He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. From the brightness before Him, His thick clouds passed with hailstones and coals of fire. — Psalm 18:11-12 NKJV
I’ve always been afraid of the dark. As a child and even into adulthood, the moment the light went out, darkness seemed to pervade my very soul. Evil that wasn’t present in the light seemed to lurk just beyond my reach in the darkness—I could feel it!
Trials and difficulties are sometimes like the darkness. When they come and we can’t see our way, there seems to be evil lurking all around us.
The presence of the tempter is real and frightening. We know we should combat the evil one as the Lord did by using the Word of God (Matthew 4:1-11).
But sometimes . . . sometimes, we are just too beaten by the pain of the moment, and it’s all we can do just to keep our head above water and function with some modicum of normalcy.
But God is the God of the darkness.
The Bible says, The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was. — Exodus 20:21
God is the God who dwells in the darkness!
The Hebrew word for darkness is araphel—and it means to drip; to drop. It means literally that the heavens are lowering or drooping—hence to drip or drop down.
How do we understand this? How does a God who lives in unapproachable light (I Timothy 6:16) also live in darkness? Could it mean that darkness is only dark to us, and there is really no such thing as darkness to God?
King David said, “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” — Psalm 139:11-12
Is that why Jesus waited until the darkest hour of the night and then came walking on the water during the fourth watch (3:00-6:00 a.m.), while the storm and water were raging? Did He want to show Peter and the others that He was the God of the raging storm in the darkness? Peter was doing fine walking on the water—until he saw the wind (Matthew 14:30).
Perhaps that’s the lesson. To walk through our darkness, our raging storms, knowing that Jesus is already there, walking before us, protecting us from behind (Isaiah 52:12), and holding tightly to us with His Right Hand (Psalm 139:10).
The Right Hand of God is none other than Jesus Christ (Psalm 80:15). With this truth, we should not fear the darkness; Jesus is holding tightly to us. Our darkness may also be for others.
The LORD said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense (dark) cloud so that the people will hear me speaking with you and will always put their trust in you.”
— Exodus 19:9, emphasis mine
Since the literal definition of the word for darkness means to drip down heaven, God was saying, “I am going to drip down heaven to you so that the people see Me and know that I am with you, and they will trust you.”
There was thunder, lightening, and darkness on Mount Sinai when God called Moses to come up.
The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. — Exodus 19:20
The children of Israel were afraid of the thunder, lightening, and darkness. They did not want God to speak to them directly (Exodus 20:18-19), yet Moses braved the darkness to approach God. There on the mountain, in the darkness, Moses experienced fellowship and the blessing of God’s Presence. There God spoke to him face to face (Exodus 33:11).
Could the darkness that comes into our lives literally be God dripping heaven (Himself) down to us? Could the thunder, lightening, and darkness in our storms be God’s way of getting our attention, welcoming us to know Him more deeply? Perhaps even honoring us in the sight of others as He did Moses, Joshua, Joseph, David, Paul, and others?
If it is, He is waiting in the darkness, and He invites us to dwell with Him—in the darkness! Just as He was there to welcome Moses to the top of Mount Sinai and bid Peter to “Come” and walk to Him on the water, He sometimes bids us into the darkness to be with Him as well.
The darkness will never be too dark; the storm will never rage too severely. The Master mixes the cup of suffering (the darkness) specifically for us.
According to Philippians 1:29 God grants us the suffering (darkness) as a wonderful gift, wrapped especially for us. God considers suffering a very special and gratuitous gift (favor) to us.
But oftentimes, we shun the darkness and despise God’s gift of “favoring” a gift He gives to accomplish His perfect purpose in our lives.
Like Moses, Paul welcomed the darkness. He had learned the lesson well (Philippians 4:12), and he considered everything dung (rubbish) that in any way hindered him from knowing Christ more intimately (Philippians 3:1-14). He considered suffering the very thing that kept him close to Christ (II Corinthians 12:7-10; Philippians 3:10).
Which of us would not go if we received a personal invitation to meet with God at a specific place and time? If I received such an invitation, I would be giddy with anticipation. Being a normal female, my first thought would be, “what shall I wear?” Second, “what do I want to ask God?”
But in the process of preparing my heart to meet Jehovah El Roi, The God Who Sees (deep into my soul), what I wore or said would become inconsequential; I would want simply to bask in His Presence. Everything else would become trivial and unimportant. His Presence would be all that mattered. Yet when the invitation comes in the form of darkness, I must admit that my initial reaction is fear and dread.
It is easy to see God in what we consider to be good and wonderful things in life. Get a great job or promotion—praise God! The Lord blesses us with healing, a wonderful mate, a prime parking place, or some other wonderful gift—praise the Lord!
But darkness—a wonderful gift? Few of us welcome the darkness of pain by praising the Lord. But darkness is to be welcomed. Darkness is God’s invitation to come away with Him—just Him and me. No one else can dwell in my darkness or yours.
Friends and family can encourage us; they can listen; but they can’t experience our darkness. The cup of suffering is mixed for each of us individually, and God means it to be our alone time with Him—just the two of us enjoying intimate time together that excludes everyone else and everything else.
