Sparrow Dwelling

He whispers quiet in the night when I am at an end of myself.  He calms and quiets me with His love. A love that speaks strong but still. For I find Him most in the stillness. Not in the racing or the chasing or the striving, but in the aloneness of an empty bedroom, the stillness of the dark night, the mighty quiet of His open Word.


Psalm 84
     'How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of Hosts!
     My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord;
     my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.

     Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself,
     where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
     my King and my God.'



He remembers this sparrow. He knows this weak song.

And He gently reminds me that there is a home. A good and safe and pleasing home in the house of God. He is my home. He is my resting place. And He is ever waiting for me to simply fly home. To stop the flitting and wandering. To rest quiet in the shadow of His wings. To find peace in repentance and rest. This winter quiet is made for renewal. Restoring the heart and soul and mind. Laying the young ones in the care of the Almighty. For He cares for them more than I can imagine.

So tonight I rest. . . in the shadow of God.

My Shepherd

It's only mid-October and the worn pages of my Bible already want to flip to Luke 2.  The anticipation of Christ coming is already fluttering through my heart, so I peek ahead and read Mary's song and Joseph's obedience and angel glory among the stars.

And there they are. . . in the middle of God with us. . . right in the center of holy made human. . . perhaps the most human of us. . . shepherds.  Since childhood I've wondered at this mystery of the shepherds.  Of all the people in all of the earth, why do we see the worn, wandering wilderness walkers. The keepers of livestock, with the scent of open air and dust and fleece clinging to their weathered skin.  These men who live slow, ceaselessly watching these low, little lambs.

These men who hold fast to the staff, who steer the wandering ones back to safety, to quiet waters and green pastures.  These peace seekers, these care givers, these shelter makers give their hours and moments and days to the care of the sheep.  Always seeking their interest, always protecting, always pursuing life.

Even in the night watches they are present. For the darkness proves to be a great testing ground where lurking wolves, and steepest slopes, and danger prowl the night. But the shepherd is there, ever watching his sheep.  And the sheep rest calm in the evening breezes, still in the shadows, ever trusting their faithful shepherd. 


Until one night, changes everything.


A new shepherd has come. . . One who will shepherd the people.  One who will bend low, and care, and show us the way.  One who will guide us in righteous paths and provide our every need, a restorer of souls.  A perfect Shepherd whose presence walks with us through the very valley of death's shadow and brings us into the shelter of His light.  One who gives abundantly of His truth and mercy and grace.

But now that servant Shepherd is wrapped in newborn skin and the holy human holds a virgin's hand. And there is cause for rejoicing because the mighty is made miniscule to feel our suffering and heal our hearts.

And who better to tell the world than a handful of men who know the ministry of shepherding?

I am glad the Maker of heaven and earth sent His holy messengers to tell the men on the hillside of Immanuel, God with Us. I believe it was no accident that the Good Shepherd told his friends first.  For He has come to seek and to save. . . just like a shepherd, my shepherd.

Glory

This. This is glory.

The majesty of the setting sun. The careful craftsmanship of the clouds. The shadows and light that create the masterpiece.

The movement. The stillness.

The Creator draws you in, unto Himself.  At this closing of the day, a time of reflection, of moments lived and love worn beautiful.  The passing of things and the dawning of the new.  The ever changing, yet constant skies. 


Like our God, always moving in directions to shine His glory, whether it is through His clouds or through our hands.  Longing to trace His beauty in a stream of light, in a stream of grace, in a stream of life - given out for man.


His eternal purpose is to show us His beauty and His glory.  We see glimpses in the golden sky, in the newborn smile, in the grasses green, and the mountains high.  But His goodness comes in drops, for our smallness cannot comprehend His beautiful while we walk this tainted sod.  He gives us doses of His nature, revealed in His creation.


Like a moving picture book that tells the story of His graciousness.  And He tells of what is to come, when new heaven is revealed and eternity shines in I AM alone.  The place where gold shimmers under our feet, because gold shivers in humility compared to the glory that is God. 


For His light will be our everlasting, His glory our salvation, His majesty our beginning and end.  Glory be to the King of Heaven, our Creator, our Lord!

Light

"Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, 'I am the Light of the world; he who follows  Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life."  John 8:12

The days have been dark here of late.  Darkness in passion lost, darkness in the dreariness and drudgery of the everyday. Darkness in following a path that is not in the light. 

It is lonely in the dark . . . and frightening. 

I am so glad that His promise that was written thousands of lifetimes ago, still can give hope to a small, scared, wandering girl today. "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning!" Psalm 30:5

This hard weeping is but a watch in the night, a season, a moment in the story of time. And this night produces fruit. It brings forth hope, for when things are darkest that is when we look up. Look up to the Father and the heavens to see His face, always gentle, always loving, always seeking us.

He promises joy carried on the wings of morning. A true abiding joy that can only be a gift. . . given of the Spirit. A joy of contentment, a joy of gladness, joy in His presence. And this beautiful joy is always accompanied by the light. The light of His ways and the light of His Word. 

So there is hope that the Joy of morning is dawning, to shed a new light, direct a new path, and bring forth the presence of the Lord. Follow the Light of the World today, I know I am.

Abide

 

For bedtime stories the boy with auburn curls brings me the Word to read, for tender ears to hear before dreams come.  This is the third night in a row he has chosen the Bible as his "bedtime story."  Tonight he says, "Did you know that those words in red are what Jesus said?  He actually said those words, right there!"  Joy and love and excitement fill his voice and his eyes - I love his love for the Lord!  This childlike faith that Christ calls us to have is simply beautiful.  Fully trusting.  Fully loving.  Fully abiding.


