Reflecting God's Glory

Have you ever just sat and watched as the sun sets and the light bounces off the clouds as they quickly

change colors?

 

I love watching God paint the sky.

 

God paints the most mesmerizing masterpieces.

 

It was a warm summer evening, glancing out the window I noticed the crimson clouds and the blazing,

fiery sun peeking through the branches of a tree in our front yard.

 

This was a sunset I knew I did not want to miss.

 

 

The heavens declare the glory of God,and the expanse proclaims the work of his hands. Psalm 19:1

 

The girls and I decided it was imperative to get a better vantage point in order to fully enjoy the

masterpiece that God was painting.

We ventured out to the front of the driveway to have a less obstructed view of the sky as it became

more illuminated with flaming reds and with vibrant oranges mixed with streaks of yellows and hints of

purples adorning the clouds. The glowing sun pierced through the clouds and was reflecting its red

glow on everything the light touched.

My daughter climbed up on the mighty anchor that graces the front of the property to get a better view of

God’s work in progress. I looked up at her knowing she had found the best vantage point to enjoy the

symphony of color dancing before us. I could not help but take this picture. There is so much truth

captured in this fleeting moment.

 

 

The solid foundation that the giant anchor is supported on.

My daughter seated securely on top of that great anchor.

While wearing a shirt that says “faith” in the design of a cross.

Her face reflecting the radiance of the sun as she looks intently at the sunset.

What a perfect picture of what our lives in Christ should look like.

Is Jesus your foundation?

“Therefore the Lord God said:

‘Look, I have laid a stone in Zion,a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; 

the one who believes will be unshakable.’”

Isaiah 28:16

 

Is Jesus your anchor?

“...we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to seize the hope set before

us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.

It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain.

Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner,

because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 6:18b-20

 

Where are you securely seated?

“God—he clothes me with strength and makes my way perfect.

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and sets me securely on the heights.”

Psalm 18:32-33

 

Who do you put your faith and hope in?

Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us,

let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us.

Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame,

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

 

Does your face reflect the glory of God?

“As Moses descended from Mount Sinai—with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands

as he descended the mountain—he did not realize that

the skin of his face shone as a result of his speaking with the Lord.”

Exodus 34:29

Surviving 2020 - I Will Not Be Shaken

Congratulations!

You have survived 183 days of the year 2020! We are now in the second half of the year.

Give yourself a pat on the back and a high-five.

A trophy is in order right now too but I think some chocolate would be a good substitute.

2020 was so full of hope and promise just 6 months ago.

Jesus Followers were crying out for and anticipating revival.

Expectation was in the atmosphere and for those who had a hard 2019,

a much welcomed new beginning was on the horizon.

But here we are, halfway through the year and the hope and promise that we had

at the beginning of the year has been crushed, trampled on and all but annihilated

as if it were in the pathway of the most destructive bomb ever invented.

With the tribulations and trials that have been hurled at us by a blind machete thrower

at a throwing competition, it’s a miracle we have made it this far. 

Where is the revival that so many had said God told them was coming? 

Where is all the good that many said 2020 would bring? 

Where are the new beginnings? 

And, where is the joy this year was to be filled with? 

The fact that we have lost the ability to meet in large groups,

and do the things we think define our faith and who we are, is in my opinion,

somewhat of a good thing.

We needed to get out of the religious rut and get back to a relationship with our Creator.

In some ways I have seen similarities to the Isrealites’ exile in what we are experiencing.

We have in a sense, been uprooted from our churches, work places,

gathering places with friends and families, and all that we know to be normal.

The Isrealites were removed from their homes, their livelihood, unable to worship in the Temple,

and sent into a land that was not friendly to them.

I am not saying that God poured out sickness, destruction, murder, fires, earthquakes, tornadoes,

and everything else as vengeance or wrath or judgment.

I am saying that through ALL of this,

God is SOVEREIGN and uses EVERYTHING for His good and His purpose.

I have been diving deeper into God’s Word this year, deeper than I have ever gone before.

(Come on in, the Living Water is amazing!)

I have seen a pattern that I have seen in the past but I have noticed more this year.

Humans were created for intimate relationship with the Creator of the universe.

We (humanity) walk in relationship with God for a while trusting His wisdom and goodness,

then we sadly choose to do what is right in our own eyes.

This puts a fissure in the relationship and bad things happen. We live and act in our brokenness.

Then, when it gets so incredibly bad that we think it cannot get any worse,

we come to our senses and return to God.

He accepts us, heals our brokenness and restores us into a renewed relationship with Him,

only for us to turn from Him and choose to do what is right in our own eyes, again.

It is a cycle that continues throughout the generations. Psalm 78 sums it up really well.

