the shout of the King!

Numbers 21:5 "... they spoke against God and against Moses, and said "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"

I'd like to take the time someday to re-read the account of the Israelites and count the number of times they say something like "Why did you bring us out of Egypt so that we can die?" Their discontented, unbelieving, ungrateful, quick to complain, whiny spirits get really annoying and I find myself wondering why God didn't just give up on them. And then... I realize that I am just as capable of grumbling my own discontented, unbelieving, ungrateful complaints. Maybe I don't address my whining TO God overtly - maybe I try to convince myself that I'm not like the Israelites because I just grumble to myself without directing blame towards anyone.

Reality - if I believe God is sovereign (and I do - I bank on it!) then any signs of discontent or unbelief are directed towards God by default. If he knows all, sees all and he alone has the power to do all things then whatever is happening in and around my life is a direct result of HIS hand. If circumstances come my way - or even remain the same for years (as in Israel's case) - it has not taken God by surprise.

So, before I condemn the Israelites for how annoying they seem to me I need to clean up my own act in the trusting God department.

2 chapters later in Numbers 23 - Balaam speaks over the children of Israel these words: "The Lord their God is with them; the shout of the King is among them."
That's where I want to live! With the SHOUT OF THE KING surrounding my life!

leaping heart

Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."

In church life, student ministry, life group, among friends we talk sometimes about the difference between happiness and joy. Landing on the idea that happiness is typically associated with an event or circumstance - something "going my way" - a visit from a good friend - receiving an item that makes us "happy", etc. There is always a something or someone that causes us to be happy. On the other hand JOY is a state in which we can live in spite of circumstances. If we walk with Jesus HE is the true source of joy and we can be joyful during good times and difficult times because, while circumstances change and flow from good to bad and back again, Jesus REMAINS THE SAME.

My joy is in found in Jesus. He's the same God "yesterday, today and forever". He won't leave me, he won't forsake me, he won't laugh at me behind my back or pull the rug out from under, he won't change his mind about me, he won't think I'm stupid when I fail. He WILL, cherish me, he WILL laugh WITH me when I do something dumb, he WILL listen when I ramble, he WILL be with me always, he WILL encourage me, challenge me, nudge me, cry with me, rejoice with me, redeem my faults, carry my burdens, rescue me, comfort me, convict me through his Holy Spirit, he WILL LOVE ME ALWAYS!

I even think sometimes he laughs at my stupid jokes!

HE IS MY JOY AND MY HEART LEAPS!

the mighty waters

Psalm 29:3
"The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters."

One of the ways I sense God's presence is through nature - especially certain things in nature. Things like gorgeous sunsets painted across the sky, seeing a full moon or milky way spread across the night sky, and even though I live in PA and see them all the time - when I see a herd of deer standing or running in their natural habitat (or near the highway??) I have to stare and I'm reminded of our amazing God who created everything that I see. But the one thing in nature that will always be the ultimate place where I feel God's presence in a very real way is when I'm standing at the ocean. I don't know what it is exactly but there is something about the incredible force of the waves and the rhythm of the tides that speaks to me loudly and clearly of the GOD OF ALL POWER. There is something majestic about the ocean and it's crashing waves that shouts of HIS MAJESTY. It's also beautiful and (to me, at least) mysterious in how it functions - which proves many times over his awesome hand and creativity.

"...The Lord thunders over the mighty waters." He amazes me!

face to face

Numbers 3:3&8 "(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)... With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord."

More humble than anyone else on the face of the earth. Holy cow - what kind of character building does it take to be a walking example of any fruit of the spirit MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE on the face of the earth?? I know I have some serious work to do - or some serious heart surgery to let God do!? Still struggling with the whole my part vs. his part concept??

Is there a tie between these 2 verses?? Did God bless Moses with the incredible, outrageous-ness of speaking to him face to face BECAUSE of Moses' humility? I mean, I'm sure it played a part (just needing to be humble to BE in God's presence) but as it pertains to my life, if I grow in humility does the way, the clarity, the frequency of my hearing from God grow too??

I want to grow in humility - regardless of what blessings it may or may not bring. I want to know the outrageous-ness of God speaking to me FACE TO FACE whether it is directly proportionate to my growth or not!!!

