or accountability to enhance delight in our Lord and more regularly express praise? When will we recount God’s works until they make us glad? What poor choices of input, perspective, and words can we exchange for uplifting ones? Grouchy moods are excuses to make others miserable and are never justifiable in light of the Lord’s goodness. In contrast, a heart fixed on Christ cannot stay gloomy. (Colossians 3:8-10,12-17)

What do we allow to dampen gladness of heart and speech? No circumstance is out of God’s view, no pain beyond His love, no troubles too great for His strength. He made us, works for us, and reigns over all. Be glad!

“Rejoice, the Lord is King:
Your Lord and King adore!
Rejoice, give thanks and sing,
And triumph evermore.
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Savior, reigns,
The God of truth and love;
When He has purged our stains,
He took his seat above;
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and heav’n;
The keys of death and hell
Are to our Jesus giv’n:
Lift up your heart,
Lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!” ~Charles Wesley (1744)

Amen!

“It is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going… to possess.” Deuteronomy 32:47

“The law of the Lord is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalm 119:7-11

“We thank God… that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

The scriptures themselves attest to the reality of their power and usefulness for all of life. God’s word, wholly inspired and without error, is complete and alive and ours for revelation of the Almighty God and rule of life. In His word we discover who He is and how He interacts with man, and by His word we are instructed, warned, sanctified, protected, and bolstered by promises. His word works out His holy, good purposes. (Psalm 119:11; John 17:17; 2 Peter 1:21; Revelation 22:18-19)

Yet, fickle man goes after many strange words. We tune in, turn on, and open up tomes of words that entertain or inform, but neither develop the soul nor feed nor direct the spirit within. Whom we listen to and what we read tells much about what we value most: God or man. Assessing our time, concentration, and allegiances helps us discern our grounding.

What priority has God’s word in our daily routine, and what difference is it making in our thoughts, attitudes, and actions? For information and direction, do we digest more commentary on a snippet of Scripture, or the actual words of God? How are we availing ourselves of its intimate work, and what is the evidence in our character and reactions?

“How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you He hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.” ~George Keith (1787)

Lord, keep me delighting in Your word and yielding to its sway, that You be praised.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,..

“To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae:

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf.” Colossians 1:1-7

Paul greets the saints and faithful brothers by extending grace and peace, embracing them with his words. He then continues his blessing of them by reminding them of his constant thoughts, thankfulness, and prayer on their behalf. He commends them for their faith in Christ Jesus and their love for the saints because of their hope in heaven. Once the Lord planted hope in Paul, his life passion was to see that others knew and lived its fruits also. Grace and peace, gratitude and love, fruitfulness and understanding and serving as an example, all were borne of hope in Christ, all a gift of His immeasurable grace and favor.

Ah! Hope that is sure and unshakable changes hearts, defines and refines purpose, and infuses God’s people with the ingredients that build the Body! Hope ignites faith and love! Indeed, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the outgrowth of the certain hope Jesus has initiated for us on the cross and secured for us in heaven. Without hope and the promise of what is to come, there would be no substance or object or motivation of faith. When exercised, it is evidenced in good works that foster growth and joy among God’s people and spread the fragrance of Christ in the world. (2 Corinthians 2:15; Hebrews 11:1; James 2:17-18)

How does our hope measure? This is not empty wish or human ‘hope-for,’ but a guaranteed promise of life eternal with our Savior. Hope based on our desire or effort is not substantial, but hope grounded in Christ’s finished work is solid and sure. Do we need to elevate our thinking about the hope promised in the Bible? What attitude of self-righteous deserving need we surrender in order to take hold of the hope Jesus offers? How might it transform our outlook going forward?

In this life we groan with longing for a glorified earth, glorified bodies and minds. Troubles remind us this world is not our home, but troubles met with hope find comfort in pain and spiritual energy to persevere. Hope distills all that is presently difficult in the dew of promise of what will certainly come. Will we choose to live and love in hope’s light and joy? How can we express tangible hope to a hurting world? (Romans 8:18-25)

God, fill me with joy and peace in believing so I abound in hope, to Your praise. (Romans 15:13)

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift…

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,  from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love…

“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

“Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.  Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,  and give no opportunity to the devil…  Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear… Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

“Walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God… At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” Ephesians 4:1b-7,15-16,22-27,29,31-32; 5:2,8

Paul’s epistles serve to prod along, to goad, encourage, move the churches to specific, positive action. He lays out a Christian life that is anything but static. Walking worthy of calling has an eager, intentional, constructive gait and tempo through every day and situation.

In the flesh, a day ahead might be open for spontaneous activity or jam-packed with responsibilities. Either way gives opportunity to decide how we set about the walk. For what are we most eager? To serve our selfish interests and ends? To achieve our goals? Or to walk worthy of our calling as God’s saints in the Spirit in whatever situation? How can we exemplify Christ and stand out distinctly in a dark and fractured world? (Philippians 2:3-8,14-16)

Small decisions and single steps, combine to determine our path. If we are eager and purposeful in building up the Body, the way will be open and good will come. Complacent, passive living wastes time and opportunity, while zealous living promotes vibrant fellowship and spiritual growth that benefits all in its fold. At home and work, what are we contributing in speech and action to promote and deepen spiritual unity? (Psalm 90:12; Ephesians 5:15-16)

Lord, help me eagerly seek and take Your path each day for others’ blessing and upbuilding and Your glory.

“To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.., even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless… In love he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace… In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose…

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we… might be to the praise of his glory. In him you, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the Holy Spirit, the guarantee of our inheritance.” Ephesians 1:1-14

As Paul thought about the Ephesian church, he identified them simply and significantly: saints in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus. He then goes on to describe what is theirs in Christ by God’s gracious eternal choosing, further adorning their succinct identity. With such indelible blessings as God’s chosen saints, they could then choose how to live out the bounty bestowed. With the ordained purpose to be holy and blameless to the praise of God’s glory, they were planted in Ephesus and marked as those adopted, redeemed, forgiven, sealed, lavished with wisdom and insight to understand His will and the power of their everlasting inheritance.

In cultures where self-determining, preferring, and publicizing identities is the rage, God calls Christians to accept and live out our God-given identity in His appointed place. In His exquisite creative plan, God made man as the capstone of creation for relationship with Him: WE ARE IMAGE-BEARERS. While we were rebel sinners He set His love on us: WE ARE LOVED. He gave His life in agonizing death so we could live: WE ARE SAVED. He makes all things new to fulfill His plan: WE ARE REDEEMED FOR SPECIFIC WORKS. Do these not affirm and confirm our complete identity? (Genesis 1:27; Acts 17:26; Ephesians 2:1-13,19-22; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

Establishing ourselves in these treasured truths gives firm footing and focus for how then to live. Ignorance of God’s design and incredible love sets the human heart adrift to find identity elsewhere, farther and farther from its intended-from-eternity moorings. How do we choose to live? Whose name will we intentionally bear, reflecting whose glory?

Where specifically has the Lord planted us as saints to be faithful in Christ? In what ways at work and home are we exercising that faithfulness? How are wisdom and hope playing out in what we say and the ways we go about relationships, caring, industry, and service? How specifically can those around us identify us as Christ’s?

Lord, keep me established in who I am and faithful to glorify You in name and character.