Category: Bible

Fear and Wisdom

Psalm 111 is a powerful reminder that the study of God’s Word is a delight. It not only brings me closer to God, but also fosters an attitude of gratitude and praise. New lessons are learned and old ones are affirmed. I can study alone, but, like eating, studying is much better when done with others.

Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
    as I meet with his godly people.
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
    All who delight in him should ponder them.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
    His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
    How gracious and merciful is our Lord!
He gives food to those who fear him;
    he always remembers his covenant.
He has shown his great power to his people
    by giving them the lands of other nations.
All he does is just and good,
    and all his commandments are trustworthy.
They are forever true,
    to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity.
He has paid a full ransom for his people.
    He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
    What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
    All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom.

Praise him forever! (NLT)

Paul Gerhardt’s hymn ” I Come With Thanks Most Grateful” is a beautiful paraphrase of Psalm 111. I love the English translation of last verse:

Fear of the Lord produces 

The first and only base for

Wisdom that educes

God’s praise, God’s shining face.

How quick and bright the soul

Who knows this way inspiring

And travels it untiring,

God’s praise its end and goal.

I haven’t spent time studying Psalm 111, but I found myself wanting to reach deeply into it yesterday. The connection between fear and wisdom intrigues me. I had an unhealthy fear of God for most of my life and even thought of Him as someone who would strike me down if I disobeyed Him. I realize how ridiculous that is now, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who had the wrong kind of fear instilled in them at an early age.

Fear of the Lord is awe, respect, reverence, and wonder. That’s the opposite of the paralyzing terror I once associated with God. Awe makes me want to know more, to dig deeper, and to grow in wisdom. Terror makes me want to run for cover. Wonder is the beginning of wisdom. Terror is the beginning of ignorance. As a teacher, I appreciate this psalm. Instilling a desire to learn is the goal of all good teachers. Threatening students and instilling fear is what the worst do.

Psalm 111 begins and ends praising God. The same should be true of my study of His Word. The more I read and study the Bible, the more clearly I understand what Gerhardt is saying in his beautiful hymn. He’s right! God’s praise is the end and the goal of wisdom.

Paul Gerhardt
Paul Gerhardt

Attracted to the Light

Isaiah 60:1-6 foretells the future glory coming to Jerusalem. A light will attract kings and cause caravans of camels to converge on the city.

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see.
    For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you.
Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth,
    but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you.
All nations will come to your light;
    mighty kings will come to see your radiance.

“Look and see, for everyone is coming home!
    Your sons are coming from distant lands;
    your little daughters will be carried home.
Your eyes will shine,
    and your heart will thrill with joy,
for merchants from around the world will come to you.
    They will bring you the wealth of many lands.
Vast caravans of camels will converge on you,
    the camels of Midian and Ephah.
The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense
    and will come worshiping the Lord.” (NLT)

I love the image of coming home in verse four. A bright and beautiful scene unfolds as Isaiah tells of the radiance of the Messiah. Camels and caravans came to see the Christ child, and His light continues to bring God’s children home.

Light is essential for life. It was the first thing God placed in His world. Christ’s precious love leads me home when  I relax and follow His lead. When I think of His love, my heart thrills with joy. In a world determined to distract, the constant and true light of Christ’s love is a beautiful beacon designed to unite. Christ came so we could be one with Him and each other as He is one with His Father.

Christ’s body is broken into sharp fragments, but I suppose it’s human nature to want to control light, even His. It’s comforting to know that God keeps His Light shining brightly to help me find my way home.

This sunrise on Topsail Island reminds me of Christ’s Light. I see a cross in that sunrise, and I think Isaiah might see it too.

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Heir Apparent

Galatians 4:4-7 says I am not only God’s child, I am His heir.

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.” (NLT)

Each one  of God’s children is His heir apparent. An heir apparent is “an heir whose claim cannot be set aside by the birth of another heir.” My inheritance is not in any danger when another child comes along. In fact, it is increased. The more, the merrier in God’s family.

Addressing God as my Father is powerful enough, but calling Him “Abba, Father” is amazing. It’s a term very similar to “daddy.” Not all fathers are daddies, and not all daddies are fathers. The term father indicates a biological connection, but daddy is all about love. God wants me to see Him as both, and that is beyond my understanding.