At the beginning of this year many people quoted Joel 2:28 when saying that God

was going to do something big this year.

“...I will pour out my Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

your old men will dream dreams,

your young men will see visions.”

We really need to look at the first part of that verse,

then also more importantly read the first chapter and everything that happened before Joel 2:28.

The first words of Joel 2:28 are “And afterward,”

those very important words are often ignored when quoting God’s outpouring. 

You have to ask, "After what?"

Let’s look and see.

First, there is a complete destruction of the land through locusts.

So much so that it would be talked about for generations.

Then an army stronger and more destructive than any before, attacks the people.

It kinda feels like we are living in the time of Joel to a point, doesn’t it?

Imagine, so much despair and loss of hope.

In the midst of this turmoil there is a call for deep repentance, twice.

Joel 1:13-14 and Joel 2:12-17

God says to return to Him with all your heart.

We can see that the people have chosen to do what is right in their own eyes.

God is calling for a repentance that is not an outward showing,

not virtue signalling, or empty words.

He requires of us a true, humble and complete heart change.

What are you doing that is right in your own eyes, but not in God's?

It may not necessarily be wrong or sin, but it isn't God's best for you.

Not only are the Israelites called to examine their hearts. We must examine ours.

Then, after repentance, will God pour out His Spirit.

We also have to realize that the pouring out of God’s Spirit has already happened.

If you read Acts 2, you will see Peter quoting Joel,

when God’s Spirit poured out as tongues of fire.
And the Holy Spirit has continued to pour out from that moment, all the way to the present.

This outpouring was not a one time, isolated event.

It is a continuous event that we are still experiencing today.

So what we are actually asking is for, is a fresh outpouring, a new awakening.

A fanning of the flame that has already been ignited.

All of us are needing a renewal of spirit and mind.

We are all weary and the burden right now does not seem light.

It seems as if chaos has taken over and peace is nowhere to be found.

While we begin the second half of the year that seems to never end,

get yourself into a place with God.

Get in God’s presence. We do not need a Sunday service in a church building to do this.

Spend time reading His Word - May I suggest Psalms to start. 

Play worship music- Worship is a great way to combat the chaos and stress, it brings peace.

In fact when I feel like I am under attack, I start to worship.

Get alone and go for a walk and just talk to Him.

It’s okay to tell Him you are stressed, feeling defeated, angry, confused…

He wants a relationship, and an honest conversation is integral to a solid relationship.

Then, after you do any of the above, be quiet and listen for Him to whisper to your soul.

He speaks, He comforts, He strengthens, He restores, He brings rest, peace and joy.

2020 is a year that will be remembered. 

Will you remember it as a year of hardship and defeat? 

Will you remember it as the year of a new not normal?

Or, will you remember it as a year when God showed up in a monumental way

and did more than just carry you through.

A year where you had a fresh outpouring of His Spirit and a new revelation of who God is. 

He is gracious, compassionate, rich in faithful love. 

He is the God who sees you, the God who heals you, the God who fights for you,

the God who supplies everything you need, the God who gives you peace,

the God who gives you rest, the God who gives you joy,

and the God who comforts you.

Rest in God alone, my soul,

for my hope comes from Him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold:

I will not be shaken.

My salvation and glory depend on God, my strong rock.

My refuge is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

pour out your hearts before Him.

God is our refuge.

Psalm 62:5-8

Further Up and Further In

I love The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I have read the entire series more times than I can count. There were many nights as a child where I would read my book by the night light in my room until the wee hours in the morning and then take my book to school so I could read it whenever there was a moment. I love how each story intertwines with the previous story and the deep symbolism that is written into every tiny detail. Every time you read the series you can find new little nuggets of connection between the stories. If you only read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but have not read the others, you have read a very incomplete story. If you have only read the first three but did not read the last four you have also not read the complete story. You must read all seven stories in the Narnia Chronicles in order to have read the complete story. And you should really reread the entire series so you can fully appreciate the epic adventure, of a creator who pursues his creation, that C.S. Lewis unfolds, layer by layer, chapter by chapter, book by book. Reading the Bible is the exact same. The Bible from Genesis to Revelation is the story of The Creator pursuing His Creation.

Growing up, I was told the Old Testament was less important than the New Testament for Christians. I was told the Old Testament is good and foretells of Jesus but Christians don’t really need to know the Old Testament like they do the New Testament. As a Sunday School Graduate, I can retell every simple Bible story from Creation to Paul and Silas and everything in between. If it was on a flannel board, I know the story inside and out. I also, could quote every over-quoted memory verse without fail. And in Sunday School there was the mindset that the Old Testament was not as important as the New Testament to a Christian, even though we learned every Bible story from both the Old and the New. I remember sometimes a nagging question about a story or lesson I learned that I would dismiss as doubt because the Sunday school teacher is supposed to know everything. (At least when you are 8, that is what you think.)