So, dear friend, are you so afraid of the darkness that you choose to live life less than abundantly? Are you satisfied with just enough of God to save you and give you all the good things of life, but not enough to throw off everything that hinders you from an incredible intimacy with the Lord?
If God gave you a choice, would you welcome the darkness where He is over the comfort of your own choices? That is the choice.
Remember—God is the God of the darkness!
The darkness is only dark on the outside. Within the darkness we discover, as Moses did, that God exists in a brightness that is only visible after we have entered His darkness (Psalm 104:2).
In His Presence we shed our fears, and delight in the awesome intimacy of dwelling with our Creator (Exodus 34:29-35).
“I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.” — Isaiah 45:3, 7
Further Study
Psalm 74
Psalm 88
Psalm 89
Psalm 104
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Created for God's Glory
“I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.” — Psalm 146:2
There is a small island in the Gulf of Mexico that calls me back from time to time to enjoy the splendor of God’s creation. There on this tiny strip of land, I find respite for my soul.
There’s something magical about rising early, just before daylight, and heading for the beach, barefoot, with the high anticipation of watching God paint one of His special sunrises.
It takes about an hour for Him to unveil the full picture. The sky is His canvas; and the paint is the lavish morning colors in another glorious sunrise. They are different every day. I’m not sure how He does that—seems a sunrise is a sunrise—but not on this island. There, God paints a different one every single day!
As I walk along the beach, I marvel at the skill of a small bird (called a Skimmer) that flies just above the rolling waves skimming the water for its daily food. I always catch my breath fearful a wave will take one of the small creatures under, but it never does. It’s as though they have sensors in their wings. You see, God created them to catch their food just before daylight, skimming along just above the water line, beak in the water, snatching tiny aquatic delights for their breakfast.
I can hardly wait for evening to enjoy dinner at a quaint little restaurant that floats on the water on the opposite side of the island. I order my food, find a table next to the water, and watch as a different specie of bird dives deep in the channel for its food. Again, I find myself holding my breath, watching in anticipation for it to surface.
Another kind of bird flies near the restaurant deck, hoping someone will toss it food. This group of beggars hangs out just beyond a boundary of fishing line stretched to keep them from annoying the paying customers while the birds vie for “people food.” We’ve all been annoyed by these birds from time to time.
Still another large bird stands in the shallow water across the channel waiting for its next meal to swim by. The herons stab fish with their pointy beaks, holding it until it stops wiggling; then they toss it in the air, catching it so that it enters their open mouth head first—they swallow it whole. Each fish takes several minutes to swallow. They will eat three fish each time they feed and no more (some of us need a dose of their self control).
Enjoying these sights, I ponder the different ways God has designed these birds to feed; the way the undulating ocean waves continue to roll in, and even the sand fleas that sometimes swarm and bite the back of my legs.
I am smitten by the fact that all of these things do what God has created them to do—without question. Day after day the birds feed in their own way, the sand fleas bite, and the waves just keep rolling in. There is no question and no choice.
The heron does not decide to dive in the channel for its food, nor does the skimmer decide to stand in shallow water and stab a fish or dive in the channel for shrimp. Each of them knows the way they are designed to live—and they do it.
The sun doesn’t make the decision to shine at night, nor does the moon decide to shine during the day or not shine at all. All of God’s creation does the thing for which they were created—with one exception.
God has given humans a choice—to do what we were created to do—or not!
The LORD has said, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7).
We humans have the awesome privilege of choosing to glorify our Creator when we do what we are created to do. It is a daily choice to live for Christ—or live for self. Do what the Bible tells me to do—or do what I want to do. Serve others—serve self.
But we belong to Elohim, the Almighty God. We have been purchased by the precious blood of His Son, and our life is to be lived in worship of Him.
The great Bible Teacher, Kay Arthur said, “His Name is Elohim, the Almighty God, our Creator. We have been created for His glory, for His pleasure. Our life is to be lived in such a way as to reflect Him. To show the world the character of God, His love, His peace, His mercy, His gentleness. We are to live for Him, to accomplish His will. To miss this is to miss fulfillment. It is to have existed rather than to have lived.”2
The question is—do you want to live?
“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Everyday I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” — Psalm 145:1, 2; 150:6
Further Study
Philippians 2
Philippians 4:1-9
Job 38-42
Isaiah 42:5-9
Isaiah 43:1-5
Isaiah 45:2-7
Daniel 2:20-23
There is a small island in the Gulf of Mexico that calls me back from time to time to enjoy the splendor of God’s creation. There on this tiny strip of land, I find respite for my soul.
There’s something magical about rising early, just before daylight, and heading for the beach, barefoot, with the high anticipation of watching God paint one of His special sunrises.
It takes about an hour for Him to unveil the full picture. The sky is His canvas; and the paint is the lavish morning colors in another glorious sunrise. They are different every day. I’m not sure how He does that—seems a sunrise is a sunrise—but not on this island. There, God paints a different one every single day!
As I walk along the beach, I marvel at the skill of a small bird (called a Skimmer) that flies just above the rolling waves skimming the water for its daily food. I always catch my breath fearful a wave will take one of the small creatures under, but it never does. It’s as though they have sensors in their wings. You see, God created them to catch their food just before daylight, skimming along just above the water line, beak in the water, snatching tiny aquatic delights for their breakfast.
