Rabbit Trails and Being Still

My quiet time often leads me down rabbit trails.  Or either it's ADD.  Either way, those diversions are often fruitful and lead me to think that sometimes they may be God-directed after all.  

This morning as I was being quiet and still, the hymn "Immortal, Invisible" came to mind.  I looked up the words (since I could only remember the first verse) and then became curious about the author of those powerful words.  That hymn was written by a Scottish pastor, Walter Chalmers Smith.  Following the biographical information were other poems he'd written.  This one was the prize for me at the end of this particular rabbit trail.  I hope it speaks to you as much as it did me.

Thoughts and Fancies (1887).

II. “Be still”

By Walter Chalmers Smith (1824–1908)

Be still, and know He doeth all things well,

Working the purpose of His holy will,

And if His high designs He do not tell

Till He accomplish them—do thou be still.

Why should’st thou strive and fret and fear and doubt,

As if His way, being dark, must bode thee ill?

If thine own way be clearly pointed out,

Leave Him to clear up His, and be thou still.

Was ever yet thy trust in Him misplaced?

And hoping in Him, did He not fulfill

The word on which He caused thee to rest,

Though not as thou had’st thought, perchance? Be still.

What if the road be rough which might be smooth?

Is not the rough road best for thee, until

Thou learn by patient walking in the truth

To trust and hope in God, and to be still?

A little faith is more than clearest views;

Would’st thou have ocean like a babbling rill?

God without mystery were not good news;

Wrestle not with the darkness, but be still.

Be still, and know that He is God indeed

Who reigns in glory on His holy hill,

Yet once upon the Cross did hang and bleed,

And heard the people raging—and was still.

Journals

I'm within a few pages of filling up another journal.  I always come to the end of another notebook with a little sadness.  Those pages contain my most intimate thoughts and prayers.  They're full of joys, celebrations, questions (lots of questions!), crying out to God, listening to God, letting go of some anger or frustration; but most of all they're full of new discoveries of God's loving care.  He reminds me in so many ways of his nearness - his presence in my life.  

Just today as I was journaling my reflections on a devotional I had read, I was reminded of this verse from Philippians 4: do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)  It's such a familiar passage that I almost didn't look it up in my Bible.  But I got that little prompting and turned to the passage and, as so often happens when reading the Bible, there was a verse that leaped out at me that I'd never paid much attention to.  Right there, just before the one I was so familiar with:  The Lord is at hand.  The Lord is at hand ---- therefore, we don't need to be anxious about anything!  What more needs to be said?  If I had simply read my devotional, thought about it for a few minutes and moved on to other things, I might have missed the blessing. Sitting down with my journal and writing down my thoughts led me down an unexpected but delightful path.

That's why I love to journal.  I can look back through those pages and see, time and again, that the Lord is and has been very much at hand.  No matter what.  I see where prayers were answered, issues resolved in God's perfect timing and perfect ways, worries dealt with, anxieties and fears calmed, just the right words spoken to my heart to comfort, correct, encourage, or bless.  Re-reading those old entries reminds me of God's faithfulness even when I might have been missing his answers and provisions at the time.

It took quite a while for me to discover how to fit this discipline of journaling into my life.  There were lots of stumbles and false starts but eventually I discovered my way. I so treasure the time spent with my pen in hand and notebook open to the next blank page.  The most amazing thing is that, once I start writing, I'm almost always surprised by where I end up.  The Lord leads me to so many new discoveries or realizations - such a blessing!

So, on to a brand new notebook.  Only God knows where I'll end up at the last page of this new one.  It reminds me of the title of a Dr. Seuss' book, "Oh the Places You'll Go!"

Lent

I began my Lenten devotional this morning.  The author of today's reflection challenged me to re-think my understanding and definition of anger.  For such a small word, I - and I suspect most of us - can be very creative in its definition.  We - okay, I - can also be very creative in justifying it!  To paraphrase my morning devotional author, he described the source of anger as a failure to live into the reality of our status as a beloved child of God. He further reminded the readers that we have the opportunity in this season of Lent to examine and relinquish anger to our loving Father.  

