"Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested."
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
fresh manna, sweet manna
we're tired, we're hungry
we oughta have died in Egypt
at least we would have died surrounded by food
yes, we were slaves there, but we had some food there
now, we're tired; we're hungry
Moses, where's dinner?
How are you going to feed us?
sure, we're free now, but you've led us to the desert!
you've led us to our deaths!
now, we're going to starve here.
Exodus 16:11 "The LORD said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’"
God heard that grumbling
the ungrateful hearts
the forgetful hearts
He rescued them from some hard slavery...
intense slavery
cruel slavery
generational slavery
400 hundred years of slavery
rescued them after they cried out for a Rescuer
He set them free
He parted the Red Sea like a comb to hair
separated right down the center to the scalp of the earth
the people walked right through
they didn't get wet
now here they are...forgetful
God has been forgotten
His power? all those plagues in Egypt? His protection?
their exodus by His hand? all forgotten
Now, God promises food, His food, His way, His time
He makes good on His promise - manna comes, fresh every morning
it satisfies, gives them just what they need
and each day, God sends His very own version of manna to our home,
our hearts, our lives
He provides the food we need
the clothes
the warmth
the everything
it's fresh every morning
His Word is fresh
the Bible is living and active ... fresh, new, just what we need
let's eat there daily, that fresh Bread, that satisfying manna
good for the body, good for the soul
and, let's not forget it. let's remember. let's be thankful.
we oughta have died in Egypt
at least we would have died surrounded by food
yes, we were slaves there, but we had some food there
now, we're tired; we're hungry
Moses, where's dinner?
How are you going to feed us?
sure, we're free now, but you've led us to the desert!
you've led us to our deaths!
now, we're going to starve here.
Exodus 16:11 "The LORD said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’"
God heard that grumbling
the ungrateful hearts
the forgetful hearts
He rescued them from some hard slavery...
intense slavery
cruel slavery
generational slavery
400 hundred years of slavery
rescued them after they cried out for a Rescuer
He set them free
He parted the Red Sea like a comb to hair
separated right down the center to the scalp of the earth
the people walked right through
they didn't get wet
now here they are...forgetful
God has been forgotten
His power? all those plagues in Egypt? His protection?
their exodus by His hand? all forgotten
Now, God promises food, His food, His way, His time
He makes good on His promise - manna comes, fresh every morning
it satisfies, gives them just what they need
and each day, God sends His very own version of manna to our home,
our hearts, our lives
He provides the food we need
the clothes
the warmth
the everything
it's fresh every morning
His Word is fresh
the Bible is living and active ... fresh, new, just what we need
let's eat there daily, that fresh Bread, that satisfying manna
good for the body, good for the soul
and, let's not forget it. let's remember. let's be thankful.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
natural warmth
There is a fire brightly burning behind a charcoal-colored metal screen.
Our fireplace houses many fires during the winter months.
It warms our home, our hands, our faces, our hearts.
I wonder the draw of a natural fire.
Is there something other than a need to be warmed that causes people to congregate near this bright warmth?
We sit near it, read beside it, work with it before our eyes, play board games while it crackles behind us.
There are people I know who draw me to themselves like a fire draws me...
these people have natural warmth, the kind that melts the cold of my heart, the kind that beckons tears from my eyes, the kind that brings comfort like rays of morning sun.
What these people possess is Christ-likeness.
They are simply emanating His warmth, His Spirit, His Life, His Love.
That is what draws me.
It is simple.
It is warm.
It is lovely.
It is Christ.
Our fireplace houses many fires during the winter months.
It warms our home, our hands, our faces, our hearts.
I wonder the draw of a natural fire.
Is there something other than a need to be warmed that causes people to congregate near this bright warmth?
We sit near it, read beside it, work with it before our eyes, play board games while it crackles behind us.
There are people I know who draw me to themselves like a fire draws me...
these people have natural warmth, the kind that melts the cold of my heart, the kind that beckons tears from my eyes, the kind that brings comfort like rays of morning sun.
What these people possess is Christ-likeness.
They are simply emanating His warmth, His Spirit, His Life, His Love.
That is what draws me.
It is simple.
It is warm.
It is lovely.
It is Christ.
Monday, February 6, 2012
...in quietness and full submission...
I was thinking yesterday that there are probably a lot of good reasons God encourages women to learn to be quiet and to learn in quietness...
(1 Timothy 2:11)
He reminds women of the great and lasting value of the beauty coming from a gentle and quiet spirit...
(1 Peter 3:4)
The context surrounding these gems of truth are rich with direction and instruction, and they have so much to teach me.
And so, one of the reasons for God encouraging women to be quiet occurred to me yesterday while my hands were deep in kitchen sink bubbles and warm water. Women are pretty good communicators and desire to be understood and heard, which are good things. I think what I tend to overdo is talk. Time that could be used to learn from others by listening or to draw others out by asking questions, is sometimes spent instead with aimless chatter, numerous details, or gossip.
My desire is to take to heart God's instruction to learn in quietness and full submission, to be an intentional listener, to realize what God intends when He says to put others ahead of myself, and to apply His Word to my life. I want to make a difference with love. I want to use words wisely, not carelessly or with barrels full of regret.
Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
(1 Timothy 2:11)
He reminds women of the great and lasting value of the beauty coming from a gentle and quiet spirit...
(1 Peter 3:4)
The context surrounding these gems of truth are rich with direction and instruction, and they have so much to teach me.
And so, one of the reasons for God encouraging women to be quiet occurred to me yesterday while my hands were deep in kitchen sink bubbles and warm water. Women are pretty good communicators and desire to be understood and heard, which are good things. I think what I tend to overdo is talk. Time that could be used to learn from others by listening or to draw others out by asking questions, is sometimes spent instead with aimless chatter, numerous details, or gossip.
My desire is to take to heart God's instruction to learn in quietness and full submission, to be an intentional listener, to realize what God intends when He says to put others ahead of myself, and to apply His Word to my life. I want to make a difference with love. I want to use words wisely, not carelessly or with barrels full of regret.
Do not be quick with your mouth,
do not be hasty in your heart
to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
and you are on earth,
so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:1-2
Saturday, January 28, 2012
communicator
"God is not silent. It is the nature of God to speak . The second person of the Holy Trinity is called "The Word."
Sunday, December 18, 2011
simple worship
i love that they came prepared to worship...
they came with gifts for a king, for the King.
They came with hearts ready to yield to this child,
to this boy King.
They came with knees ready to touch the dirt beneath,
kneeling with heads bowed, honoring Royalty.
They came because the night sky looked different than the night before.
There was a new star in that sky that had never showed itself.
They were beckoned, summoned, to follow that star.
That star would lead them to the King of the Jews, to a King
wordlessly demanding their worship, their gifts, their travel to Himself.
What a night.
What a trip those Magi made from the far East.
What a star.
What a story.
What lovely Truth.
What a beginning to His purpose to grow to die for those He made.
What a Savior.
What a King.
This is Christmas.
Let's worship.
they came with gifts for a king, for the King.
They came with hearts ready to yield to this child,
to this boy King.
They came with knees ready to touch the dirt beneath,
kneeling with heads bowed, honoring Royalty.
They came because the night sky looked different than the night before.
There was a new star in that sky that had never showed itself.
They were beckoned, summoned, to follow that star.
That star would lead them to the King of the Jews, to a King
wordlessly demanding their worship, their gifts, their travel to Himself.
What a night.
What a trip those Magi made from the far East.
What a star.
What a story.
What lovely Truth.
What a beginning to His purpose to grow to die for those He made.
What a Savior.
What a King.
This is Christmas.
Let's worship.
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