So we read the words in red.  The words from THE WORD covered in the red sacrifice of His life.  Words that give life, words given by the author of life.

"Abide in me. . ."  John 15:4


He calls us to abide. . . to remain. . . to rest in Him. 

He has called us to do many things, but the one thing that is of the greatest importance is abiding.  Ever dwelling in His presence.  Bringing our minds, our hearts, our souls into constant communion with Him.  Living and growing in our Lord. 

I'm guilty though, of NOT abiding.  It's easy to do when habits have turned a life into go, Go, GO!!  When swimming pools and $1 movie theaters and kids museums call for summertime fun.  When you go so much, in search of fun or entertainment or. . .fulfillment that you forget you had it all before you even walked out the front door.  You have it all in the palm of your hand. . .a holy Word and a holy God just waiting for you to stop. 

Waiting for you to stop for a moment to ABIDE. 


To be in Him and to let Him fill you. 


You won't get full on popcorn or chlorine or eye candy.  To be filled you must be still.  To be filled you must drink the Living Water.   

 

 

 

And this jar of clay can't be filled by some drive thru version of the Gospel.  Believe me, I've tried the five minute morning devotions, the three minute bedtime prayers, and the one and a half minute "Thank you for this food Lord" blessings over meals. 

 

This gospel of convenience is not the gospel of Christ.  He calls us to lay down our lives to follow Him. . . to count the cost and give Him your all, not just your leftover. 

 

 

We can only be filled when we are daily abiding in Him.  Keeping our jar continually in His presence.  Being filled by the Word, by prayer, through worship (not just on Sundays) but everyday, every hour. 

 

So I know our summertime is going to be doing a flip!  From GO to slow.

Because it's hard to be still when you're racing go carts.  It's hard to see eternity when the tv is stealing your time. 

 

And if Christ himself spoke those words in red just hours before He was arrested.  Maybe He wanted them to leave a lasting impression on the hearts of His disciples and on the heart of now.

 

"Abide in me."

 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



Choices, Choices

Life's full of choices isn't it?  Some are simple, some. . .not so much.

Paper or plastic. . .
Chocolate or vanilla. . .
Game night or movie night. . .
Quiet time or tv time. . .
Facebook or The Book. . .
Good or evil. . .
Life or death. . .

It all began in the Garden really, when an eternal God made a beautiful world and placed us right in the middle of His glory.  Perfection lived out right before our very eyes in blooming flowers and flowing water and soaring birds. . .and then He planted the choice.  Right there in the middle of His garden, planted in the fertile soil of life's beginning, right there in the tenderness of our hearts.  All knowing God gave us a choice. . . one that could be seen and touched and tasted.  Two trees - one bearing the fruit of eternal life and one bearing the fruit of eternal death.  One choice, one taste is all it took.


We all know the choice our human parents made long ago because it is lived and felt every day of our lives.  We flesh it out in our daily choosing of our own life or death.  The taste of the fruit we choose is fresh in our mouths.  Will we choose this moment to live and obey, or will we choose in this moment to die in disobedience and rebellion?


We see the choices woven throughout Scripture of the ones who chose the good fruit.  Abraham tasting the fruit of faith as he left all to follow the one true God.  Joseph picking obedience as he heeded his father's voice and chose over and over again to do what was right in every circumstance.  Noah, Daniel, Nehemiah, Ruth, Elijah. . .all life followers. 


And then we see the greatest life follwer of all. . . a baby born and God wraps His son in newborn flesh and places the King of Heaven in a virgin's arms.  And that boy grows into a man who heals and preaches and prays.  A man who chooses the fruit of obedience to His Father even when the fruit seems bitter.  Even when the fruit of life comes at the cost of death.  A man who loves His God Father so much he gives his body to be beaten, his name to be assaulted, and his spirit to be given . . . all to please the Father who loves the world. 


This world that is sin lusting and dripping in self.  These people who are mocking and hating and killing.  Right in the middle of our sin . . . He loved us and He died for us.  So that when we choose the fruit of death He can offer the gift of life.  So that when our self saturated hearts fall in the pit of destruction He is there to lift us up and wrap us in the gift of His blood, so when the Father glances our way He doesn't see our sin choice, He sees His Son's life choice.  He sees the One who is Son and God and man all wrapped in one, who chose freely to give us life through His death.  The Son who gives us still the fruit of life and all its glory!

Snow Blossoms

Winter drags its icy fingers into spring. .  holding on for dear life.  We saw it yesterday here as snow fell on flower blossoms.  Heavenly crystals swirling slow and silent, to fall on the white cups of bradford pear glory.  These seasons manifest my heart.  This winter has been a dark, cold, icy one.  Darkness lingers and its hard to hold onto the light sometimes. . . 

And this is why I'm thankful. . . this is how I know He is faithful.  That no matter how I feel or how bleak the world may look - He is always good and He is always God.  He is faithful and true.  His beautiful love is ever waiting to be known.   And it is this love that melts the cold, hard, bitter winds of winter deep. 


I can see the sweet blossoms of spring trying to fill my world, if only winter chill would leave and falling snow would pass.  In all, I cling to the Maker of the spring and the snow, the One who knows me by name and gave everything for my soul.  I will hold fast to the Potter who fashioned these days for my good and His glory. 


                 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills -
                  From whence comes my help?
                  My help comes from the Lord,
                  Who made the heaven and earth.

                  He will not allow your foot to be moved;
                  He who keeps you will not slumber.
            
                  The Lord is your keeper,
                  The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

                  He shall preserve your soul. . .
                  From this time forth, and even forevermore."

                                                                Psalm 121:1-3,5,8