I can hardly wait for evening to enjoy dinner at a quaint little restaurant that floats on the water on the opposite side of the island. I order my food, find a table next to the water, and watch as a different specie of bird dives deep in the channel for its food. Again, I find myself holding my breath, watching in anticipation for it to surface.
Another kind of bird flies near the restaurant deck, hoping someone will toss it food. This group of beggars hangs out just beyond a boundary of fishing line stretched to keep them from annoying the paying customers while the birds vie for “people food.” We’ve all been annoyed by these birds from time to time.
Still another large bird stands in the shallow water across the channel waiting for its next meal to swim by. The herons stab fish with their pointy beaks, holding it until it stops wiggling; then they toss it in the air, catching it so that it enters their open mouth head first—they swallow it whole. Each fish takes several minutes to swallow. They will eat three fish each time they feed and no more (some of us need a dose of their self control).
Enjoying these sights, I ponder the different ways God has designed these birds to feed; the way the undulating ocean waves continue to roll in, and even the sand fleas that sometimes swarm and bite the back of my legs.
I am smitten by the fact that all of these things do what God has created them to do—without question. Day after day the birds feed in their own way, the sand fleas bite, and the waves just keep rolling in. There is no question and no choice.
The heron does not decide to dive in the channel for its food, nor does the skimmer decide to stand in shallow water and stab a fish or dive in the channel for shrimp. Each of them knows the way they are designed to live—and they do it.
The sun doesn’t make the decision to shine at night, nor does the moon decide to shine during the day or not shine at all. All of God’s creation does the thing for which they were created—with one exception.
God has given humans a choice—to do what we were created to do—or not!
The LORD has said, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” (Isaiah 43:7).
We humans have the awesome privilege of choosing to glorify our Creator when we do what we are created to do. It is a daily choice to live for Christ—or live for self. Do what the Bible tells me to do—or do what I want to do. Serve others—serve self.
But we belong to Elohim, the Almighty God. We have been purchased by the precious blood of His Son, and our life is to be lived in worship of Him.
The great Bible Teacher, Kay Arthur said, “His Name is Elohim, the Almighty God, our Creator. We have been created for His glory, for His pleasure. Our life is to be lived in such a way as to reflect Him. To show the world the character of God, His love, His peace, His mercy, His gentleness. We are to live for Him, to accomplish His will. To miss this is to miss fulfillment. It is to have existed rather than to have lived.”2
The question is—do you want to live?
“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Everyday I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.” — Psalm 145:1, 2; 150:6
Further Study
Philippians 2
Philippians 4:1-9
Job 38-42
Isaiah 42:5-9
Isaiah 43:1-5
Isaiah 45:2-7
Daniel 2:20-23
Monday, August 10, 2009
God Prepares a Lavish Table
You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow! (Psalm 23:5 The Book).
I love entertaining. My husband, Glenn, and I used to have get-togethers, with upwards of thirty people in our yard and on our deck, sitting at tables under trees overlooking the river. It was wonderful. It was such fun preparing everything so that every guest would enjoy themselves.
Glenn would make sure the yard was lovely and the deck clean. He would also help me strategically organize the tables so that guests who wanted to have private conversations could do so. Other tables we arranged close enough together so that there was great fellowship among the guests.
It was fun making sure there were a variety of things to drink, salty snacks and sweet snacks. Sour dough French bread prepared in a variety of ways, and an assortment of cheeses and crackers were always delightful.
Dinner came later after everyone had plenty of time for catching up. We always prepared a varied assortment of foods to satisfy even the guest who might be a bit picky. . . .
Of course, we always made a couple of flavors of homemade ice cream. And just in case someone didn’t care for ice cream, we had a couple of other luscious desserts.
I must confess, I never gave one thought to whether a guest needed all of what I was preparing. My objective was always that there was an array of foods and that every guest had a wonderful time. When departure time came they left replete—lavished with good and sumptuous things.
Ah, those times were so enjoyable. . . . But you know, just as I enjoyed those times of entertaining, God enjoys entertaining us.
He provides delicious food for us and welcomes us as His guest! (Psalm 23:5)
Think about it . . . the Sovereign Ruler—Creator and Sustainer of all things, Elohim—entertains us lavishly. We are His special guest. And He welcomes us with open arms!
My mind cannot wrap itself around that. I wish I had a better grasp of the English language in order to expound on the wonder of it. . . .
The KJV of Psalm 23:5 is wonderful because it tells us that God not only provides this lavish feast—He prepares it—Himself!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The word anoint literally means to fatten, hence to satisfy abundantly.
Not only does the Lord prepare a lavish feast for us, He anoints our head with oil. Remember when the sinful woman anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee? (Luke 7:36-50). It was a lavish thing she did.
It was the custom to anoint the head of special guests. Everyday guests were not necessarily anointed, but they were greeted with a kiss and their feet were washed.
If you wanted to be lavish with a special guest, you would anoint them with oil. That’s what the sinful woman did. Her heart was so full of love for Jesus that she lavished Him with very expensive oil.
That’s the thought in Psalm 23:5. King David is saying that God prepares the finest table for us, a very lavish table.
