Believing Lyrics

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." ~Jesus

When I was a teenager, I travelled around the U.S. in a cab-over camper with my best friend, her mother and her sisters. We whirled through around thirteen states and visited with her family. As was their custom, every Sunday we had to go to church. No matter where we were, we ended up in some pew singing hymns and listening to a sermon. One of those Sunday's, my friend taught me a very valuable lesson.

We were sitting in the customary third row. Close enough to be serious yet not too close to the front. My friend and I loved to sing together. We were belting out hymns together in this little white chapel. When all at once, my friend stopped. I continued on and she never did join back in. After the service, I asked her if she had a sore throat or something. Why did she stop singing? Her answer has stuck with me to this day. She said, "I couldn't sing those words because I'm not sure I believed them." Huh? They were only song lyrics!

It wasn't until years later that I realized the wisdom of her answer. She was not going to sing anything to the Lord that she felt was a lie. This dear friend of mine taught me that I really needed to know not only what I believe and why I believe it but to be careful of the words that come out of my mouth. Because, even if they are accompanied by a catchy tune, they are still words!

"For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." ~Jesus

Never Seperated

"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God." ~Paul

I'm totally convinced that there is nothing that can separate me from the love of God that I have through Christ Jesus my Lord. What a glorious feeling to know that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, can separate me from that. Where can I go to get away from God? Why would I want to?

There have been doubts that have haunted me in the past. It's like an accuser that sneaks into my brain and rattles the ground around the roots of my faith. They usually slither in by a question. Questions like, "If God really loves you, then why is this happening to you?" Or "How can you say you love God if you still sin?" When I start dwelling on accusations, I begin to shrink into shadow instead of singing in the light. I slowly morph into an accuser myself. Instead of looking at the good, just, and right things in others; My attention is diverted to their shortcomings. I risk being a grumbler and faultfinder. A gossip and busybody. How quickly darkness descends and peace becomes elusive! Love for others evaporates and suspicions are fueled.

I don't have to worry though, God loves me enough to tap me on the shoulder and show me that I'm standing in the darkness and he wants me in the light. He reminds me of his love for me and for others. He shows me that in him, I live and breathe and have my being. Sometimes, he comes with questions too, "Marie, have you been listening to the accuser again? Come here!" Forgive me, Father!

"Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water." ~Paul

Royal Clothing

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple." ~Isaiah

A robe with a train that filled the temple must be spectacular! A robe of midnight studded with stars perhaps. How beautiful it must be. When I look around at the wonderful patterns in nature and the ever-changing  textures, I can see the train as a canopy of trees. Green and vibrant. Or shimmering like the air on the desert sand. Sometimes, azure and rippling like the ocean with transient sparkles, strikes my fancy. Perhaps it's as radiant as a sunset in the splendor of orange, red, yellow and glowing flame. Could it be white and royal blue like the sun-bleached clouds being chased across the rain-cleaned sky?

Someday, I'll see the Lord seated on the throne, high and exalted. When that happens, I doubt that my attention will be on his robe. After all, I'll have all eternity to be checking that stuff out!

"O Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty." ~David

Refreshing Times

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." ~Peter

To feel the renewal of life every morning and greet the day with a clean and happy heart is so refreshing. To drink from the river of life and have my feet washed by the Holy Spirit reminds me of lazy days by the rushing river or the gentle scrubbing of ocean waves. I hear God's voice in the rain and watch the seeds stretch forth in response. I feel his love in the caress of the wind and my spirit mounts up with wings as eagles; riding on invisible currents effortlessly.

The word takes me to the very throne room of heaven and sets my imagination loose with the framework. Images of the golden glow of the Seraphim and six winged creatures appeal to the kid in me. The rumbling of thunder and flashes of lightening better than any fireworks show. The supper more wonderful than a family reunion; filled with all ages, races and joyously one in his name. What could be more refreshing than being forgiven and welcomed into the kingdom of heaven?

"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." ~Isaiah

Afterglow

"The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." ~Paul

I'm wallowing in the amazing love that God has for me today. I'm reliving the parties I've been to this month and basking in the fresh memories. Wonderful conversations and hugs from people that I haven't seen in a long time continue to dot my day with joy. Graduation parties, weddings and a ladies tea have left me glowing with hope for the future and love for Jesus. How can I keep from singing and praying that these people are blessed and blessed?

