As the rain and snow

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

“Speak the truth with [your] neighbor… Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil.  Let the thief no longer steal, but let him work…  Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up,.. that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God… 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.

“Be imitators of God… And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

“Sexual immorality and impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you… Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking,.. but instead let there be thanksgiving. You may be sure..,  everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God… At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light… all that is good and right and true…

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 4:22-5:5,8-9,15-21

The one hope to which Christians are called is thriving maturity and unity in Christ. It is manifested in thriving churches filled with members who take their identity in Christ and life in His Spirit seriously. Responsibility is incumbent on each person for what they do and don’t do, directed and refined by truth taught and applied. Taking in and living out the life-giving Word raises the bar for everyone and lifts high the name of Jesus.

The Bible is practical and the Spirit is personal in touching areas that need attention. Prohibitions must be replaced with righteous practices, and the higher we view God, the more we will put off and put on out of reverence for Him. The more we progress, the better equipped we are to help others do the same.

Heeding the call to Christ-likeness, how consistently do we endeavor to grow up in Him? What attitudes and default actions of our old selves precludes godly redirection and practices? If loved ones were to measure our maturing over the past years, how far would they say we’ve come? How vulnerable, how available are we to unite in a common hope and spur one another onward and upward in Christ? (Psalm 84:5-7; Hebrews 10:24-25; 1 John 3:2)

Lord, give me persistence and resolve to grow in You and so reflect and exalt Your glory.

“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. Therefore it says,

‘When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.’

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 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.” Ephesians 4:1-8,11-16

Their calling was clear and certain: to the one hope that is Christ. From different backgrounds and with varying proclivities and gifting, the heavenly summons had effectively drawn each in the Ephesian church to the Lord. One faith, one baptism, they were to labor and grow as one body under God to a unified, mature spiritual manhood.

This may seem impossible today. Strong opinions and party platforms fracture society; disagreement, strife, and destructive heresies divide the Body, preferences and personalities unsettle individual churches and relationships. Ignorance and hard hearts prevent many from even recognizing truth. Unity is an unrealistic, unreachable goal… in the flesh.

But under God’s wide grace, it is possible. It is a command with specific operational principles: humility, gentleness, patience. It is a directive that expects measurable growth and strengthening. It is an order to put off and away and wash clean old ways in order to establish a flow of the new to reflect the likeness of God. And what the Lord requires, He enables, with our cooperation in the one Spirit who binds us together. By grace we’ve been saved and by grace we’re sanctified unto the good works God intends. (Ephesians 2:8-10; 4:17-32)

The one hope to which we are called is fuel for the unity we live and serve to achieve. In what areas have we developed beyond spiritual and practical childhood? What areas in our character or habits need special attention: daily disciplines, language, entertainment choices, relational interactions and care? How are we implementing the one hope we share in Christ with other believers in everyday work and encounters? How can we better foster growth in the unity of faith the Lord commends? Proclaiming truth in love and promoting the upbuilding of God’s people encourages all to practice increasing maturity.

Lord, help me envelop others in Your wide grace to effectuate deeper hope and unity.

“Now when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her.

“She said to the king, ‘The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men!.. Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel!’ Because the Lord loved Israel forever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.’” 1 Kings 10:1-9

The Queen of Sheba arrived curious, anticipatory, ready to be amazed and to revere. She left breathless, having encountered more than she could have imagined. In between was an astounding interaction with the king.

We may be in a place where we see little majesty, minimal natural beauty created by God. Life and government may be rife with disorder, health and resources meager. But the Lord can still take our breath away. Contemplating His exquisite grace, His imagination that suspends and power that upholds the stars, His sure salvation and guarding of heart and mind, the unseen yet palpable presence of comfort, and hope… these should move us to ever-amazed awe. With Him is wisdom and knowledge, order, creativity, care of needs. From wherever we’re planted, we can come with what we have and seek answers and understanding. He is able to supply more than we ask or imagine. (John 6:68; Ephesians 3:20-21)

Will we continue to be left breathless by busyness, stress, and stuff, or wonder at the magnificence of God? When will we stop talking, planning, doing, and just listen to His voice? When will we be still, carry thought through to completion, and delight in the Lord’s revelations, resolutions, redemption? (Job 42:5; Psalm 8:1-5; Matthew 17:1-5)

We might be surprised at the insight that comes in prayer, the peace that floods our hearts when we surrender, the deep inner joy that lifts our spirits when we worship and meditate on God over circumstances. We might be overwhelmed at the bounty that returns to us when we bring God our meager offerings. Would we come? When? The Lord delights to captivate our attention, snatch our breath, and fill us with His Spirit of awe and gratitude. He wants us to know Him and make Him known in all His glory. (Luke 6:38; John 6:9-13)

Lord, wherever You take me, may I spend my every breath on wonder, thanksgiving, and worship of Your splendor.

