Sand...

When our boys were little, we hauled sand almost every year.  They loved to play in it, build roads, pile it into mountains, and dig lakes.  They were always frustrated because their lakes wouldn't hold water...

I've spent a lot of time on lake shores, but I had never spent much time on a beach before last summer.  We visited our son's family and made a day trip to the New Jersey shore. Miles before we arrived, I began to see sand.  The trees began to get smaller and scrubbier.

Standing on the edge of that massive body of water, my bare feet could almost feel the current of water pushing thru the sand.

Today, I am back visiting New Jersey.  But this time there will be no visit to the beach.  Instead, I am drawn to the news programs as they show the devastation of the recent monster storm, Hurricane Sandy.  The houses built on the sandy beaches have been washed away, their foundations of sand unable to withstand the power of the wind driven water.

I am reminded of the song we sang in Vacation Bible School when I was a child.

"The foolish man built his house upon the sand.....the rains came down...the house came crashing down...."

I don't mean to call those folks foolish. I don't presume to judge or criticize.  I would love living in one of those beach houses.  It is a beautiful place, a beautiful environment....but it is vulnerable.


Water pushes thru sand and sand moves with it.  It just does.
Sand washes away..  It just does.

My heart breaks for the devastation on those sandy beaches from hurricane Sandy.

 I purpose today to not build my life on what can be pushed and washed, or blown away by circumstances on this planet.  I purpose for my life to be lived on The Rock of ages....

"For in the day of trouble, He will keep me safe in HIS dwelling, He will hide me in the shelter of HIS tabernacle, and set me high upon a rock."
( Psalm 27:5 )

And I thank Him again this morning for the safety we have enjoyed during hurricane Sandy, so close to those beautiful sandy beaches here in Tabernacle, New Jersey with our son and his family.

And I pray for all those who suffer and grieve as I sit here untouched.... God help them.

Answers...

God answers.  I know He does.

During the past few hours, He has said 'Yes' to my requests.

To mine....yet for so many others, it seems there was not a yes.

It is the age old question.  Why do bad things happen, even to good people?

Again my mind turns to the story of Job.  Again I determine to look ole' Job up when we all get home to God's house and thank him for his faithfulness.  I want to personally thank him for being used by God SO many times to encourage and admonish me.  I want him to know that his suffering so many many years ago did not go without purpose.



I do not want to be like Jobs friends.  I don't presume to know why this tragedy has happened, other than this world is suffering from years and years,  layers and layers of sin and rebellion.

The ground was cursed because of disobedience and rebellion in the Garden.  We have damaged our earth home and caused consequences we don't even recognize.  Yet God IS still on His throne, He still has power that is unequalled....far beyond the small display we have seen in the recent storm!!

I do not challenge His authority, I do not accuse Him....yet I struggle with why we were not touched by what has devastated so many.

The storm did not harm us.  But it was not because of any good thing in me, or any of us in this house.
The storm did not harm us.  And that was exactly what we requested.
The storm did not harm us.  Yet so many were indeed harmed.

Did they pray?

Surely there were prayers said....by someone......

Warning...

We have been made aware of a coming storm.   Warnings are a constant on any radio or TV you turn on.

The store shelves have very little of the basic supplies and food items.  It is interesting to see what people hoard in times like this.  We are much more likely to go to 'needs' than our usual 'greeds'.  

Water and bread are two items at the top of the list. 

Medicines that are essential for managing a health condition..

Blankets that contain body warmth...

Light, whether battery operated lanterns and flashlights, or candles....

We have had days of warning.  I 'think' we are ready.  Whether we are or not remains to be seen....

Man has been given warning since the Garden incident.  Oh that we would all heed that warning and respond to it as we seem to all respond to this visible storm.  

"The wages of sin is death" ( Romans 6:23 ) And we all fit in that wage bracket.... (Romans 3:23)

I find myself constantly reflecting on the seemingly monumental things that are going on on our planet home.  Earthquakes, Tsunamis, Floods, Tornados, Hurricanes....

I've came to New Jersey expecting to see the glory of my Creator displayed magnificently.  But I was expecting colorful leaves.... It is not the first time that He shows up in a way I did not expect.

My Father does not lose His cool.  He does not lash out in unrestrained anger.  He is not mean and nasty....  

He is holy.  He is just. He is loving and patient, but He will not contend with sinfulness forever. (Isaiah 57:16)


There are those that thing these are signs of His wrath.  Perhaps they are.


I have experienced His comfort and perfect peace in storms before.   I know His comfort and Presence in this storm.

I am somewhat comforted by the resident of Uz.

Wealthy.
Big family.
Shunned evil.
Respected and reverenced God.
Blameless.
Protected.
Blessed.

Yet devastated in a series of storms and tragedies.



Father, I thank You once more for the blessings of Your Hand, and for Your protection. Lord God, You are perfect and holy, and I am not. Father God, as the storm rages in our midst, my desire is to accept the adversity of life as willingly as I accept and embrace Your blessing.  I purpose in my heart to be like Job, to remain firm in my integrity, never doubting Your love, never failing in faith. (Job 2:9)

You, Lord, are our essential.
Wrap us in Your Presence.
Be our Light as never before....
You, Lord, are our Peace in this storm.

Hallelujah.

Prayer...