"We love because he first loved us." ~John

Honoring Kings

"I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor." ~David

When I picture the scene in 2 Samuel when the ark of God is finally brought to Jerusalem, it's always the joy of King David that stands out. It's really a shame that his wife, Michal, couldn't bring herself to enjoy the festivities. She watched from a window as the crowd milled around, dancing, praising God and offering sacrifices. She missed out on the joy of passing out the bread, dates and raisin cakes to every person in the crowd. I adore David for his generosity to his people.

David wasn't a king to sit on a throne hovering over the festivities, he was a man that joined in! He danced with all his might in front of his Lord and his friends. I wonder how many of those slave girls that Michal complained about had washed his feet. How many of them had stood in the shadows and listened to him sing when he was a young shepherd boy brought in for Saul's entertainment.

This prophecy of his came true. He became more undignified and humiliated as his reign continued. I'm certain though that those slave girls, concubines, queens and kids held this vision of a king who was not afraid to bless his people by worshiping with them and hosting a party!

"May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth." ~David 

Witnessing Power

"And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful." ~Paul

I've jumped into arguments full force in the past. Defending Christianity, sticking up for Jesus and ranting about the rabid immorality of society, both vehemently and aggressively. Until I was struck by the absurdity of it. How was anyone going to learn about the love that God has for them in Jesus through my sarcasm and nasty quips? Quarrels kill kindness. They render me unable to teach because they close off a pupils desire to learn. Resentment festers when respect is absent and hearts solidify. It's a losing proposition. A no-win situation. An unfruitful endeavor.

Jesus doesn't need defenders, he needs witnesses. He desires me to tell people what he's done in my life and how he's done it. No one can argue about that. Christianity itself doesn't need me to rally for it. The world will always hate it as it hated Jesus. Society will continue on the broad road to hell but there are those who will be called out by God's Spirit, not by might nor by power: Not even by fancy, witty sayings spat out in the heat of debate. Those individuals that are seeking to find hope not a slap. I pray that I can show them where to find that living water and not someone that bats their cup away.

"I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand." ~Isaiah



 

Rising Sun

"But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings." ~Lord Almighty

It's a cold and soggy day today and I haven't felt well all morning. Even an impromptu picture taking spree hasn't been enough to pull me out of this funk. I realize that what I need is a radical attitude adjustment so I'm meditating on this verse in Malachi. It probably stuck out to me because it has both the words "sun" and "healing" in it!

My mind wanders to the properties of the sun and how they can be applied to describe righteousness. Righteousness rises inside like the sun in the morning when my thoughts dwell on the person of Jesus. The only truly righteous man to ever walk the earth. The warmth of the Holy Spirit encompasses me when I accept the fact that I'm forgiven and have been made righteous before God. The light of God calls to people of all nations like the light of the sun beckons me outside.

It's stopped raining and the clouds are thinning. I'm still not feeling the best I've ever felt but I'm filled with an unexplainable joy. Time to go play outside!  

"This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.." ~Paul

Bloody Drama

"He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong." ~2 Chronicles 22:3

The story of 22-year-old Ahaziah just drips with drama. It's almost like he had everything going against him from the start.  His father had passed away, to no one's regret, and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. His mother encouraged him to do wrong and all his older brothers had been killed. The youngest of Jehoram's sons, he was crowned king of Jerusalem. He sat on the throne one year. One whole year and then he was hunted down and killed in judgement at 23-yrs-old.

When Ahaziah's mother, Athaliah, finds out about his death, she murders the whole royal family of the house of Judah so that she could rule the kingdom in his stead. Ahaziah's sister conspired to save her little nephew from his wicked grandmother and she secrets him away in the temple of God. God had arranged little Joash to be stashed away at the one place Athaliah certainly held in scorn. All that blood and she ruled the land for all of six years. Six whole years.

All the while, Joash grew up with his aunt and uncle in the temple of God. His uncle, Jehoida, was a priest. During that six years, I'm certain that the Levites were acutely aware that they had the last true remaining heir to the throne of David in their care. They declare Joash king and the coup begins. It's not until Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king that she even catches a clue. She races to the temple and finds a coronation complete with warriors.