How cool is that?
For God to send His Son to die for my sins is amazing indeed and far exceeds anything my simple mind can grasp. But for Him to personally prepare a table for me—to lavishly prepare a feast just for me—wow! That both humbles me and fills my spirit with an awe that simple words cannot express.
Keep in mind, this is not just the absence of need, or even want. No, God makes sure our cup overflows. This is not just a cup that is full, but a cup overflowing with His goodness so that it will hold nothing else. And He does it just for us. Each of us is His special guest.
This brings to mind Numbers 6:24-26:
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
and give you peace.”
King David sang, “You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” (Samuel 22:36-37)
And so I ask, dear friend, are you at peace?
Is your soul at rest?
Are you basking in God’s love and provision?
Are you enjoying the table God has lavishly prepared just for you?
Life is a one-time trip through this world that will soon be over. At best your life will last seventy, or perhaps eighty years. Wouldn’t it be great to view life as God does, a lavish dinner party, with Him as your Host? He is exactly that.
And face it, since He created all of this and heaven too, and He knitted you together just as He wants you, don’t you think that He knows exactly what you love and need to prepare you to live with Him in the place He is building just for you?
Are you willing to settle for a hot dog or leftovers when God has a lavish feast prepared especially for you? I want all that He has to offer, all that He has prepared specifically for me. He knows what I love and He provides lavishly for me.
I have seen some of His most remarkable creations. Spring flowers in the Ozarks. Beautiful colors as the fall chill prepares the trees for winter. Winter blizzards with snow-flakes, not one of which is identical. That in itself is amazing.
I’ve watched as God painted a lavish sunrise so beautiful it took my breath away. I walked along in awe of His majesty, and since often I’m the only one walking on the beach, the wonder of it is that He is painting it just for me.
I’ve seen ocean water so clear and beautiful that a friend remarked, “I thought water like this was just painted in brochures, I didn’t know it actually existed.”
I’ve seen fish so strange and beautiful they had to be uniquely designed by a God Who is lavish with His creation, and Whose imagination far surpasses what any mere human could think up.
I’ve gazed on the Grand Teton Mountains, and caught my breath as I peered over the railing at the Colorado River rushing through the Grand Canyon.
And I’ve been a bit claustrophobic, but enraptured, several stories beneath the ground exploring various caverns across America, that God carved out just for our enjoyment.
The wonder and majesty of Niagara Falls is unparalleled. Only God could design something so powerful and awesome.
Or how about the Great Gorge a few miles down stream, where all that water flowing from the falls has been channeled into a much narrower river? The river makes a sudden double bend and the sound made by the force of the water is deafening.
Only God could do that.
I could go on and talk about the Indian Paint Pots and the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, or the incredible wildlife in Denali National Park in Alaska.
What about the majestic White Cliffs of Dover in England, or the beautiful green countryside of Ireland?
Yes, the same God Who created all of the wonders of our world just for our enjoyment prepares a lavish table for us and anoints our head with oil. Wow!
Shouldn’t we trust in the God Who has designed and created these things? Since He created such magnificence just for our enjoyment, shouldn’t we trust in what He personally prepares for our life while we’re here on this earth?
Just imagine what He is designing for our eternal life? My mind goes blank and I’m at a loss for words—that alone is a wonder!
But I do know that while I’m here, I want to dine at the table of the life He has prepared because I know He lavishes His creation with what He knows we need.
One day we will get to behold this God Who is so wonderful our finite mind cannot fathom Him. We will get to thank Him for the life He prepared uniquely for us. And then we will see our cup as He sees it—overflowing with His wonderful things.
Let’s not miss it, my friend. We get one shot at this life of abundance God has prepared for us.
And if all of this were not enough, we have a standing invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb . . . and-it-will-be-incredible (Revelation 19:7-9).
Imagine dinner with all of the saints of the ages. . . . The fellowship will be thrilling.
What questions will we ask. . . ? But the One Who will dominate our focus will be Jesus. We will get to see Him face to face, kiss the nail-scarred hands, and bow on our knees and cry,
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. . . .”
I can hardly wait. The thought takes my breath away.
Are you enjoying the bounty God has prepared specifically for you?
God has prepared a lavish table—are you hungry?
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:4-5)
Recommended Reading
Psalm 23
Psalm 52:8-9
Psalm 89:1-26
Psalm 91:14-16
Psalm 92:10
Isaiah 43:1-4
Isaiah 58:8, 11, 14
Isaiah 61:10
I love entertaining. My husband, Glenn, and I used to have get-togethers, with upwards of thirty people in our yard and on our deck, sitting at tables under trees overlooking the river. It was wonderful. It was such fun preparing everything so that every guest would enjoy themselves.
Glenn would make sure the yard was lovely and the deck clean. He would also help me strategically organize the tables so that guests who wanted to have private conversations could do so. Other tables we arranged close enough together so that there was great fellowship among the guests.
It was fun making sure there were a variety of things to drink, salty snacks and sweet snacks. Sour dough French bread prepared in a variety of ways, and an assortment of cheeses and crackers were always delightful.
Dinner came later after everyone had plenty of time for catching up. We always prepared a varied assortment of foods to satisfy even the guest who might be a bit picky. . . .