　

Father, we who call ourselves by Your holy Name come seeking Your Face. Long have we enjoyed the blessings of Your Hand. Make our blinded eyes see the rebellion in ourselves so that we are truly humbled before You. Make our eyes see the wicked ways in our own lives. Lord God may we no longer seek only the blessings You provide, but with undivided hearts seek Your Face. (2 Chron. 7:14)

Holy Father, you have been merciful to the sinful and rebellious, You have given grace and a way of pardon and restoration, but You command repentance. Father, I pray we may be brought to true repentance without further suffering. For each individual and for our nation, I pray that we might have fresh realization of our own personal sin and truly turn from it. (Acts 17:30 )

　

Lord, stir Your Holy Spirit within every Christian in this land. Motive each person to seek You as never before. Father our security is in You. You are king. You are ruler. I fervently ask that You show Yourself and make Yourself heard in each Christian heart and mind. Oh God, may we seek You and follow Your leading BEFORE we find ourselves in trouble. (Ps. 32:6-7)

Father, You are sovereign over times, season, and all powers. Only by Your permission does any ruler sit in authority. (Daniel 2:20) Reveal to us when we are decieved and have believed lies. Oh God, help us to see the truth of what is happening in our world. Help us to recognize the signs around us, just as we recognize the signs of storm clouds in the sky. (Luke 12:54-56)

Our Creator God, fear and reverence of You is where any and all knowledge begins. Give our leaders fresh fear and reverence for You and Your Word. Enable them to hear and understand Your Will, increase their learning, give them wise counsel, and a desire to bend their will to Yours. (Prov. 1:5-6)

　

Lord, those who have followed You have “ subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. “(Heb. 11: 33-34)

　

Now Lord God, strip away human pride in our leaders, remind them that only thru You can any lasting thing be accomplished. Mere man can do nothing, but thru You, all things are possible. ( Phil. 4:13)

Our God, do again what you did in the days of old. Astonish us as You rule and reign in our midst. (Hab. 1:5)

And Father, as You bring judgment, as You surely must….remember mercy. (Hab. 3:2)

Separation...

"....If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father..." (John 14:28)


In children we have labeled it 'separation anxiety'.  Children most often cry when their parents leave them.


Had I walked and talked with Jesus, I have no doubt I would have had separation anxiety too.  The disciples did not find it easy to hear when Jesus was preparing them for what was about to happen. But they needed to hear it, and He needed to say it.

The purpose of His life was not to just live it out.  His purpose was far greater.  In fact, the end of His life was the very reason He was born.

We are never anxious to be separated from those we love and rely on, yet the time comes when we are all separated from each other.  Death comes if nothing else...
Today, people I love are faced with coming separation.  I pray that God will remind each one who struggles with the anxiousness of the moment.....
"....you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." (John 15:19)
We may be apart from each other for some period of time... a very short time in the eternal scope of things....but we can be confident that we are never really separated.  Not when it is the very love of God that binds us together with Him. 
Hallelujah.   


  
"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.: (Psalm 116:15)

Self....

Does self come first?  Last? Somewhere in the middle? Who decides?


Self will.
Self love.
Self contempt.
Self righteous.
Self defense.
Self abuse.
Self-admiration.
Self-confidence.
Self-conscience.
Self-sufficient.
Self-preservation.
Self-esteem.
Self-defense.
Selfish.


Me. Me. Me.

Seems quite natural to put self first. Logical really....

But like everything Jesus said and did, He turned all of it around and put self last. And He didn't just issue the order....He didn't just command it, He did it. What might be logical in a human mind matters very little when God is involved.  He acts outside of human wisdom.

He pulled off His deity and put on human flesh. He was First. And He put Himself last. 

 Last.....  After my needs, and yours.

.

Jesus has an uncanny way of cutting right to the heart of a matter.  The Jews had six hundred thirteen laws recorded in the Old Testament.  Jesus summed it all up..... 
" Jesus answered...'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;  
AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.'  "The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31)God is first.
Neighbor is next.


Following Jesus does not mean being a doormat. It doesn't mean that we become unimportant or of little value. In fact, it means we are of great value !

Following Jesus means HE is first. No need looking any further until we get a grasp of that truth.

Tutor....

Webster says "One who has the care of instructing another in various branches or in any branch of human learning."

 

When I was a student, I never had one.  I took a few piano and voice lessons, maybe that counts....

 

I paid a tutor once, an algebra tutor....(shudder....)   I certainly couldn't help our son with his algebra, so we paid someone to step in.

 

I've done some tutoring I guess....certainly not algebra!, but  I've taught the law of color to hairdressers, and the  principles of shape. 

 

 

  

 

As I read thru scripture and see Jesus' most intimate followers still not 'getting it', my first response is always one of impatience.  Why did they not get it?   How could they still misunderstand? How plain did it have to be?
 

"Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you shall follow later. Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You."(John 13:36-37) 

 

"Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" (John 14:5)

 

"Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." (John 14:8)

 

"Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us, and not to the world?" (John 14:11) 
 

It is easy to read the account recorded in scripture and be impatient with these people.  After all Jesus had taught, after all he had done....they still didn't get it.  It just didn't make sense, didn't match up to anything they were expecting.

"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;...that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you"(John 14:16-18 emphasis mine)

 

"....the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you."(John 14:26)

 



This morning, I purpose to give them a break.
This morning, I praise Him for giving me a break.

Not until these intimate followers of Jesus had recieved the Holy Spirit did they really 'get it'.
Not until these disciples of our God in flesh were sent the Holy Tutor did they 'get it'.

And so it was with me. So it is with you. Jesus knew we would need tutoring just as those intimate few did. After that Holy Tutor came to them, they were forever changed. Scripture from Genesis forward totally clicked.  They 'got it'.  Beginning to end.

I continue to be amazed with each new thing that I 'get'. 

Day after day.

Page after page.

Life situation after life situation. 

I have a Tutor in it all.  And He is incredible.