“In [Christ Jesus our Lord] we have… boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him…

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Ephesians 3:12,14-21

Paul sees and comprehends life from a spiritual point of view. Once he was humbled by the Spirit’s pursuit, blinded to all previous charms, and saved, his eyes opened and his insight and passions were divinely transformed. Persecution of and resistance to God’s people became a relentless desire to know Christ and make Him known. His power came from time on his knees, imploring the Almighty for His effective work in salvation and sanctification. The more he prayed, the more of God he understood and desired and trusted and glorified. (Acts 9:1-9,17-22)

There is something about bowing the knee that breaks heaven open. There is something mysterious and powerful about lowering ourselves before the One who reigns in heaven, about taking the poor position before the Owner of infinite riches of glory. The humbling of self lifts high the Almighty. Acknowledging my finitude magnifies His infinitude. Closing our eyes to all that shines here below makes us long for the greater glories of heaven. We become small, God shows Himself large, and opens limitless possibilities for our own lives and others’.

As children before the Father, we come knowing He loves us and delights to reveal Himself and make His children grow. Are we asking largely for ourselves and those we love and serve? Considering God’s vastness reminds us of the extent to which He acts on behalf of His own. As His power works in us and through our prayers He does far more than we can ask or think. Are we availing ourselves, and others, of His manifold goodness and bounty? What wisdom, love, conception, inspiration, imagination, or breakthrough would we like Him to expand?

Do I regularly pray on my knees before His throne of grace with boldness and confidence? When will I honestly humble myself in posture and heart, reverently submitting my will to the holy Father’s? Bowing self exalts Christ, opens our perspective to His wider greatness, and piques our longing for the high and glorious fulness of Christ. (Hebrews 4:15-16)

“Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! 
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! 
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia! 
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!” ~Charles Wesley (1739)

Lord, deepen and widen my prayers to reach the edges of Your measureless fullness, grace, and glory.

“Now as Solomon finished offering all this prayer and plea to the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, where he had knelt with hands outstretched toward heaven. And he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice, saying,  ‘Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant. The Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers. May he not leave us or forsake us,  that he may incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his rules, which he commanded our fathers. Let these words of mine, with which I have pleaded before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires, that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no other. Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.'” 1 Kings 8:54-61

The blessing of Solomon on God’s people followed and elaborate all-encompassing prayer of dedication of the new temple. Sacrifice and wide offering of petition and will had been made, and now Solomon would leave God’s people with a benediction. What they now saw and what they had been taught would be constant reminders of His greatness. Their cause was caught up in God’s good cause through history and now daily in temple and life service. It was vital they remain wholly true to their First Cause, the Almighty God. (1 Kings 8:22–53)

If the eternal God is First Cause, and maintains His divine, sovereign cause in earth and heaven, man need never worry. We may not know the future, but we can trace His fulfilled promises. We may find many aspects of life unsettled, but know His rest. We may struggle with unforgiveness or impossible relationships, but can believe in His redemption. All He has planned and caused He will continue to completion. We can align our lives with His word and character because they are trustworthy.

What do I daily offer of time, will, and desire to ensure I’m in line with God’s cause? Do I give reluctantly, chafe selfishly, or do my countenance and actions reflect joy and gladness in service? How has the Lord been able to further His cause in my family, neighborhood, church, and workplace through me? Adhering to His word and maintaining His cause is worth every effort and glorifies God. (1 Kings 8:62-66)

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

“The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.” ~R. Keen (1878)

Lord, keep me wholly true to You and do all I can to maintain and advance Your cause in my corner of the world.

“The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them,

The Lord bless you and keep you;
 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

‘So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them.'” Numbers 6:22-27

“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
    you who lead Joseph like a flock.
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth…

Restore us, O God;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!