Of course, we always made a couple of flavors of homemade ice cream. And just in case someone didn’t care for ice cream, we had a couple of other luscious desserts.
I must confess, I never gave one thought to whether a guest needed all of what I was preparing. My objective was always that there was an array of foods and that every guest had a wonderful time. When departure time came they left replete—lavished with good and sumptuous things.
Ah, those times were so enjoyable. . . . But you know, just as I enjoyed those times of entertaining, God enjoys entertaining us.
He provides delicious food for us and welcomes us as His guest! (Psalm 23:5)
Think about it . . . the Sovereign Ruler—Creator and Sustainer of all things, Elohim—entertains us lavishly. We are His special guest. And He welcomes us with open arms!
My mind cannot wrap itself around that. I wish I had a better grasp of the English language in order to expound on the wonder of it. . . .
The KJV of Psalm 23:5 is wonderful because it tells us that God not only provides this lavish feast—He prepares it—Himself!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
The word anoint literally means to fatten, hence to satisfy abundantly.
Not only does the Lord prepare a lavish feast for us, He anoints our head with oil. Remember when the sinful woman anointed Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee? (Luke 7:36-50). It was a lavish thing she did.
It was the custom to anoint the head of special guests. Everyday guests were not necessarily anointed, but they were greeted with a kiss and their feet were washed.
If you wanted to be lavish with a special guest, you would anoint them with oil. That’s what the sinful woman did. Her heart was so full of love for Jesus that she lavished Him with very expensive oil.
That’s the thought in Psalm 23:5. King David is saying that God prepares the finest table for us, a very lavish table.
How cool is that?
For God to send His Son to die for my sins is amazing indeed and far exceeds anything my simple mind can grasp. But for Him to personally prepare a table for me—to lavishly prepare a feast just for me—wow! That both humbles me and fills my spirit with an awe that simple words cannot express.
Keep in mind, this is not just the absence of need, or even want. No, God makes sure our cup overflows. This is not just a cup that is full, but a cup overflowing with His goodness so that it will hold nothing else. And He does it just for us. Each of us is His special guest.
This brings to mind Numbers 6:24-26:
“The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you
and give you peace.”
King David sang, “You give me your shield of victory; you stoop down to make me great. You broaden the path beneath me, so that my ankles do not turn.” (Samuel 22:36-37)
And so I ask, dear friend, are you at peace?
Is your soul at rest?
Are you basking in God’s love and provision?
Are you enjoying the table God has lavishly prepared just for you?
Life is a one-time trip through this world that will soon be over. At best your life will last seventy, or perhaps eighty years. Wouldn’t it be great to view life as God does, a lavish dinner party, with Him as your Host? He is exactly that.
And face it, since He created all of this and heaven too, and He knitted you together just as He wants you, don’t you think that He knows exactly what you love and need to prepare you to live with Him in the place He is building just for you?
Are you willing to settle for a hot dog or leftovers when God has a lavish feast prepared especially for you? I want all that He has to offer, all that He has prepared specifically for me. He knows what I love and He provides lavishly for me.
I have seen some of His most remarkable creations. Spring flowers in the Ozarks. Beautiful colors as the fall chill prepares the trees for winter. Winter blizzards with snow-flakes, not one of which is identical. That in itself is amazing.
I’ve watched as God painted a lavish sunrise so beautiful it took my breath away. I walked along in awe of His majesty, and since often I’m the only one walking on the beach, the wonder of it is that He is painting it just for me.
I’ve seen ocean water so clear and beautiful that a friend remarked, “I thought water like this was just painted in brochures, I didn’t know it actually existed.”
I’ve seen fish so strange and beautiful they had to be uniquely designed by a God Who is lavish with His creation, and Whose imagination far surpasses what any mere human could think up.
I’ve gazed on the Grand Teton Mountains, and caught my breath as I peered over the railing at the Colorado River rushing through the Grand Canyon.
And I’ve been a bit claustrophobic, but enraptured, several stories beneath the ground exploring various caverns across America, that God carved out just for our enjoyment.
The wonder and majesty of Niagara Falls is unparalleled. Only God could design something so powerful and awesome.
Or how about the Great Gorge a few miles down stream, where all that water flowing from the falls has been channeled into a much narrower river? The river makes a sudden double bend and the sound made by the force of the water is deafening.
Only God could do that.
I could go on and talk about the Indian Paint Pots and the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park, or the incredible wildlife in Denali National Park in Alaska.
What about the majestic White Cliffs of Dover in England, or the beautiful green countryside of Ireland?
Yes, the same God Who created all of the wonders of our world just for our enjoyment prepares a lavish table for us and anoints our head with oil. Wow!
Shouldn’t we trust in the God Who has designed and created these things? Since He created such magnificence just for our enjoyment, shouldn’t we trust in what He personally prepares for our life while we’re here on this earth?
Just imagine what He is designing for our eternal life? My mind goes blank and I’m at a loss for words—that alone is a wonder!
But I do know that while I’m here, I want to dine at the table of the life He has prepared because I know He lavishes His creation with what He knows we need.