What a shocking scene it must have been for Joash to see his grandmother whip into the temple with flowing robes screaming and tearing her clothes. How confusing to be up on a pillar at the entrance of the temple with a crown on his head and armed warriors surrounding him. To see the ranks part and soldiers stepping forward in support of Athaliah that were taken out and slaughtered. He must have been bewildered by the flurry of activity and excited by the noises. After all, Joash was only seven years old when he became king! The sum total of his father and his grandmother's complete reign.

"Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O lord, have blessed it, and it will be blessed forever." ~David

  

Sealed Scrolls

"But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

I've often thought about what this scroll might say. It's been sealed for the time of the end and no matter where I go to try and increase my knowledge of it, these words are a mystery. Other scrolls throughout scripture come to mind. The scroll that Ezekiel ate that tasted like honey but was bitter in his stomach is the first. I wonder if Daniel felt the same way. The time of the end would be sweet but could the process have made him sick? I mean, he saw some incredibly violent things in his visions, as did Ezekiel. Could he have been happy to seal it?

The scroll in Revelation that John wept over because no one was worthy to open is another that shouts to me. No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. It wasn't until I started to really delve into the scriptures that I came to appreciate his grief. The setting he paints is the throne room of heaven. The elders laying down crowns, the flashes of lightening and display of mighty power would have been awe inspiring. Creatures and angels chanting until the mighty proclamation is shouted. "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" Silence. All revelry stopped. I would have cried too.

Since John was recording the end of time, could these be the same scroll? Hmm... Something to search out!

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings." ~Solomon

Happily At Work

"I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw.." ~Solomon

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Proverbs, Solomon goes past the field and vineyard of a sluggard who lacked judgement. Thorns had sprouted up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds and the stone wall was in ruins. He applied his heart to what he saw and concluded that a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest- and poverty will come on you like a vagrant and scarcity like a beggar.

There are places that I pass while driving through my neighborhood that bring these verses to life for me. I see thorny whips of blackberries snaking their way around un-mended fences and established apple trees being choked by weeds. Their fruit left to rot on the ground at their feet. It makes me sad to think that these people can't or won't take care of their property. Such a waste. Poverty and scarcity slowly but surely will ooze into their lives. I too, apply my heart to what I observe and learn a lesson from what I see. Everything needs to be tended. So, off I go to weed my garden!

"Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work- this is a gift of God." ~Solomon

Romancing The Past

"Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?" Samaritan woman

When I look back at women in the Bible, this woman stands out to me. I  imagine her as an incurable romantic. One that cherished the solitude of her daily walk to the well, she went to the ancient one and not the more populated. To preserve that alone time, she went later than most. There's something mystical about historical places and I know how she could have felt drawn to the mountain and the link to her past as she made her way down well worn paths. I wonder if she hummed or sang to herself, laughed out loud at silly thoughts or just spent the trip in quiet contemplation.

I'll bet she mulled over the stories past down through the words of the men she knew. The romantic story of Jacob removing the stone to help Rachel water the flocks must have teased her mind every day on those paths. The very stones themselves would've been witness to many lovers. I wonder if she secretly longed to one day show up and find her life's love waiting at the well just as Rachel had. The Lord certainly didn't disappoint her!

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." ~David

Sharing the News

"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that  you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ." ~Paul

When I'm actively sharing about Jesus and the freedom and joy that comes from knowing him, my understanding of God is increased. Preconceived doctrines are challenged and thoughtful debates lead to deeper study into the Bible. The resistance to the Holy Spirit is made glaringly obvious and the breakthrough of new life in a repentant sinner a cause for great celebration. I become part of the call of God to a dying world. An ambassador for the Kingdom of heaven.

When I speak the word of God to dull ears, I can almost see the double-edged sword at work. If the Spirit is present in another, even if they're strangers, there is an instant bond. Even if we don't speak the same language, we connect and are blessed. Yes, actively sharing gives me a fuller understanding that one of the best things we have in Christ are each other.

"I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete union to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." ~Jesus' prayer

Practicing Perfection

"Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy." ~David

I've been trying to know a song well enough not to have to have the chords and the words in front of me. To play skillfully was my goal. I practiced and practiced the song "How Great Thou Art" for a memorial service that I sang at and only had to look at the words once. I practiced and practiced it some more for the Ladies Tea and just knew that I would bless the ladies with a perfect rendition of the ancient hymn. I would be able to really connect with them as I sang. I decided to go sheet less, face the fear and charge on.