Could you please grab the scalpel and the band-aids, Lord!?

gaze upon the beauty of the Lord

Psalm 27:4 "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple."

Today, Feb. 22nd, marks the one year anniversary of my Mom passing away. It's remarkable and really unfathomable for me to think about the fact that she and Dad are both DWELLING in the house of the Lord... gazing into his beautiful face RIGHT NOW!

God gave me a clear picture in the moments that Mom passed - we'd already been missing Dad for 8 years and the Lord strongly, clearly brought to my mind a photo of them both - taken the year they were married. It's not the best quality but it's clear enough to see the joy on their faces... to hear the laughter that is portrayed in the photo... knee slapping, side-splitting laughter. I believe God brought that photo to mind in that moment because they were both at that very moment in each other's presence once again and more amazingly IN HIS PRESENCE.

Don't you think being WITH HIM will bring enough joy that there will be knee slapping, side-splitting laughter... along with a million other outrageous emotions when we gaze into his beauty!?!!

the cloud lifted

Numbers 9:22
"Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when the cloud lifted, they would set out."

I was thinking the other day about a time 9 years ago when life seemed to be about as good as it could get - amazing do-life-together friends, great church, great job, close enough to family to visit whenever I wanted. All was well until life sort of blew up in our faces - things went haywire at the church (which happened to be my place of employment and the connecting place of the life-doing friends). I don't think I will ever understand God's reason behind the "Why did this happen?" question but reading this verse today, that I'm sure I've read many times even over these past 9 years, it lit up for me - THE CLOUD LIFTED.

For whatever reason it was time for most or all of us to move on and (for whatever reason) God chose to use sad and difficult circumstances to MOVE us. I wouldn't trade where I am now for anything but there is a new peace in my heart to realize that the only thing I ever NEED to understand about the "Why did this happen?" is the fact that the cloud lifted and when it did it was time for me to "set out"!

Thank you, Jesus, for leading and guiding, for moving the cloud in your perfect timing, for giving me eyes to see and follow in the midst of junk, for continuing to move my heart away from the junk and into your sweet presence! Thank you for being TRUSTWORTHY! When nothing else around me made sense I could TRUST the moving of the cloud because it was YOU.

i'm amazed

Psalm 23:3 "He restores my soul..."
I woke up late today, frantically gulped down coffee and a quick breakfast, missed my normal "quiet time" time and flew to the office for a morning of training/teaching from a guest speaker, worked on a few things in the office, forgot to eat lunch, went to the "Y" to spend some time on cardio equipment but ran into a friend who is a trainer there so did some strength training learning and then cardio, came home to shovel a driveway then went grocery shopping, made dinner and sat down to FINALLY have some time reading God's word, waiting, listening for God's voice, praying. Trying to focus I was very aware that my heel hurts like crazy and I'm really tired and achy but then I read the words "HE RESTORES MY SOUL" and HE DOES!!!

I'm so taken by the fact that the God who created me, created everything, would care enough about how my day went or how I'm feeling physically/emotionally, cares and does something about it - he restores me. Webster says restore means to bring back into existence or use - to renew. So the God of the universe takes my feeble, weary soul after a goofy day of chasing myself around and brings it back to life!

I believe He is who He says He is - I believe His word and I am restored! I don't understand why He chooses to bless me but I'm so grateful for it!

The words of an old song flooded my head as I'm sitting here feeling restored:
I'm amazed at all you've done for me
Who am I that you'd bless me so?
I stand in awe of all your wondrous deeds
You've dealt with me so graciously!

god's timing

God's timing often makes me smile. I was asked to sing for a funeral service yesterday - for a person I had never met, didn't know the family, didn't know a single person involved other than the acquaintances who were friends of the family and asked me to sing. It was a service for someone who made no claims of knowing or following Jesus and that aspect of the service was so powerfully absent to me.

Sunday, Feb. 22nd, marks a year since my Mom passed away (thus the comment about God's timing!). It was difficult to sit and listen yesterday to wonderful things being said about someone and know there is a good chance they didn't love Jesus or know him as their Savior. I was reminded of how precious it is to me to know that regardless of the sometimes difficult personality traits and issues that I had with my Mom - she did know Jesus and the service we had for her a year ago was a time of not only celebrating the life she had here but a time of celebrating the life she was beginning - the eternal life that started at 9am on Feb. 22, 2008 - WHAT A THING TO CELEBRATE!!!