One day we will get to behold this God Who is so wonderful our finite mind cannot fathom Him. We will get to thank Him for the life He prepared uniquely for us. And then we will see our cup as He sees it—overflowing with His wonderful things.
Let’s not miss it, my friend. We get one shot at this life of abundance God has prepared for us.
And if all of this were not enough, we have a standing invitation to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb . . . and-it-will-be-incredible (Revelation 19:7-9).
Imagine dinner with all of the saints of the ages. . . . The fellowship will be thrilling.
What questions will we ask. . . ? But the One Who will dominate our focus will be Jesus. We will get to see Him face to face, kiss the nail-scarred hands, and bow on our knees and cry,
“HOLY, HOLY, HOLY. . . .”
I can hardly wait. The thought takes my breath away.
Are you enjoying the bounty God has prepared specifically for you?
God has prepared a lavish table—are you hungry?
Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:4-5)
Recommended Reading
Psalm 23
Psalm 52:8-9
Psalm 89:1-26
Psalm 91:14-16
Psalm 92:10
Isaiah 43:1-4
Isaiah 58:8, 11, 14
Isaiah 61:10
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Friends
“O LORD, you have searched me and you know me” (Psalm 139:1).
I had lunch a few days ago with a dear friend. I could say “old friend,” but being female I’ll refrain from saying “old.”
I’ve known Pat for over forty years. Actually, I met her when I met my husband’s family. Her family had been long-term friends with his family. It has been a wonderful relationship through the years.
We don’t get together often, but when we do, we chatter for as many hours as we can glean from our schedule that day, knowing that it has to last until we meet again.
There is no want for words. No silences in the conversation. We pick up on phrases from each other and just continue talking.
It’s not that we necessarily always agree. In fact, it is common for us to disagree on various topics—and we cover a plethora of topics during our time together. But we disagree amicably, stating our view, with the other stating their view, and then moving on to another topic.
She is a dear friend that I value very highly. I think the length of time I’ve known her contributes greatly to that value. No cover-ups. No hiding anything. She knows me well.
I have another dear friend whom I’ve known for over thirty years. Lorna, too, is a highly valued friend. She is a completely different personality than Pat.
But the same wonderful conversations develop between us. Again, there is no want for words.
No lapses in conversation. No silences. We don’t always agree on every topic either, but there is a mutual love and respect between us that is of infinite worth.
Both of these women have brought something very special to my life. I am blessed, and I am better for having known them. Both of these women have known me long before I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.
They knew me when. . . .
Both of these women know me so well that either of them would be able to defend my character and my morals. Because they know how I think, they would be able to defend my thought process.
If they were to hear something about me that was untrue, they would be able to say, “Oh, no, I don’t believe that, Peggy would not do that.”
Likewise I would be able to defend either of these women. I know them well. I know how they think. I know their integrity. I know what they would and would not do in any given circumstance.
Now, I’m not naïve. I know there are things within each of our hearts that we can never know about another person. But I have known these women for a long time, and I’ve watched how they’ve weathered their many storms, and they have watched as I’ve weathered mine.
Watching each other persevere in very trying circumstances through the years has established a respect for the character of the other. Wonderful!
I am so fortunate to have these two women in my life.
I’ve read that if we have one true friend, a bosom friend, a kindred spirit, one who knows us and loves us “warts and all,” then we are truly blessed. Since I have two such friends, I am indeed abundantly blessed.
Did I mention they are “dear friends?”
And then I have my Best Friend. I haven’t known Him as long as I’ve known Lorna and Pat, but He has known me since before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4).
Actually I know Him better than I know Lorna and Pat. The reason I know Him better in a shorter period of time is because He has written all about Himself in His personal Love Letter to me. Not only has He told me all about Himself, but He tells me all about me, too, warts and all (Hebrews 4:12).
Again, there is no want for conversation between us. I don’t even have to call Him on the phone or meet Him for lunch. I just have to think, and He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely . . .” (Psalm 139: 4).
The amazing thing is that He can and does read my mind even before I know the thought is there, and He loves me anyway. Don’t be shocked. He loves you too, in spite of some of the things you think!
One of the wonderful things about good friends is they never intrude. They value each other’s space and privacy, so they don’t tire of one another.
Because Jesus is my very Best Friend, I spend a great deal more time with Him than I spend with anyone else. Of course, He spends every second of every day 24/7 with me and He never tires of me, nor do I tire of Him. He never gets bored with our conversation, nor do I.
I want to know everything about Him. So, I’ve set apart time each morning to spend with Him. I talk to Him throughout the day. I study a great deal. I discuss everything with Him. And I do nothing without first consulting Him.
The reason I value Him so highly and spend so much time with Him is because He loves me and values me highly (Ephesians 1:1-6). In fact, He loves me enough to die for me—and He did—for you too.
Think about it. Before we were ever born, God died for us.
He created a perfect world. We sinned. (I can say “we” because if Adam and Eve had not sinned, and the world would have been perfect down through the centuries, when I was born I would have been the one who sinned—and so would you.)
But God loved us so much that He left His beautiful heaven to come to earth and live as one of us and die for our sin. There was only one way for us to get to heaven, and that was for us to be perfect every minute of every day of every year of our lifetime here on this earth.