The day of the tea, I sifted through my flip-flops to find the best pair that matched my dress. They were all woefully worn out and shabby so I donned a pair of high heels instead and wrapped a filmy scarf around my neck. I carefully tuned my guitar but packed the tuner in my purse so as to do it again once I got to the tea. I tiptoed across the wood floors to bid my husband goodbye and arrived at the church fifteen minutes early. My feet already hurt but that was okay. It was only for a couple of hours.

My time came to sing. Gracefully walking up to the podium, I picked up my guitar, adjusted the strap and fingered the chord. Oh, the beauty of the sound my guitar was making. I began to sing and the first verse flowed gloriously. I was horrified when my knees began to shake and my voice wavered during the second verse but I pulled it out by the chorus. Yes! Grinning, I launched into the next verse.

The third verse began and I got one sentence into it and the words fled from my head. "REALLY!?", my mind screamed, while casting fruitlessly for the verse. My guitar cheerfully played away as my fingers knew where to go. What could I do? It was just so silly, I laughed and told the ladies, "I just forgot the words!" The room erupted with giggles and began to vibrate with the humming of a roomful of voices. The buzzing continued through the third verse and the words returned for the fourth. Joyfully, I belted it out and asked the ladies to join me in the chorus. The room filled with the sound of multiple generations of women joining the choir of ages singing the centuries old song. Truly, my soul was singing. What a blessing all those women were to me that day. Truly, a joyful noise!

"Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him." ~David

Walking the Aisle

"Then the Lord God made a woman from the part he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." ~Moses

My mind has been camped out in weddings lately. I've been reminiscing about all the wonderful weddings I've been to. Each different and each filled with promise and family. I'd have to say that my favorite part of a wedding is when the bride walks up the aisle with her daddy and he presents her to her man. Brings tears to my eyes every time. I think it's because it brings to mind the first wedding in Eden.

Eve's father, God, presented her to Adam much the same way our earthly fathers give their daughters to be wed. There are very few similarities from there though. There was no fancy dress, tuxedos or cake. There was no ceremony, candle lighting or rings. God himself was the justice of the peace and the only witness to the union. He was also the father of the bride and the creator of the groom!

I'll bet there was lots of flowers as God decorated the garden for the day. Perfect weather for a wedding and an all-you-can-eat salad bar. I wonder if they were by a river so their union was accompanied by the music of moving water. What  a beautiful and fun filled wedding it must have been!

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord." ~Solomon

Hues of Creation

"By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work." ~Moses

I'm reveling in the unfolding of creation this morning... *Sigh*. I hope to see that point in eternity when I enter it. A flash of light at the rumbling command and time began. There was evening and there was morning- the first day! How glorious the light is when you're encompassed in darkness. Oh, the colors it reveals. Then the waters were separated. The bubble around the earth was formed. It swirled protectively around the planet like a canopy. Holding in the mist that emanated from the ground that watered the plants and siphoning out harmful rays of the sun. A perfect greenhouse. This dirtball must have shimmered in shades of blue.

The plants responded to his whisper and defied gravity to thrust up through the soil at an accelerated rate. The sun and moon, planets and stars were hung in the sky to mark seasons and add mystery. Red lettuce, orange carrots, purple gourds. How thrilling to walk through the first garden and eat. I feel that same thrill every year my veggies grow.

Animals, birds, reptiles, sea creatures, and bugs whisk onto the scene with songs of their own. Hoof beats and tails splashing, wings whirring and clicking. Each one designed to fit in a perfect ecosystem. Each one given it's food at the proper time.

I woke up this morning and wondered what it must have been like for Adam to wake up that first morning. I like to think he stretched, maybe yawned and looked around like my husband does when he gets up in the morning. Hours later, he took a nap and Eve showed up. Just in time for God's day off! I bet they played with the animals, munched on carrots, watched the sunset  and laughed together on that day of rest. God blessed that day and made it holy because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. He enjoyed the fruit of his work on that day! How fun!