O Lord God of hosts,
    how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?
You have fed them with the bread of tears
    and given them tears to drink in full measure.
You make us an object of contention for our neighbors,
    and our enemies laugh among themselves.

Restore us, O God of hosts;
    let your face shine, that we may be saved!..

Turn again, O God of hosts!
    Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine,
    the stock that your right hand planted,
    and for the son whom you made strong for yourself.
They have burned it with fire; they have cut it down;
    may they perish at the rebuke of your face!
But let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
    the son of man whom you have made strong for yourself!
Then we shall not turn back from you;
    give us life, and we will call upon your name!

Restore us, O Lord God of hosts!
    Let your face shine, that we may be saved!” Psalm 80:1,3-7,14-19

The blessing of the Lord came from His shining face. From the instituting of the priesthood its encompassing benediction signified His favor, graciousness, and peace. When Asaph sang to the Shepherd of Israel, he asked God to shine forth in power, regard, and relief, to shine His face to restore and save His people. He beseeched His light of life to come from high heaven to His damaged, withering, needy people, and revive their strength and vitality.

We, too, can seek the Lord’s face and find fresh life. He welcomes us to implore Him to shine on us, to revive limp faith with hope, to light to our paths and despairing souls. While God constantly watches us to and fro, His eyes searching and knowing the heart and ways of man, there is something particularly remarkable and beautiful about the shining countenance of His whole face. When we get caught up in looking down at lesser horizontal things, we miss His gaze of tender compassion, His benevolent concern, His warm smile. (2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 33:13-15; Proverbs 15:3)

Knowing that if we are saved we live under the light of His face, how will we go about our days differently under that benediction? What dark habits, or dry love, can we bring into His warm shine? What broken relationships need His breakthrough to be restored, and heal? Where is it we need revival of discernment, confidence, purpose? The Lord knows our tears, struggles, flagging zeal, and every dry crevice of heart and mind. He is ever gracious to lift His countenance upon us for good. Will we look to Him? (Psalms 34:5)

Father, help me reflect Your shining face to a dark and needy world, to your glory.

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:1-10

“Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:8-11

Dead. Once walked. Once lived. All past, behind, no more. Alive. With Christ. Saved. Walking in good works. Now, actively present, ongoing, eternal. What we were before Christ is gone and made into the forever new of what we are in Christ. Paul understood and was constantly moved by what God had done for him, and made perfectly clear that Jesus changes everything. Separated, alienated, far off strangers without hope are brought near, made whole, reconciled in peace as fellow citizens of the saints. What lavish kindness! What wonder! (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Ephesians 2:12-19)

In the flesh, it is hard to reconcile these truths. We might profess to believing them, give lip service in conversation or song, yet easily fail to act as new creations. We claim sins forgiven and freedom from its clutches, yet repeatedly succumb to former habits, errant ways, and temptation. When will we walk fully in the freedom of ‘I was, but am now’? (John 8:32,36; Romans 6:6-11; 2 Corinthians 5:14-17)

What of my old life will I name today and renounce forever? What astounding truth can I cling to in gratitude and confidence? Alongside whom will I walk in sanctifying freedom with Christ?

“All for Jesus! All for Jesus!
All my being’s ransomed pow’rs,
all my thoughts and words and doings,
all my days and all my hours.

Let my hands perform his bidding,
let my feet run in his ways;
let my eyes see Jesus only,
let my lips speak forth his praise.

Since my eyes were fixed on Jesus,
I’ve lost sight of all beside;
so enchained my spirit’s vision,
looking at the Crucified.

O what wonder! How amazing!
Jesus, glorious King of kings,
deigns to call me his beloved,
lets me rest beneath his wings.” ~Mary James (1810-1883)

Lord, in the freedom You won, may I live all for You!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 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, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth in him.

“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 who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:3-14

Paul understands that his calling was divine and tucked into the perfect will of His heavenly Father. He understands that his salvation was wholly by grace for the glory of God. For all this abundance he blesses God the Source. And he wants the saints at Ephesus to know the fullness of His Son, comprehend their spiritual blessings, and realize their eternal purpose to His glory. To this end he writes, teaches, and prays with gratitude and confidence.

In the temporal world with frenzy and business and limits, it is hard to think or see beyond. Demands are urgent, responsibilities stressful, emotions unpredictable, longings fleeting. The palpable and pressing take natural precedence over deeper meanings and eternal purpose. My will trumps God’s will because it is all I understand and can manage by responsibility and agency.