Opposite that celebrating is the reminder that there are thousands of families in our region who don't know Jesus - who are going to lose a loved one without the privilege of the hope that their earthly death marks their commencement of life in the presence of Jesus. I need to be motivated by that reminder daily as I cross paths with some of those families! I need to find spaces in my life to cross paths with them!!

all day long

"Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:4&5

I'm so thankful for the many ways God chooses to teach me truth and guide me in his ways. I'm naming - and claiming ;) 2009 as my year for LIFE CHANGE!!! For whatever reason - approaching fitness in 3 major areas - physically, spiritually and financially - FEELS different to me in recent months.

Past failures in all three areas have served to keep me in a place of not really wanting to try anymore but in the past 2 or 3 months Jesus has intervened and is leading me in paths that I'm not sure I've ever truly been on before. I feel HOPEFUL - even EXCITED as I start each new day with a level of motivation that is truly new to me.The only explanation in my mind is that the Lord is teaching me his paths, his truth for my life. It's not just me putting forth my best(FEEBLE)human effort.

Can't wait to see all that he has in store and continuing to pray for a heart that trusts him like never before - I don't want to miss a thing... and my hope is YOU all day long!!!

be holy

I counted 16 times in Leviticus, chapters 20-22 where the words "I am the Lord" appear. These words end each chunk of instruction the Lord was giving to Moses for the Israelites.
Chapter 20 verses 7 & 8 say "Consecrate yourselves and BE HOLY, because I AM THE LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord who makes you holy."
Why pursue holiness? Because HE IS THE LORD MY GOD!
Pretty simple - but not easy.
Like so many things in life, the idea, the truth is simple but walking it out is not easy.
I've been stirred lately to embrace those places (those "God-sized" goals) where, unless God steps in I can NEVER accomplish them.
I'm so grateful that His word is filled with promises - promises that serve to spur me on in the midst of aiming for God-sized goals.
I can hardly grasp the final phrase of vs. 8 but I'm so glad that He is indeed the author and perfecter of my faith.
"I am the Lord who makes you holy."

a dwelling place

"Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." - Exodus 40:34&35

As I finished the book of Exodus today I went back to find that 15 whole chapters of the book are filled with specific instructions, minute details and vivid descriptions of the great pains that were to be taken to build a dwelling place for God's glory. I am brought to the sober realization that if I - under the New Covenant purchased by Jesus - am to be a dwelling place for God's glory - the Holy Spirit - I need to pay far more attention to how I build, renovate and keep house in the tabernacle of my life, my heart, my mind, my spirit and my body. Not simply because details were important in Moses day and I need to keep up - but because of the precious and mind-blowing gift that it is to have His glory dwell in me. Under the old covenant Moses couldn't even be in the same room with the presence of God's glory and yet God chooses to let his glory dwell IN US! I can hardly even grasp that but I know it's true!

the overflow of a grateful heart

Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Jesus words to the Pharisees in Matt. 12 were very clear and totally tie into the Psalmist's words here. Jesus said "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."

It's one thing to "hold my tongue", or "watch my words", or to follow the good manners taught by parents "If you don't have anything nice to say...". It's something altogether different to cultivate a heart of joyful gratitude! A heart that looks FIRST for God's best in everyone and everything. A heart that overflows with the abundance of recognizing God's endless and rich blessings in my life everyday!

I want my words to reflect a heart like that - even more so I want to be sure I am cultivating a heart like His!

path of life

Psalm 16:11
"You have made known to me the path of life; you fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

HE makes known - I can't discover or stumble upon the path of life unless HE reveals it and graciously opens my eyes to see it.
HE fills me with joy - JOY IN HIS PRESENCE. No earthly pleasure, person or thing can bring the true joy that God will, in His kindness, fill me with - joy that comes ONLY from His presence! Joy and pleasure that is eternal ONLY come from His hand.

So, why do I spend so much time, energy, money, LIFE seeking things that bring only momentary pleasure or joy?

BECAUSE I STILL DON'T GET IT! I understand it - I believe it - I agree with the truth but I still find myself in times and places where I'm stupidly convinced that this one more thing, or that experience, or, or, or - will make me happy.

IT'S A LIE! HE IS TRUTH!