Being such a professional anger-justifier, I was taken aback by his words.  Is the true root of my anger the feeling of not being loved enough?  Or not loved well?  If I believe and am secure as a beloved child of God, what more love could I possibly need?  Anything else would be a bonus.  So, yes, I suppose I don't live into that reality as I should.  My eyes are too much on the world's view of love - what love should look and feel like; and that's such a sorry comparison to the love of God.  

So, what's keeping me from knowing that depth of God's love and living out of that love?  Why is it only at certain times?  How do I make room in my crusty, stony old heart for more of God's presence?  That's where, as my devotional pointed out, the season of Lent is such a blessing.  I need this reminder to take time for self-examination, a spiritual house-cleaning.  Those sins that contribute to my hardness of heart need to be brought into the light of God's presence.  I need to ask myself the hard questions and be brave enough -- willing enough --to search out and hear the answers.

Anger, for instance, can be too easily justified.  After all, if so-and-so hadn't done or said "whatever", I wouldn't be so angry!  (By the way, I'm referring to that anger that can become sinful, leading to resentment, bitterness, hardness of heart.)  Therefore, it must be all that person's fault and I'm freed from any responsibility, right?  Wrong!  While I'm not responsible for wrong, sinful actions done against me, I am most definitely responsible for my response to them.  Jesus had a great deal to say about that subject.

So my morning devotional reading has challenged me to examine my heart.  Where there is anger, I want to release it, leave it at the foot of the cross where it was dealt with once for all time.  In doing so, I'm reminded so vividly of the love of God for me, in me and through me.  A hard spot in my heart can be "tenderized".  Instead of having thoughts and feelings leading to anger, I can offer thanks and praise to the God who has forgiven me, loves me and is in the business of transforming me more and more into the image of Christ.  


For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.  (Ephesians 3:14-19 ESV)


P.S.  Did you see that?  "That you may be filled with ALL THE FULLNESS of God".  That's a promise well worth my discomfort at facing my sins and confessing them to the Lord.

Trust Me

I find myself dealing with trust issues these days.  Not lack of trust in any one particular person in my circle of friends and family but I find that God is asking me to trust him more and more.  I thought I was doing a pretty good job with that but in his gentle and loving way, he's pointing out the areas where I'm holding on to MY will rather than trusting in God's perfect plans.  

I pray for loved ones and friends who are suffering.  I want them to be happy.  We don't live in a happy world and my Pollyanna hopes are well-intentioned but not getting to the heart of the matter.  

How do we endure hardship?  How do we watch others endure hardship?  

It's so difficult to resist the urge (especially with my strong Mom instincts) to run in and fix things or pray for God to hurry and make it all better.  

Praying yesterday, I had a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and the power of the Light that cannot and will not be overcome by darkness.  At the same time, he reminded me of his nearness and intimate knowledge and care for the one for whom I was praying.

"Do you trust me?" is the question I hear in my heart.  

And then more gently the simple words repeated over and over:  "Trust me".  

Going Fishing

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken....  (Luke 5:4-9 ESV)

These men are just beginning to discover who Jesus is.  What an amazing thing it must have been for them to bring in such an incredible number of fish, all the while thinking the whole venture was an exercise in futility!  They'd already tried; they were skilled fisherman and had been hard at work all night. This morning as I read this passage, some new questions came to mind.  Not to read more into this account than is there, but when have I "toiled all night and took nothing"?  When have my labors been self-directed or self-driven and led to low outcomes?  

When I was writing my first Bible study I can remember laboring over a particular lesson, spending hours writing, thinking, studying and writing some more, only to feel that I was going nowhere fast.  I had "labored all night and took nothing".  Finally, I would just stop laboring, look to Jesus and ask him what he wanted me to write, ask for his message for those who would be doing this study.  I'd wait quietly then "let down my nets in deeper water".  It was amazing!  The words would flow.  Deleting all my words, rewriting the material afresh, I would often be so surprised and blessed by where the Lord would take me - the message he gave me to share.  How many times I was brought to tears or sat in awe of what I was being shown!  My "nets" were overflowing with the abundance.