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." ~John 

  

Great Shots

"I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds." ~David

I like to take pictures. My subjects are usually my grand kids, bugs, and plants. I've spent hours chasing butterflies and dragonflies to try to get the perfect shot. I've watched the sun set and marveled at the golden hues while dwelling on the settings it would take to capture them perfectly in pixels. I take my camera everywhere and am no longer shy about whipping it out of my purse to snap a masterpiece. It's in my pocket when I water the garden and abstracts of lettuce are not an unheard of shot. My penchant for pictures has led into a deeper awe of God. 

Yesterday, I left my camera in the house while doing chores outside. Everywhere I looked became a photo opt. The big yellow butterfly that I had chased around the acres landed on a perfectly formed rrhododendron flower and spread it's wings majestically. Posing not more than a foot away from me, it gracefully adjusted itself into perfect composition. A little garter snake slide through the garden, it's body mimicking the lines on the ground. Another missed photo. Even the sky was photogenic with clouds modeling in feathery shapes. I ran in the house to get my absent camera but by the time I got back, the butterfly was off, the snake was nowhere to be found and the feathers had drifted past the tree line. I was irritated with myself for not having a way to preserve such magnificent scenes. Honestly, I gripped to the Lord about it. He quietly listened as he does so often, then he reminded me that all the pictures I've missed are part of his photo albums. Everything was made for his pleasure and it was his pleasure to show me the beauty. How thankful I am that he shares such wonders with me. Instead of getting irritated, I've decided to thank God for the glimpse into his very own photo albums and try not to be too jealous!

"Your ways, O God, are holy. What god is so great as our God?" ~David

Revealing Love

"He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." ~Jesus

I'm enthralled with the idea that the creator of the universe desires me to know him. The power that holds the atoms together wants me to become acquainted with his very emotions. He wants to let me know what he's thinking, who he is and most importantly, that he loves me. I'm intrigued and amazed at the ways that Jesus has shown himself to me. He uses every minute of my day to show me that God loves me. People, circumstances, the Bible, even the weather opens up revelations into the person of Jesus for me. The Holy Spirit fills me and reminds me that I'm loved every day.

How easy it can be to forget that simple truth though. There are trials that test me and make me wonder if God really does love me. I find myself wallowing with the world in an attitude that displeases my father. Questions come to the forefront. "If God reeeally loves me than why does he...?" or "If God reeeally loves me, than why won't he...?" My attention drifts away from the simple praises for who he is and gets stuck in the mire of want and discontent. It's in these storms that Jesus will reveal himself to me as sovereign.

"...because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in." ~Solomon  

Reconciliation Rules

"We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."

I've been mulling over the concept of reconciliation these days. In order for any reconciling to be done, there has to be someone willing to hold out the olive branch. Someone that sacrifices and offers to forgive and forget and someone that is willing to want that forgiveness. Both parties have to want to be together and both parties have to accept the terms of the relationship if there is to be any reconciliation.

God held out an olive branch to a dying world in the form of a man. His son. He offered  forgiveness for whatever had been keeping me from his presence. God desired to destroy the wall of hostility that had choked the life out of me. He offered me reconciliation but I had to want it. I had to accept his terms. I had to confess Jesus as my Lord and believe in my heart that God had raised him from the dead. I had to want to be with him! It takes the faith of a child. So simple yet so profound. 

"God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them." ~Paul

Foolish Fights

"But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." ~Paul

When I look at the life of Jesus, I see several instances where the religious leaders of his time tried to engage him in arguments. They did their best to bait him into their petty quarrels. An example of this is in Matthew 22. The Sadducees asked about whose wife would a woman be in the resurrection if she had been married to all seven brothers of one family. They didn't even believe in the resurrection. I love how Jesus tells them flat out you're wrong because you don't know the Scriptures or the power of God. Hadn't they read what God said to them in Exodus? When the crowd heard this, they were astonished at his teaching! Who wouldn't be? He had shredded the "spiritual" mysticism that these men had cloaked themselves with. He refused to argue with them but he also refused to let them misrepresent his Father. He refused to let them remain in error. He loved them that much!

No one has ever been argued into obeying God's word. It's useless to craft pithy debates thinking that somehow they will be profitable for the kingdom of heaven. I'm told in Titus that people that argue and quarrel about the Scriptures are divisive, warped and sinful. They're self-condemned! I see the truth of this around me. Aggressive fights about stupid things abound. Jesus had no time for that and neither should I.  

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men." ~Paul