Living In Awe

"Let us live in awe of the LORD our God..." Jeremiah 5:24

When was the last time something took your breath away? What caused this pause? A dazzling sunset? Majestic mountains? Listening to an orchestration of the "Messiah"? Pictures of the Grand Canyon? The roar of thunder? The birth of a newborn baby? These things capture my attention because of their magnificence. In comparison to me, they are so much greater. In their grandeur I see how small and weak I am.

What exactly is "awe"? Webster's defines it as a mixed feeling of reverence, fear and wonder, caused by something majestic, sublime, sacred etc... It refers to profound respect inspired by the greatness, superiority etc. of a person or thing and suggests an immobilizing effect. This deep respect is mingled with love.

OK. I'm reading this verse again.

"Let us live in awe of the LORD our God..."

Live in awe? At times I experience awe, but is my life characterized by being alive with awe? Am I captivated, moment by moment by God's majesty and greatness? Does His presence move me so powerfully that I can't help but remove my shoes and kneel in humble adoration of a God so great? Are my thoughts held by the wonder of my King?

I believe the enemy to awe is comfort. We've become so casual with God that it's driving our awe away. A mystery of God must remain. In our yearning for intimacy in our relationship with God we must still remember His majesty. Familiarity removes reverence of the Holy. Although I desire intimacy , there must still be an "otherness" about God. We can't allow the miraculous to become the mundane.

Lord, I want to live in awe of You. Not a fleeting, emotional response, but a lifestyle of recognizing You As Lord and Savior.

I stand in awe of You. Lord, take my breath away.

She Speaks Shepherds

"I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15

My mind is focused on some "shepherds" who God has used to guide me with knowledge and understanding. Precious women, who this weekend again will be instructing, leading and advising hearts who are desperately seeking God's will for their lives.

I'm referring to my P31 friends.

This weekend over 600 women will gather in North Carolina. Packed carefully in their suitcases are hopes and dreams. Each one coming at the invitation of the Lord. Each one longing to encounter Him personally.

God has chosen and prepared a dedicated team of shepherds to care for His sheep. I know from past experience these girls have hearts like His. Each one radiates His love and draws others to follow hard after Him. Faithful vessels, they will share not as ones who live a text-book faith, but as daughter's of the King who have met Jesus face-to-face and know the challenges of walking with the Lord, as well as the surpassing greatness of His glory. No false pretense. They have discarded masks for authenticity. They will humbly open their lives, share their stories and embrace others.

They will lead, but they will also serve. They will wash feet as they take on needs that are not their own. The sheep have come to be fed, and these precious shepherds will guide each lady to a banqueting table where they can taste and see that the Lord is good. These lambs will be led into peaceful pastures and their thirst quenched by Living Water. These shepherds are following the Shepherd, making following them desireable.

Faithful to His Word, my life is being enriched and my heart is drawing closer to my Savior because of each of them. They are shepherd's after His own heart.

The Buck Stops Here

"Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother was Jedidah, the daughter of Adaiah from Bozkath. He did what was pleasing in the LORD's sight and followed the example of his ancestor David. He did not turn away from doing what was right."

"...and a little child will lead them." Isaiah 11:6

Josiah's dad has just been assassinated, and at the tender age of eight this little boy becomes king.

When he was 16 years of age the Bible says, "he began to seek the God of his ancestor David." 2 Chronicles 34:3. How did he know to do this? I have to stop for a moment and consider the influence of his mom, Jedidah.

Although this is simply speculation, I wonder if he possibly grew to love and follow the Lord because of a godly mother. I wonder if he watched her seeking and obeying the Lord. I wonder if it was her example that ignited a yearning in his young heart to pursue the Lord. I wonder if she would cuddle him close and tell him stories of how in generations past his family loved the Lord. Never underestimate a mother's influence.

However Josiah came to follow God's heart, he broke the cycle of sin in his generation. He took responsibility for his own choices and actions. His history would not control his destiny. He refused to remain caught in the web of the past.

As the expression goes, "the buck stops here". Regardless of what has gone on before us, we can make choices to change the future by changing our actions today. Instead of walking the evil way of his father, Josiah decided on a different path. Seeking God, he followed a new set of footprints. Footprints we can choose to follow today as well.

Yes, Josiah could look back and see a history of defeat, but he could also look forward and see victory.