I wish I could tell you that I learned my lesson and only had to do a big delete and re-write once or twice.   But even though there were hours of self-driven effort that were undone by the Lord's directions to put out into the deep and drop your nets for a catch, I'm grateful and so thankful for the experience and reminders of the bountiful results when God directs our efforts.  Like Peter and his friends, I came to discover who Jesus is in a new and amazing way.  I learned more about his love for his children, his heart and compassion.  I came away with a love and excitement for God's word that is only growing stronger.  I could feel his delight in my discoveries of the hidden jewels in the Scriptures. What a blessing!  Is it any wonder that Peter fell to his knees in awe and wonder before his Lord?

Our results or "catch" may not be seen immediately but we know that when we're co-laboring with God, the results - the fruit - have eternal significance and may be evident in ways we simply cannot see with your limited, finite vision.  Regardless of what we can or cannot see, the "nets" may be bursting at the seams. God's gifts, provisions, answers and blessings are greater than we can ever imagine!  Trust him when you sense him nudging you to go out a little deeper.  Drop your nets in faith and watch him fill them.


Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  (Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV)


The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  (Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV)

Mary, Did You Know?

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.  Luke 2:19

A young and innocent girl, with a servant’s heart, one favored by God, submits her heart and her body to the purposes of the Almighty God.  In rejoicing in the blessing and holiness of God, how could she grasp the depth of her submission?

A young mother after delivering her baby boy is visited by strangers who have come to see and worship. How much more was she, herself, struck with awe and wonder at all that was happening?

A young woman watches as her son, in growing up, seems to be growing away from his parents.  He must be about his Father’s business in the temple rather than keeping up with his mother and father on their travels.  Did she know what that business was to be?

As a guest attending a wedding with her son, watching water become wine, could she grasp the significance of this miracle?  

All those memories and experiences – so mysterious – that were treasured up in her heart:  prophecies, prayers, angels, worshiping shepherds and wise men, miracles, ministry, teaching.  Did she know where this road would lead?  Could she possibly have envisioned Calvary?

Simeon prophesied that a sword would pierce her soul.  Did she remember those words when she watched a sword pierce the side of her beloved son? 

Mary, Did You Know?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would someday walk on water?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?

This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?

When you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God.

Oh Mary did you know---

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again.

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb---.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?

Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?

This sleeping child you're holding is the great I AM.

Lyrics by Mark Lowry

Light and Dark

Thus says the Lord:  "Keep justice and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed."  (Isaiah 56:1)

We are in the last few days of this Advent season, the season in which we focus on the coming of the Messiah into the darkness of our world - both as a tiny baby lying in the manger and the expectant waiting for his return in great glory, the King of kings and Lord of lords.  God's salvation has come and his deliverance has been revealed.  And as Christians, we await the second coming when the fullness of his deliverance will be realized in all of creation.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)  

Yet, here we are in the "between times" where there is most definitely pain, mourning, tears and suffering. Unimaginable acts of violence, famine, natural disasters, fears and worries confront us daily, even hourly. The world can be and is a frightening place.  How do we keep justice and do righteousness in this dark world?  Recall the words from Micah 6:8: He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?  (Micah 6:8)  

How is this possible?  For me, the answer is in that last phrase:  Walk humbly with your God.  Follow him, allow him to be the Lord of your life - all aspects of your life.  Allow him to love the unlovable through you, to give you a heart of compassion and mercy towards the sick, wounded and afflicted, to be his light in the darkness, to share the good news of God's salvation and deliverance, freedom to those who are in prisons of guilt, anger, shame, bitterness or unforgiveness.  To keep justice and righteousness is impossible on our own.  Only through the work and power of the Spirit can there be true justice and righteousness.  Only by abiding in Christ, living and walking in his strength, can we ever know peace in a world of confusion, pain and sorrow.

God's peace does not come from turning a blind eye to suffering, trying to be untouched or removed. Peace in the midst of suffering can only come from knowing that God is good, he is sovereign, he is holy.  He is intimately aware of every detail, he sees every tear, he hears every prayer.  In the face of evil, God is greater.  

The light of Christ has come into the world.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not [cannot] overcome it.  (John 1:5)  That's the truth, the good news of Advent.  The world needs this news. Those who are surrounded by the darkness are crying out for the light to break through.  In God's infinite wisdom, he has chosen you and me to be his light bearers. 

• “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  (Matt. 5:14-16) 
• For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Cor. 4:6)
• Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life.... (Phil.2:14-16)
• Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12)