Since we can’t be perfect for even a few minutes, the likelihood of us getting to heaven was nil. So God did it for us. Heaven is frosting on our already delicious cake.
Knowing God is without equal.
As much as I value my friends, and they value me, earthly relationships pale in comparison with our relationship with Jesus, our Best Friend.
Of course, the wonder of my Best Friend is that He died for me so that He could have me with Him forever—the same reason He died for you.
But of nearly equal importance is how much He loves us, knows each of us, searches our inmost spirit, and then provides exactly what we need. How amazing is that?
Think about it.
The Best Friend we have knows us from the inside out. We can tell Him anything—because He knows it already.
For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13).
In this world there are many sorrows, hurts, pain, disillusionment, rejection, and the list goes on and on. But we have a Best Friend Who lives on the inside of us, Who constantly searches our spirit, and then communes with God what He sees there (Romans 8:27), and then takes appropriate measures to satisfy our deepest desires.
How cool is that?
There are times when I don’t know what I want. I try to think things through as best I can with my limited knowledge. But when it’s all said and done, I rely on my Best Friend to search me, cleanse me, purify me and make me whole.
He knows all things, controls all things, and His love is infinitely greater than we can fathom, we can depend upon Him to work out our lives for our good and His glory.
After all, that is why we were created (Isaiah 43:7).
My Best Friend knows me better than anyone else, even my long-term friends. He knows my character, my morals, and He knows how my mind works.
He defends me against the enemy, and He is always interceding for me (Hebrews 7:25). He is my Refuge, my Shield and my Rampart (Psalm 91).
He never listens to gossip. He always knows truth. He doesn’t always agree with me, but when He shares His view, I always agree with Him. What a wonderful Best Friend. I rest in His Presence.
What about you? Do you know my Best Friend? How much time do you spend with Him? Is the time you spend with Him commensurate with someone you would claim to be your best friend?
Do you read His Love Letter to you? It is filled with wonderful truths about Him that cannot be gleaned any other way. Do you remain in constant prayer all day—every day with your Best Friend?
Are you resting in Him?
Remember, life isn’t about what is going on around you that is tangible and temporal. Life is simply the means by which we establish our destiny with our Best Friend.
Just a thought, but if you don’t want to spend time with Him here on earth—are you really sure you want to go to heaven?
Heaven will be all about Him.
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).
Loving His Presence now is evidence that we have made our reservation with Him—forever.
Are you anticipating eternity with Him?
Don’t let anyone or anything cause you to lose your eternal focus. And don’t let anyone or anything intrude upon the most valuable relationship of life.
Jesus, your Best Friend. Your closest Friend. He is your Advocate, your Defender, your Protector, your Shield, and He is your Refuge.
He is the very best part of life—don’t miss Him. Don’t settle for the mundane and mediocre of this life. Don’t settle for a bologna sandwich when you can have Fillet Mignon.
So, do you know my best friend?
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (John 15:14-16).
Recommended Reading
Hebrews 3:1-6
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 8:1-6
Hebrews 9:11-15
Hebrews 10:19-39
Hebrews 12:1-11
Hebrews13:15-16
I had lunch a few days ago with a dear friend. I could say “old friend,” but being female I’ll refrain from saying “old.”
I’ve known Pat for over forty years. Actually, I met her when I met my husband’s family. Her family had been long-term friends with his family. It has been a wonderful relationship through the years.
We don’t get together often, but when we do, we chatter for as many hours as we can glean from our schedule that day, knowing that it has to last until we meet again.
There is no want for words. No silences in the conversation. We pick up on phrases from each other and just continue talking.
It’s not that we necessarily always agree. In fact, it is common for us to disagree on various topics—and we cover a plethora of topics during our time together. But we disagree amicably, stating our view, with the other stating their view, and then moving on to another topic.
She is a dear friend that I value very highly. I think the length of time I’ve known her contributes greatly to that value. No cover-ups. No hiding anything. She knows me well.
I have another dear friend whom I’ve known for over thirty years. Lorna, too, is a highly valued friend. She is a completely different personality than Pat.
But the same wonderful conversations develop between us. Again, there is no want for words.
No lapses in conversation. No silences. We don’t always agree on every topic either, but there is a mutual love and respect between us that is of infinite worth.
Both of these women have brought something very special to my life. I am blessed, and I am better for having known them. Both of these women have known me long before I accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.
They knew me when. . . .
Both of these women know me so well that either of them would be able to defend my character and my morals. Because they know how I think, they would be able to defend my thought process.
If they were to hear something about me that was untrue, they would be able to say, “Oh, no, I don’t believe that, Peggy would not do that.”
Likewise I would be able to defend either of these women. I know them well. I know how they think. I know their integrity. I know what they would and would not do in any given circumstance.
Now, I’m not naïve. I know there are things within each of our hearts that we can never know about another person. But I have known these women for a long time, and I’ve watched how they’ve weathered their many storms, and they have watched as I’ve weathered mine.
Watching each other persevere in very trying circumstances through the years has established a respect for the character of the other. Wonderful!
I am so fortunate to have these two women in my life.
I’ve read that if we have one true friend, a bosom friend, a kindred spirit, one who knows us and loves us “warts and all,” then we are truly blessed. Since I have two such friends, I am indeed abundantly blessed.
