Category: Blog Post

I know we have all heard the phrase or maybe even the song that expresses the thought, “Joy comes in the morning”. There have been numerous references made to this in quotes, sermons and times of despair. As I read from Psalms 30 this morning I could not help but stop and dwell within its words for a little while. In reflection my heart knows oh too well the truths within this chapter.

In my reflection I was reminded that even though I failed Him and the consequences have been bitter, His anger did not endure forever. I have found peace through Him once again and my strength through Him has been renewed.

“For His anger endureth but a moment, in His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, joy cometh in the morning.” Psalms 30:5

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing, Thou hast put off my sackcloth and me with gladness. To the end that my glory may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee for ever.” Psalms 30: 11-12

Sometimes the days become long and blend one into the next until we aren’t quite sure where one ends and another begins. We find ourselves weary and worn trying to focus on a goal ahead where we see a little bit of hope that the chaos in which we currently exist will regain some form of balance. The strength for today seems to be so far away, yet it’s there before us waiting for us to seek our refuge in Him.

“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isaiah 25:4

He is our strength for today, a shadow from the heat. He promises to be with us through the storms of life, providing us with the strength that we are unable to find within ourselves.

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall walk and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

When we become weary and feel like we are past going on, wait upon the one who has promised to be the strength we need for today.

I often find myself trying to figure out the plan of God that lies ahead by looking at the different pieces of my life in any given moment of time, wondering how they all fit together. I spend hours sometimes considering all of the different ways the pieces might be pieced together; even offering God my own suggestions of the various patterns I see, but more times than not, things unfold in ways I never even saw as a remote possibility, following the old cliche “I never saw it coming”.

Those are the moments when it’s as if I can see God smiling as He looks at me knowing full well He took me completely by surprise once again. Each of these experiences brings me to the place where I am reminded to focus on the faith to follow, trusting the hand of my Heavenly Father as He arranges each piece of my life into the masterpiece of His choosing.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” ll Corinthians 5:7

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

“Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” ll Timothy 1:9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways saith the Lord.” Jeremiah 55:8

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun in you a good work will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

When I am tempted to arrange the pieces of my life according to my own thoughts, I will focus on Him knowing that He is in control taking care of each piece of my life just as He would have it to come together according to His perfect will for my life.

Someday when I look back I will see in full array the colors that He incorporated in His masterful design from the limitations of who I was to who He created me to be in Him, but for today I will concentrate on the faith to follow.

“Seek Him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: the Lord is His name.” Amos 5:8

The first time I sought His face my face was lifted up toward the heavens in wonderment that the Creator of the skies and their array of nighttime splendor loved me. I had learned in Sunday School that morning that the God who created the universe, the stars, and the moon up above, loved me so much He sent His Son to die for me to pay for my sin. As I looked up at the stars and reflected on what that must mean, in childlike faith I gave Him my heart trusting in Him for what He had done for me. So it was far before I learned about Orion or the seven stars of the sky that He had created, I sought His face loving Him because He first loved me.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” I John 4:19

Today I often look into that same night sky seeking His face remembering the work that His Son did for me, thanking Him for the work that He is still doing in my heart and life as I continue to learn more of Him. Sometimes, quite often in fact, when I look upward I find myself looking for strength; in those moments I come before Him seeking His face knowing that in myself I am weak, but in Him I will find the strength I seek.

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.” I Chronicles 16:11

“Seek the Lord, and His strength: seek His face evermore.” Psalms 105:4

As I look up this morning, the stars are starting to fade as the day begins to approach, and so it is that I seek His face knowing that my strength will come from Him.

From a child I have been intrigued by magnifying glasses; the way they bring things in to clearer focus and provide the ability to visualize the intricate detail of things that would otherwise be unseen by the human eye has always fascinated me. In the sermon yesterday, a reference was brought to my attention that I had not clearly focused on in the Bible before, the reference “to magnify Him”.

“O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalms 34:3

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Psalms 69:30

So this morning I paused to consider what that meant, to magnify Him, and it occurred to me that it meant much the same as what it did when I experienced using a magnifying glass as a child. We are to live in such a way that we bring Him in to clearer focus before a lost and dying world. We are to give an example of Him that enables others to visualize the intricate detail of “Who He is” in such a way that would otherwise be unseen by the “human eye” of this world. All of which is impossible without us allowing Him to work in our hearts so that He can be magnified through us.

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.” Luke 1:46-47

I want “to magnify Him” in all that I say and do, for He has done so much for me. His work is far beyond imagination and His provision far exceeds any thought or comprehension of man.