But when we enter Christ’s loving fold by faith, a whole new world of spiritual blessing opens to us, unseen and very real. It is a part of our sanctification to take hold of it. The process of comprehending and apprehending actually fulfills God’s purpose by folding us into His wide and perfect will, causing us to flourish, and prepares us for our future sure inheritance.

Our call is to look and rise up out of the lowlands. Blessed be God who has known us from eternity past and adopted us as His beloved children, destined for Christ-likeness! Would we memorize our lavish riches in Christ from first to last?

How well do we know and avail ourselves of His abounding wealth? How aware of and earnest are we about God’s eternal purpose for our lives? What spiritual blessings guide and guard our days? How are we presently acquiring, enjoying, and implementing possession of our inheritance in Christ?

Oh Lord, You have given so much. Make me a faithful, ever-grateful child who thrives to the praise of Your glory.

“And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. He became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.”

“These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time...

“Eleazar rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword…

“Next to him was Shammah…He took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.

“And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam… They broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David…

“Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three… 

“Benaiah was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.” 1 Samuel 22:2; 2 Samuel 23:8,10-13a,16,18,20

The mighty men of David were renowned by name and great deeds. But they did not start that way. The motley crew of indebted, depressed, discontented men gathered to the hunted David out of desperation. He himself had grown skills and courage through challenge and hardship. These men were transformed by the honing of God in strain, through grueling opposition, and under the strong, humble, honest leadership of David. (1 Samuel 17:32-37; 2 Samuel 23:23-29)

The God who calls the dead to life and makes all things new is in the constant business of transforming His people. He trains us in the trenches of life circumstances by chipping away at fear and weakness to instill confidence, hone boldness, and fulfill our personalities. He does not relent until we have become all He intends. (Romans 4:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 1:6)

What God-assigned trenches do we resist? Do we freeze in fear at stressful opposition or hard assignments? To what dreaded but transformative training need we submit? What can we learn from godly leaders who have endured with joy? What will we ask God to develop in us so we can fulfill His bidding triumphantly? (Psalm 71:20-21)

“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.

“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.” ~R. Keen (1787)

Lord, teach me through every difficulty to be more like You, to Your glory.

“Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
    that our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.

He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
   so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments;
and that they should not be like their fathers,
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

The Ephraimites, armed with the bow,
    turned back on the day of battle.
They did not keep God’s covenant,
    but refused to walk according to his law.
They forgot his works
    and the wonders that he had shown them…
They tested God in their heart
    by demanding the food they craved.
They spoke against God…

Yet he, being compassionate,
    atoned for their iniquity
    and did not destroy them;
he restrained his anger often
    and did not stir up all his wrath.
He remembered that they were but flesh,
    a wind that passes and comes not again.
How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness
    and grieved him in the desert!
They tested God again and again
    and provoked the Holy One of Israel.
They did not remember his power
    or the day when he redeemed them from the foe…
Then he led out his people like sheep
    and guided them in the wilderness like a flock…

Yet they tested and rebelled against the Most High God
    and did not keep his testimonies,
but turned away and acted treacherously like their fathers;
    they twisted like a deceitful bow.” Psalm 78:1-11,18-19a,38-42,52,56-57

The psalmist grabs attention: Listen! And from the start, his intentions are clear: to convey what he has heard and known, so his hearers would set their hope in God. There is no pompous boasting, no litany of accomplishments or plans or even personal musings. His focus is time-held truths that reveal and exalt God and His deeds, that expose folly and inspire faithful adherence to God’s Word.

Daily we have many chances for oratory, to be heard in conversation and what we communicate in other ways. Whether we call attention to our words or not, they convey a particular message that elicit reaction. We can choose words that highlight our actions, or those that point to the Lord and His. We can choose to expose or denigrate others, or to magnify God. What will it be?

Thoughtfulness before we speak helps to clarify our aim. What is my intention? To whom am I speaking, for what response am I hoping? How can my words rise from the temporal to the eternal? How can I best convey God’s glorious deeds and the importance of embracing Him? How can I lift high His name and praise so generations will know and want to know Him? (Isaiah 41:20)

Lord, may I deflect self-attention and always reflect Your grace and greatness so others see and hope in You.