Last night, my son and his family were upstairs playing with one of the games the girls got for Christmas. There is no sweeter sound than the giggles and squeals of delight I hear when they are playing together in harmony. I know God feels the same way about His children. Living with my son’s family over the past two years has been a beautiful blessing. We have grown closer and learned to live and love together in one home. I’ll miss hearing those happy sounds when I move into my apartment in town in a few months, so I plan to enjoy every squeal until then.

God’s heirs inherit much more than money. He knows the greatest legacy we leave our children is love. I love my son dearly, and he knows I always will. He and Gina love love girls dearly, and it’s obvious they know they are loved. God’s love manifests itself in Christ’s precious love, and that love is passed on to His heirs through His Holy Spirit. As we accept His love, we enter into a family that stretches to every corner of this world. His love means I am no longer a slave. It means He is my Abba, Father. My daddy!

Psalm 29 reminds me that God’s power brings peace, Galatians 4 reminds me that Abba, Father’s love frees my heart from slavery. I needed both the lessons this week because I caught myself slipping into fear and forgetting Who’s my Daddy. As always, God’s Word brought me back to the sweet peaceful freedom of His presence.

Photo Credit: thedailyverses.blogspot.com
Photo Credit: thedailyverses.blogspot.com

 

Glory Be!!

Psalm 29 reminds me of God’s power and glory.

Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings; honor the LORD for his glory and strength.

Honor the LORD for the glory of his name. 

Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

The voice of the LORD echoes above the sea.

The God of glory thunders.

The LORD thunders over the mighty sea.

The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.

The voice of the LORD splits the mighty cedars; the LORD shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

He makes Lebanon’s mountains skip like a calf; he makes Mount Hermon leap like a young wild ox.

The voice of the LORD strikes with bolts of lightning. 

The voice of the LORD makes the barren wilderness quake; the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of the LORD twists mighty oaks and strips the forests bare.

In his Temple everyone shouts, “Glory!”

The LORD rules over the floodwaters.

The LORD reigns as king forever.

The LORD gives his people strength.

The LORD blesses them with peace. (NLT)

God’s power isn’t meant to frighten me; it’s meant to bring me peace. With a Father as powerful as God, should I be quaking or shaking? Of course not! He rules and reigns over all things, and His power is incredible. He gives His children strength and blesses us with peace. Peace is the absence of fear, and David’s psalm reminds me that I need not fear anything or anyone.  That makes me want to shout “Glory Be!”

God doesn’t seek glory; He is glory. He doesn’t use His strength to make me obey; He uses it to give me peace. His peace isn’t having everything the way I want it. It is the knowledge that God, my Father, is greater than anything in my path or in my head. When I embrace that, I relax into obedience and find the joy God has in mind for this journey.

Photo credit: .ztopics.com
Photo credit: .ztopics.com

 

 

Proud Daddy

It is the deep desire of every heart to be dearly loved. Mark 1:10-11 gives me a glimpse of God’s love for His Son. Jesus knew He was dearly loved, and His message for me is so am I.

As Jesus came up out of the water, he saw the heavens splitting apart and the Holy Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” (NLT)

As a child, I longed to hear those words. Christ provides a way for all of us to hear them. We must, however, be willing to come to a place of repentance and plunge deeply into His precious love. Baptism is a symbol of obedience, and obedience is the sign of true repentance.

Repentance isn’t about punishment. It is about the change that comes when I truly believe I am a dearly loved child of God. I love the way Mark gets that message across in his gospel. Eugene Peterson describes Mark in The Invitation.

“An event has taken place that radically changes the way we look at and experience the world, and he can’t wait to tell us about it. There’s an air of breathless excitement in nearly every sentence he writes. The sooner we get the message, the better off we’ll be, for the message is good, incredibly good; God is here, he’s on our side. Mark says he even calls us ‘family.'” (p. 162)

Each time I read or pray the Lord’s Prayer, I marvel at its opening words. “Our Father” is the way Jesus told us to address God, The Creator. I like pause and let those words sink into my heart. God is my Father, and He dearly loves me. My obedience brings Him joy, and that brings me joy.

I so wanted to be dearly loved by my father. I secretly wished for daddy to be proud of me, but I knew he wasn’t. He constantly belittled me and even called me  “stupid.” He seemed anything but loving or proud, but I came to see him through the lens of Christ’s precious love before he died. I’m so thankful I was able to tell my daddy that I loved him and knew that he loved me.

God loves to hear how much I love Him, but He prefers hearing that I know He loves me. When Jesus came up out of the Jordan River after being baptized by John the Baptist, God was a proud daddy who could not contain His joy. He had to let Jesus and all present know how much He loved Him and how very proud He was of Him.