Did I mention they are “dear friends?”
And then I have my Best Friend. I haven’t known Him as long as I’ve known Lorna and Pat, but He has known me since before the creation of the world. (Ephesians 1:4).
Actually I know Him better than I know Lorna and Pat. The reason I know Him better in a shorter period of time is because He has written all about Himself in His personal Love Letter to me. Not only has He told me all about Himself, but He tells me all about me, too, warts and all (Hebrews 4:12).
Again, there is no want for conversation between us. I don’t even have to call Him on the phone or meet Him for lunch. I just have to think, and He knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely . . .” (Psalm 139: 4).
The amazing thing is that He can and does read my mind even before I know the thought is there, and He loves me anyway. Don’t be shocked. He loves you too, in spite of some of the things you think!
One of the wonderful things about good friends is they never intrude. They value each other’s space and privacy, so they don’t tire of one another.
Because Jesus is my very Best Friend, I spend a great deal more time with Him than I spend with anyone else. Of course, He spends every second of every day 24/7 with me and He never tires of me, nor do I tire of Him. He never gets bored with our conversation, nor do I.
I want to know everything about Him. So, I’ve set apart time each morning to spend with Him. I talk to Him throughout the day. I study a great deal. I discuss everything with Him. And I do nothing without first consulting Him.
The reason I value Him so highly and spend so much time with Him is because He loves me and values me highly (Ephesians 1:1-6). In fact, He loves me enough to die for me—and He did—for you too.
Think about it. Before we were ever born, God died for us.
He created a perfect world. We sinned. (I can say “we” because if Adam and Eve had not sinned, and the world would have been perfect down through the centuries, when I was born I would have been the one who sinned—and so would you.)
But God loved us so much that He left His beautiful heaven to come to earth and live as one of us and die for our sin. There was only one way for us to get to heaven, and that was for us to be perfect every minute of every day of every year of our lifetime here on this earth.
Since we can’t be perfect for even a few minutes, the likelihood of us getting to heaven was nil. So God did it for us. Heaven is frosting on our already delicious cake.
Knowing God is without equal.
As much as I value my friends, and they value me, earthly relationships pale in comparison with our relationship with Jesus, our Best Friend.
Of course, the wonder of my Best Friend is that He died for me so that He could have me with Him forever—the same reason He died for you.
But of nearly equal importance is how much He loves us, knows each of us, searches our inmost spirit, and then provides exactly what we need. How amazing is that?
Think about it.
The Best Friend we have knows us from the inside out. We can tell Him anything—because He knows it already.
For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (Hebrews 4:12-13).
In this world there are many sorrows, hurts, pain, disillusionment, rejection, and the list goes on and on. But we have a Best Friend Who lives on the inside of us, Who constantly searches our spirit, and then communes with God what He sees there (Romans 8:27), and then takes appropriate measures to satisfy our deepest desires.
How cool is that?
There are times when I don’t know what I want. I try to think things through as best I can with my limited knowledge. But when it’s all said and done, I rely on my Best Friend to search me, cleanse me, purify me and make me whole.
He knows all things, controls all things, and His love is infinitely greater than we can fathom, we can depend upon Him to work out our lives for our good and His glory.
After all, that is why we were created (Isaiah 43:7).
My Best Friend knows me better than anyone else, even my long-term friends. He knows my character, my morals, and He knows how my mind works.
He defends me against the enemy, and He is always interceding for me (Hebrews 7:25). He is my Refuge, my Shield and my Rampart (Psalm 91).
He never listens to gossip. He always knows truth. He doesn’t always agree with me, but when He shares His view, I always agree with Him. What a wonderful Best Friend. I rest in His Presence.
What about you? Do you know my Best Friend? How much time do you spend with Him? Is the time you spend with Him commensurate with someone you would claim to be your best friend?
Do you read His Love Letter to you? It is filled with wonderful truths about Him that cannot be gleaned any other way. Do you remain in constant prayer all day—every day with your Best Friend?
Are you resting in Him?
Remember, life isn’t about what is going on around you that is tangible and temporal. Life is simply the means by which we establish our destiny with our Best Friend.
Just a thought, but if you don’t want to spend time with Him here on earth—are you really sure you want to go to heaven?
Heaven will be all about Him.
“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being” (Revelation 4:11).
Loving His Presence now is evidence that we have made our reservation with Him—forever.
Are you anticipating eternity with Him?
Don’t let anyone or anything cause you to lose your eternal focus. And don’t let anyone or anything intrude upon the most valuable relationship of life.
Jesus, your Best Friend. Your closest Friend. He is your Advocate, your Defender, your Protector, your Shield, and He is your Refuge.
He is the very best part of life—don’t miss Him. Don’t settle for the mundane and mediocre of this life. Don’t settle for a bologna sandwich when you can have Fillet Mignon.
So, do you know my best friend?
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name (John 15:14-16).
Recommended Reading
Hebrews 3:1-6
Hebrews 4:14-16
Hebrews 8:1-6
Hebrews 9:11-15
Hebrews 10:19-39
Hebrews 12:1-11
Hebrews13:15-16
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
