If only…

 Isaiah wrote,”In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord. High and lifted up. And His train filled the temple.” 

Train: from an unused root meaning to hang down; a skirt; by implication, a bottom edge:--hem, skirt, train.

The crowds pressed in on every side. Everyone wanting to touch the Master. To handle the words of life. 

 “Who touched me?”  

Who hasn’t touched You, Lord?

She must’ve still been on the ground, low and humble to be able to grasp the hem of his tunic. 

“And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, “If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.””

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭9‬:‭20‬-‭21

Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost?  Filled to the brim with the hem of His garment.

vision

Nothing is hidden from Him.  Nothing. NO thing. Nothing escapes His view--His all-seeing eyes. No injustice.  No travesty.  No random act of kindness.  No suffered wrong.  No thing.

That thought hit my mind, and instead of making me feel paranoid, or frantic, or watched, it gave me a dose of crazy peace.  Our Father holds every thing in the scope of his panoramic view.  Not even a sparrow falls without His knowledge. Nothing is hidden that won't be revealed.

Snuggling up in the thought that my Daddy watches, and nothing escapes His attention. 

Sowing

Situations come. And sometimes they bring out the absolute worst in me. Like the lemon squeezer, or the winepress. What's inside eventually permeates my exterior and becomes all too apparent to the outside world.




Why? Where is all this bitter, spiteful, sour stuff coming from?



I heard the answer this morning.



He (or she) who sows to the flesh, reaps corruption. Yes, that's it. All the junk that's oozing from my mind and mouth is just that: corrupt.




The answer, so clear and simple. Sow to the Spirit, and reap life and peace.




Newly armed with seed-bag over my shoulder--all Johnny-Appleseed feeling--I engage my day. Mine is only to reach into the word and sprinkle as I go.

In the world you will have tribulation...

(that which constricts or rubs together, especially internal pressure)

But be of good cheer!

(bolstered within which supports unflinching courage – literally, to radiate warm confidence--exude "social boldness"--become warm-hearted)

Because we have been given His peace

(one, quietness, rest, wholeness--as in when all essential parts are joined together; God's gift of wholeness)

The overcomer resides in me, the hope of glory.

Eaglets

O.K., so I've been watching a pair of eagles painstakingly hatch out 3 eaglets online, along with around 100,000 other folks. I have saved the link to my favorites. Now that they've come out of their shells, I hope to watch until they fly off toward the horizon. The video comes from two cameras mounted 80 feet up a cottonwood tree overlooking farm complete with a babbling stream located in norhtern Iowa. It is probably the most fascinating event I've witnessed in a while. I'm not a reality TV fan, but this is different. Dancing with the Stars doesn't compare. God's amazing creation, being recreated right before our very eyes.

pleasing God

While taking the Lord's supper last Sunday, this phrase rang out in my head--loud and clear as a church bell: "It pleased the Lord to crush him, and put him to grief," translated (roughly) from Isaiah 53:10. Thinking that no Father could be pleased with the bruising of his son, and hoping that it didn't mean what it said, I decided to dissect the word at my earliest opportunity. Turns out, that's exactly what it means: Pleased. I was hoping for 'satisfied,' as in the law being fulfilled. Nope. Pleased...as in made happy.


Why God? How could you possibly be pleased with the suffering of your Son? I don't understand...


Since that day, I've been mulling it over like a kid working on a giant jaw breaker. I'm not to the gumball center yet, but as of now this is what I believe must be true. The only possible reason for God the Father to be pleased in the bruising and crushing of his only Son, is what it would accomplish for us. After all, it wasn't exactly necessary for the atonement of mankind. Shedding of blood was the only requirement to cover/blot out sins. What then did the bruising and crushing produce for God's expanding family? Our Healing.


"But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by His stripes, we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

knowing Him

"Lord, we want to learn more about you," I heard the man pray.

My mother died when I was 3, so the only memories I have of her are probably fabricated. Over the years though, I've been blessed to learn some things about her. My Dad told me that she loved to laugh. Uncle Larry testified that I have her personality. I know from my older siblings that she was affectionate with her children. And I believe she was a woman of faith. Knowing about something or someone can't be compared to actually knowing them. But knowing about her does make me want to know her more. To experience her. To look into her face. To tell her I love her.

Maybe that's what the man meant. I hope it was.

Paul said it best. "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..." Phil. 3:10

I want to know you, Lord, and the power of your resurrection.