Baptism marked the beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ. God knew where it would lead and so did Christ. God dearly loved His only Son for His willingness to obey unto death, enabling all His children to know they were dearly loved.

I only have one son, but I know he knows he’s dearly loved. There is nothing that delights me more than knowing he loves me. I fixed a plate for his lunch yesterday, and he sent a text thanking me when he sat down to eat it. It’s the kind of thing he always does, and that makes me a very proud mama.

Seeing him love and delight in his daughters is the most beautiful blessing of all. His girls know they are dearly loved, and that legacy of love is all that matters in this world and the next. I thank God for my loving son, and I thank Him for His loving Son whose precious love changes everything.

Tyler & Me at 33

Marked by Light

The first five verses of the Bible set the stage for the creation of the world as we know it. God knew light was essential for life, so speaking light into His world came first.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. Then he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day’ and the darkness ‘night.’

And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Genesis 1:1-5 (NASB)

Days are marked by light. God saw the light and said it was good. Jesus was present at creation and is described as The Light. When the first light appeared in the sky, I believe it was a reflection of His Love and Light to come.

Being in the light of day or in the Light of Christ is wonderful, but not always easy. When light is shed upon my heart, I can no longer hide or run away. Christ’s light isn’t a spotlight or an interrogation instrument. It’s a sunrise that marks the beginning of a new journey. God doesn’t expect me to be perfect or perform for Him. He simply wants to shed His Son’s precious love into my heart so I can find my way to Him. He wants me to be marked by the Light.

It’s appropriate that God, the Creator, would begin His Word with light because His plan of salvation begins with Light. I can close my windows and lower the blinds if the light is too much for me during the day, and I can close my mind and hide my heart if His love is too much for me. Both keep me from the life He desires for me.

No one can shed light the way God sheds light, and I can’t read these verses without imagining His smile as He saw the sun rise on the first day of creation. It was the same smile He had on His face as His only Son was baptized. He said the light was good on that first day of creation, and He said he was well-pleased with His Son on the first day of His ministry. A new day was dawning in His world, and He knew it would never be the same.

Sunrise on Topsail Island

Living Word

The WordWe give words life when we utter, whisper, or shout them out. Some say there is no such thing as an original thought, and I understand what they mean. Words and thoughts may be the same, but each of us has our own unique way of expressing words and thoughts. God’s Word is an expression of His love, which comes alive as nothing else can when read with an open heart. John explains beautifully at the beginning of his gospel.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (NASB John 1:1-5)

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. (NASB John 1:14)

God’s Word literally became human, and it comes alive each time I turn to it. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I can hear and experience God’s love. Just as David wondered how God could think about a mere mortal like me, I wonder even more how He could speak to me. Without the Holy Spirit, God’s Word turns into a battleground or a fairy tale. With His help, it becomes a wellspring of living water that connects me to the Source of all love.

There are folks who say the Bible is not a very loving book. That’s true if I pick passages out of context and use them to promote my agenda or prove my point. When I see the Word and Christ as one in the same, I approach it with respect and familiarity. Christ fulfilled the scriptures and gave access to God’s unfailing love. When I absorb that truth, the Word of God becomes more than a battering ram. It becomes part of me as I read it and let it sink deeply into my being.

Christ was the Word before the world came into existence, and He will be the Word long after this world is gone. He was, is, and always will be the Light that dispels darkness. I choose whether to embrace His Light or turn it off. If I open His Word with an open heart, His Holy Spirit will help me find the love that has been, is, and will always be waiting for me.

Night Thoughts

Night Sky

Psalm 8 praises the majesty and mystery of God. David is looking up at the night sky and asks how the Creator of such a display could possibly think about him. I wonder the same thing each day.

“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-

the moon and the stars you set in place-

what are mere mortals that you should think about them?”

Psalm 8:3-4(NASB)

Christ answered David’s question when He became one of us and connected us to the Creator It wasn’t just any connection; it was a oneness, family brought together by the single most beautiful expression of love the world has every known.

David was well acquainted with love and known as a man after God’s own heart. If David had been alive when Christ came to earth, I believe he would have been the first in line to hear His message of God’s unfathomable love. David had faults, so do we all, but his psalms reflect an intimacy with God that astounds me. He cried, praised, supplicated, adored, and even argued with God.

