Thursday, July 31, 2014

EVER AFTER

I have two clocks--one in the master bath and one in the master bedroom--that are battery powered with moving hands and numbers on the face.  The 'old fashion' type. They both make a ticking sound to count the seconds.


As I sat in silence in my bedroom one morning, I noticed something disconcerting about these dueling clocks. One clock was, ever so slightly, just ahead of the other clock. I would hear a 'tick' followed immediately by another 'tick'. Again, again, again.  If I focused on the noise long enough, it started making me feel a bit nervous and unsettled. Something that is suppose to be rhythmic and soothing became rather disturbing! Praise be to our Creator for creating rhythm, balance, and order out of potential chaos. (Well, at least for me anyway...).


This ticking echo reminded me of God's timing. He is transcendent in time and space moving in and out freely without being confined to one place or one moment in time. He is everywhere all the time. Time does not matter to Him. He operates freely without the confines of time. He manages multidimensional time with ease!

How amazingly liberating! But, alas, this transcendent gift is not for us. Not yet. Now, time belongs only to Him. We are ruled by time. Not only our appointments, our calendars, our waking and sleeping, our eating but in life and in death. Even in one dimensional time, we find it difficult to manage. And, it is only by His providence that we receive the gift of time; He holds our every moment in His hands.

"Time and tide wait for no man." Geoffrey Chaucer


What a comforting picture that should be for us in the here and now. God is in control of all of it. He knows the end from the beginning and the beginning from the end. He is everywhere and in everything.  Way too much responsibility for me! Way too much to do and to be in charge of at any given moment. Too much juggling!


Let's rest in our transcendent God. Let's rest in His divine ability to manage every detail of everything simultaneously.   What a precious gift: His Word is Truth,  He Himself is love. He knows every thought before we think it, every word before we speak it, every hair on our head. (Talk about detail oriented!) His purpose is pure. We can trust Him with every detail in our lives. We can rest, truly rest, in Him. Whew! Let us manage it wisely as it is a gift to be used for His glory. Our time is in GOOD hands!

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He CARES for YOU [emphasis mine]. 1 Peter 5:7

He saves the best for last--this gift of transcendence. For life ever after. We will be transformed, a new creation, a new beginning with a divine nature. As transcendent as He is now. We will use it for His purpose, for His glory in ways that we cannot, at this moment, begin to fathom. I want to be a part of that.....when the right time has come!

 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. 
Hebrews 6:17-20


Friday, July 25, 2014

WHO'S THAT KNOCKING AT THE DOOR? PART TWO

(In December 2013, I wrote a post entitled "Who's That Knocking at The Door?"  You may want to read that post before this one to help tie things together.)

Sweet Snuggles

Almost a year ago, my sweet snuggler of a dog developed the routine of coming to my bedroom door during my morning quiet time and asking to come in. He and I would enjoy each other's company as well as my time with God and his time being pampered.

Unfortunately, during the past few months, our morning ritual has changed a bit.  He now comes to my room VERY early,  scratching, whining and waiting to be let through the door.  If I don't open the door right away, Snuggles will wait outside continuing to whine and scratch until I do so.  Not helpful in my pursuit of prayer and quiet time with my Creator.

Why the change?  Well, we have another morning routine.  Snuggles gets one stick of dog jerky for his 'breakfast'. When?  After my quiet time, when I go downstairs to grab my cup of coffee and something to eat. Hmmmm......

Apparently, the treat has become more important than the pampering. Now, the food is the driving force behind his desire to seek me out in the morning. Satisfying his fleshly desire is more important than spending time with me feeling loved, comfortable and cared for. Hmmmm...



I recently realized how easily I can fall in that same routine. It is a trap, really.  How often do I allow my 'to do' list or the dog himself to get in the way of my quiet time?  How often do I pray for my own desires instead His desires for me?  How often do I ask for things that satisfy the flesh rather than fill the spirit?  How many times do I ignore or deny His will and press on toward my goal rather than His? How often do I just sit and listen, look and wait for Him rather than rushing ahead on impulse? How much do I ask to be blessed without giving, yielding, serving, asking what I can do for Him or just being with Him?


Fortunately, I can think outside the limits of a dog's life!  Praise Him for that saving grace!  I can  recognize what has become routine, what has become habit and move beyond it. I can make changes to improve my time with Him, my walk with Him, and my relationship with Him. If I anticipate the blessings of the flesh, I miss the most important blessing of all: being His presence!  Missing my walk in the garden with Him. Missing opportunities to serve, to help another, to worship. I focus on self rather than Him and others.

I wonder how many times I've missed something wonderful that He has waiting for me. Some blessing, some gift, some answer to a prayer I haven't even prayed yet. All because my heart and mind are not stayed on Him. The rush ahead. The anticipation of the treat. Hmmmm....



After all, it is NOT about the TREAT; it IS about the RELATIONSHIP.  That beautiful relationship of love is something we take into eternity...... Nothing is more important. Nothing. And, that is where we will receive blessing beyond measure. The treat is truly worth the wait!

Thursday, July 24, 2014

CAVE DWELLER

The cave. Cool. Dark. Sheltered. Protected.

Are you a cave dweller?  I've been known to be.

I go there when I need to unplug. I go there to decompress. I go there when I don't know where else to go. When I am fearful or discouraged. I go there to meditate. I go there in times of trouble--to self medicate, to lick my wounds, take time to heal.

Even Elijah fled from those who thought wrongly of him and sought to kill him.  Even Elijah, an ordinary man yet extraordinarily used by God, was discouraged, cried out to God and hid when he felt persecuted, uncertain and afraid.

"Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there,  while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”  Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep." 
1 Kings 19:3-5

Even Elijah, a true man of God, took shelter in a cave.



"The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.”So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.  There he went into a cave and spent the night." 1 Kings 19:6-8

The beauty of it is that God is in the cave. God hears our cry. He knows our heart. God understands our need to be a cave dweller sometimes.  To go somewhere cool, quiet, and safe. He knows we will run, hide and seek solace. He knows we need that time to pray, ponder and regroup. And, He is there waiting to provide.


 The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”  1 Kings 19:9-13

It is there in the cave that we find Him. It is there in the cave we draw close. Then He comes to refresh, restore and renew. He breathes His life back into us as we seek His face, listen for His still small voice. He reassures us of His presence, His purpose and ours in Him. Just as Elijah.

The cave serves a purpose but only for awhile. Eventually we must emerge. With Him, His mercies are new every morning; He makes ALL things new. He is a God of second chances.

"They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,  but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.  While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.  In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; he has risen! " Luke 24:2-7


He goes before us. We emerge from the cave with a renewed sense of His grace, His strength and His mercy. We emerge with a new sense of life, vision and purpose. The world and our walk with Him look a little different.  We look a little different. Our spirit is nourished and healed. Our confidence is restored. There is understanding, surrender and peace.

The cave is there when we need it. When we need to be transformed. We will visit it as often as He guides us there. For a time. And, He is always there waiting........