“Remember that thou magnify His work, which men behold.” Job 36:24

Sometimes I wake in the night for no apparent reason, finding myself listening to the quiet around me as I reflect on my yesterday and my tomorrow. Some nights those reflections bring thoughts of peace and joy, but there are those nights when my heart fails within me and I feel a loneliness that engulfs me. In each of those moments I find myself drawn to the fact that whether in praise or petition the Lord is my song in the night.

“Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” Psalms 42:8

I am reminded that whether by day or by night He is with me, He is the God of my life. He is my song in the night.

“I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.” Psalms 77:6

When I seek Him, He can be found if I seek Him diligently and He promises to be my song in the night.

“Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the Lord, to the mighty One of Israel.” Isaiah 30:29

“The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation, He is my God, and I will prepare Him a habitation; my father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” Exodus 15:2

Not only is He my song in the night, but He has given me a new song that I might sing praises unto Him.

“And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God, many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psalms 40:3

There are two times a year when we have the opportunity to see God’s creation in full color, spring and fall. There are most certainly other times when His color is visible, but there is something truly remarkable about the vivid colors of spring and fall in sharp contrast to what was before. I think the colors of spring are made even more powerful after the drab and miserable aspects of winter have left us feeling cold and weary; while fall explodes in its array of color just as summer has reached the point where the grass is starting to struggle from the heat and the flowers are starting to thin. So it is that as we see spring and fall come into full color. Reflecting thus, I can not help but wonder what it will be like to see Heaven in full color.

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” I Corinthians 2:9

“For now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as I am know.” I Corinthians 13:12

So as I sit with coffee in hand revealing in the changing colors around me I am pausing to breath in the promise of what it will be like when I see Heaven in full color.

“I don’t feel very strong today Lord, I’m lifting my face up to you seeking your light in the midst of a darkness that I feel threatening to engulf me. The path before me is unclear and I need you to show me the way.” I found this note written within the pages of my prayer journal sometime back and was reminded of how God has brought me out of a darkness I once felt.

For each of us these moments may stem from a variety of circumstances, it might be pain, loneliness, loss, hurt, or just doubt that threatens to control our lives.

In these moments we stand quivering in our frailty, unsure of what we thought we knew; but God stands ready with a plan that He put into place long ago before time or the thought of our identity ever became a reality. We question His ability to reveal, to unfold the path before us as we take each step. The Ruler and Creator of the universe, the Master of all that has ever been or will ever be has put a plan in place for who He would have us to be and the light that He would shed upon this world through us.

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” II Corinthians 4:6

Today I lift my gaze upward, seeking His light, His strength, the fullness of who He is as Lord of my life through the work of Jesus Christ. I open my heart to Him that He might shine the light of His knowledge and glory through me, as I seek His light.

“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46

There are many things in life that I treasure; my family, my church, my friends, my home, my health . . . .  but day-by-day, I find that one of life’s greatest treasures is that of peace. Peace is a gift that can only be found in God, He provides peace . . . peace for yesterday, peace for tomorrow, but most importantly “peace for today“.

“The Lord will give strength unto his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.” Psalm 29:11

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.” Isaiah 26:3

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27

In the chaos of today, breathe in the promise of peace that we have been given, feel it flood through your body like a fresh drink of water and remember who it is that we serve; the one who gives us “peace for today”.

While listening to my son share a Sunday School lesson that took place in Egypt a long time ago. I was reminded of the many steps along the way that bring us to the realization of the plan God has for our lives. Joseph was the main character of the story, finding himself in a peculiar situation. Years before his brothers had sold him into slavery because they saw him as a constant thorn in their side. They grew weary of his dreams of one day being ruler over them. This led to the trail of dreadful events that would unfold, bringing Joseph to the very place where all of his dreams would come true.

“And God sent me before you a prosperity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God; and He hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and a ruler through all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 45:7-8

Often we feel lost and abandoned in the midst of our circumstances, we can not see any possible way ahead. We feel as if God has completely forgotten who we are and where He originally planned for us to go. All the while it’s an entirely different story all together. He knows exactly where we are going, how we will get there, what we will experience along the way and when we will arrive.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

It’s a matter of us trusting Him for who He is, acknowledging Him for the power He possesses, and submitting to the plan He has already laid in place for our lives. Our lives are not unfolding before us by happenstance, the various circumstances that have occurred in our lives did not take God but surprise. Far back in the distant past with the creation of the world, He knew exactly what would take place in our lives today, tomorrow and next week. For He is God.

“For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:36

“Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6

“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10a