Which way are you looking?

Undeliverable

"The LORD says, 'I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.'" Isaiah 59:10

*ouch*

Can you imagine that? The Lord is holding our answer in His hands, but because we failed to present our need before Him, we did not receive.

The very thing we're waiting on and longing for is available. In my minds eye I see a beautifully wrapped parcel. It's contents will fulfill the cry of our heart. Yet, it sits on a shelf, unclaimed, and we feel abandoned and forgotten.

The prayer that never was, blocked the answer that was.

What keeps us from asking?

Fear? Pride? Doubt? Insecurity? Self-assurance? Friends?

I sent a parcel in the mail to a friend earlier this year. After weeks and weeks of not hearing that it had arrived at it's destination safely, I contacted her to inquire. No...she had not received it.

Weeks later I received notification that it had been returned to my address. The sticker on the package indicated that it had not been claimed. It sat waiting for the recipient to come and just reach out and accept it.

I wonder what answers God has wrapped and waiting for me, if I would just fall on my knees in humility and ask.

Buried Alive

"Among the living, we are like the dead." Isaiah 59:10

Is this verse convicting anyone other than me?

We can pour our life into so many things to provide a living, but is it providing a life? We can work so hard to live, that we don't actually get to live.

Dead. No longer showing any characteristics of life. Physically inactive. Not circulating or flowing. Not surviving in active use. Numb.

Does that describe anyone's existence?

At the end of a day...what have you done? Are you living? Really living? Or, are you going through the motions?

I heard the other day that life should not be an apology, but a statement. What statement is your life making? Mine is only a whisper right now. Needing to live out loud.

I personally don't feel like I'm accomplishing anything right now. At the close of each day I look back over the past hours and wonder...Lord, what have I done? A little cleaning and cooking. A little writing. A trip to visit my dad. Feeling lost and directionless, I want to have purpose and passion. I feel like life is passing me by. Other's are on grand pursuits, but among the living I am like the dead.

There was only One man who was born to die, yet look how He lived.

Unplugged

"Come to me with your ears wide open." Isaiah 55:3

Over the past two weeks I've had very limited hearing. I described it as being underwater in a tunnel. Due to this physical handicap, I have missed enjoying the clarity of birds singing and music playing. Voices over the phone were dulled. One day while driving, it was only thanks to vehicles ahead of me pulling over to the side of the road that I became aware of an ambulance approaching.

If my physical hearing can be so impaired, what about this spiritual sense? What might block or clog my ears that would keep me from hearing God's voice?

Time. Am I even pausing to give Him opportunity to speak?

Openness. Do I reallly want to hear what God has to say to me?

Unforgiveness. God does not hear, and therefore cannot answer, if my sin has clogged His ears (Isaiah 59:1-2).

Impatience. Am I being still long enough to listen?

Distractions. Are too many other thoughts crowding out His voice?

Position. Have I come away to a quiet place?

Preparation. Is my heart ready to hear?

Attitude. Have I come expecting God to speak to me?

Desire. How desperate am I to hear His voice?

Fear. Am I afraid He will give me directions I don't want to obey?

"Open my ears, that I may hear
Voices of truth Thou sendest clear;
And while the wave notes fall on my ear,
Everything false will disappear.

Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!"

"'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" 1 Samuel 3:9

Hidden

"He has hidden me in the shadow of his hand." Isaiah 49:2

Hidden in the shadow. Protected. Surrounded. Enclosed. An inseparable companion.

Do you ever wish for a place where no-one and nothing can touch you or find you? Unwelcome intruders cannot take hold. No illness. No disease. No loss. No separation. No hurt. No pain. No tears.

Concealed in a shadow that is always larger. Always safer. Always present.

Wrapped in the security of His hand. A powerful, nail-scarred hand that tenderly, yet firmly guards your life. Fears fade. Doubts diminish. Rest is certain. Strength is infused. Inside this shadow worries and cares are forgotten. A place of comfort, dependability and certainty.

Acceptance. Love. Peace. Refuge.

Dark clouds gather. Thunder rolls. You are held. Free of cares. Total trust.

The shadow separates and defines reality. Suddenly you see Who is real.

Released from anxiety...you breathe.

May we know today that our lives are hidden with Christ in God, Col. 3:3.