Sometimes, King David forgot he was a mere mortal and took on the role of God. We all do the same at some point during in our lives. In Psalm 8, however, he humbled himself in the presence of God’s majesty as he looked upon His handiwork. I love sunsets and sunrises, but a clear night sky takes my breath away. I feel so very tiny under the vastness of a clear moonlit night. I wonder how God could ever notice someone as small as I am. Then, I remember a baby in Bethlehem and my heart relaxes into His love. I know Jesus loves me, and that means His Father and the Holy Sprit also love me because they are One.

Light came into my bedroom far too early this morning, so I got up to find the source; I assumed an outside light must have been left on. I smiled when I opened my curtains and found a spectacular moon setting in the western sky. The clouds were nestled in the valleys as the moon gave her final performance before disappearing into the day. I sat on the floor soaking in the majesty of my Maker and understanding why David was so enthralled with Him.

When I look at God’s handiwork, I am made vividly aware of His majesty. When I look at Christ, I am made vividly aware of His love. Like David, I can’t imagine how the Creator could even think of a mere mortal like me. God reminds me when I get those night thoughts or early morning thoughts that Jesus loves me and so does He ❤

This isn’t my view this morning, but it’s very close to the scene that woke me this morning. My mountains were covered in a fluffy white blanket of clouds. 

Moonset

Photo Credit: Consworld

At Home With Family

Ephesians makes me feel at home with God. I am His own child and joint heir to an inheritance I cannot begin to imagine. I hear powerful words of encouragement in 3:17-21.

“Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

Now all glory to God, who is able through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen” (NASB)

Knowing Christ feels at home in my heart changes the way I love and live. If Christ were coming for a visit, I would be in a dither trying to get everything ready for Him. If I see Him as family at home in my heart, I can relax and enjoy the oneness and comfort family affords. With family, I can be myself. It changes the way I see God and myself when I come to the understanding that He is family.

When my roots reach deeply into God’s love, I find a strength and acceptance I cannot describe. I find peace and love and grace opening my heart to embrace that love. I can’t reach the end of His love because there is no end in any direction I go. I know I will not fully understand Christ’s love until I am with Him in heaven, but I will have a deeper fullness of life if I stretch my faith and allow my heart to explore the vastness of His precious love. Nothing strengthens the heart as effectively as a loving family, and Christ makes that possible for everyone who yearns to be loved and embraced as they are.

God accomplishes infinitely more than I can ask, think, or imagine if I allow Him to make His home in my heart. Love gets wider, longer, and deeper in my own heart as Christ tears down the walls and adds on to my heart in a powerful way. He gives me room to relax and remember who I am. I am God’s daughter, and He delights in me! When I think of Christ being at home in my heart, it makes me smile and treat Him like a big Brother. I believe He likes that better than being treated like a visitor or a marble statue.

Nothing is sweeter than the cozy feeling of being at home with my family. My son and his family have been gone for a few days, and I’ve missed my little granddaughters so very much. The house is clean; the laundry is finished, and the refrigerator is full. I even rearranged the girls playroom. As I look around at the quiet, clean house, I long for the joyful noise of play and the mess that goes along with living with those I love. Jesus and I have had a lot of quiet time together, and it’s been wonderful; but we are both ready for the house to fill up with the love that makes this life worth living.

 

His Own Child

His Own Child

Ephesians 1:3-14 brings home the transforming truth that God has identified me as His own.

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ-everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance and he makes everything work our according to his plan.

God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.” (NASB)

God’s family expanded in a tremendous way when Jesus brought the good news that Gentiles were to be included in God’s family. I don’t know how it feels to be adopted, but accepting Christ’s love and entering into an inheritance with Him gives me a glimpse of what it might be like. I do know what it feels like to be loved and to have someone delight in me. I’m beginning to see God as a loving Father who loves and delights in me more than I ever imagined possible, and that is transforming my heart.

Identified, purchased, united to receive an inheritance of unequaled value! What joy I feel when I embrace that as truth and see myself as God sees me-His own child. God’s inheritance increases as His family expands. Earthly inheritances are diminished by numbers, but God’s ways are higher than those found here. More siblings mean less money for me. That’s bad enough if a new baby is born, but it’s unbearable when children are adopted to become joint heirs. God makes it clear there is more than enough for all; in fact, the inheritance grows if it is shared.

If I were heir to a great fortune and knew that my inheritance would increase as more heirs were added, I’m sure I would be about bringing more into the family. How much more that ought be true when it comes to my Father’s family.