Fast forward to being an adult and reading through the Bible from start to finish more than once. Noticing not so subtle similarities between what Jesus said and what was said by a prophet or psalmist of old. And some of those nagging questions began bubbling up to the surface. I started digging deeper, going further in, seeking out what God was really saying. God was showing me that the Old Testament is just as important as the New Testament. The New Testament is a continuation of God’s story, not a new one. And the New Testament is really a part of the Old because they are woven together to tell one continuous story. When Jesus spoke, he would quote the Old Testament and then expand on it. He said he came not to destroy the law but to fulfill it. When Jesus spoke during the festivals he would tell the people how he was fulfilling what the festival represented. (The Passover lamb to name the most obvious.) The letters written by the apostles quote the Old Testament and talk about how Jesus fulfills the prophecies and the laws. And how to take the Old and live in the New, because they are very much intertwined with each other.

Recently I heard a message from one of my favorite people to listen to, because I always rethink what I already “knew” and learn that there is so much more that God wants to show me. It was a message on the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. If you did not already know, Jews did not talk to Samaritans, ever. It was a huge deal that Jesus, a Jew, would even talk to this Samaritan, who was a woman. Men did not talk to women in public. And she was of poor status, she was probably marginalized for being a woman who had been with five different husbands/men during her life, she was not one who would be sought out by any person of importance. Oh the uproar that passer-bys might have been in as they realized what was transpiring. I can just imagine the gossip that started to ensue right there at the well in the middle of the day. A Jewish man was talking to an unimportant Samaritan woman in public! As a kid, I would hear this story and be told that she was living in sin because of how many husbands she had. I think also there is this mindset that because she wasn’t a Jew, but a Samaritan, she must be a sinner. But then as a kid I would have that nagging thought in the back of my head, was she really an adulterous, harlot, sinner who did not follow the laws of the Old Testament? Jesus didn’t call her a sinner, he did not tell her to sin no more. Whenever Jesus ministered to or healed someone who was a sinner, he would call out their sin and tell them to stop sinning. He didn’t do that with her. And that is where the sermon spoke so clearly to me. This time, I was being told, it is possible that we missed the mark while reading this passage. If we dig deeper, we might find that we were wrong on the surface and what is underneath is so much better than just Jesus talking to a sinner. I won’t go into all my notes as there were many and some were written so quickly that they are now illegible, but here are a few thoughts.

Jesus talked to this woman, he initiated the conversation. It was not permissible for men to talk to women in public like that. She was of no special social status, Jesus chose to minister to those who were outcasts, marginalized, and of poor social status all the time. Jesus went through Samaria to meet this Samaritan woman. He did not need to go (he could have taken a different route), he chose to go through the place that Jews of that time would avoid at any cost. Jews of the time refused to have anything to do with the Samaritans. Jesus didn’t actually call out her sin. He agreed with her statement about not having a husband and then told her that he knew she had been with five men. (Why she had been with so any men wasn’t said. It could have been that her first husband died and then she needed a new man who then left her because she burnt his toast. Who knows. But in that time, a woman needed to be with a man for survival, she would end up a prostitute or desolate without having a man to provide for her.) Jesus gave her a word of knowledge so he could tell her what he needed to tell her. This encounter where Jesus declares to her he is the Messiah, the one everyone was waiting for, was at a well. In the Old Testament we find that Jacob met his bride Rachel at a well and that Moses met his bride Zipporah at a well. Jesus was meeting his bride (the Samaritan represents all of us) at a well! That is not the only deep significant part of the story. It is just one facet of a deeper story, one that cannot fully be known unless we know the whole story. What does the Old Testament say about what was spoken at this well? So much more than I can type in this already long post. If you read the exchange that John writes and then dig deeper into what is said in the Old Testament not just the New Testament, you find that this divine encounter was one to show that Jesus came to save everyone. Oh the love he has for us that he wants a relationship with us. He was willing to ruffle feathers and break with tradition to have encounters with everyone so that everyone could hear his message of truth, love and redemption. Yes, she was a sinner as we all are. But I am sure that was not the point of the story that John was telling.

My point is this. You cannot dismiss the absolute importance of the Old Testament if you are a Jesus follower. The Bible in its entirety is for us to read and then read again and then read again. Finding the connections and symbols between old and new. 

What does God want to show you in something you have read over and over again? Slow down and meditate on His Word, dig deeper. Ask questions and also understand the culture and time that the story was written. Don’t dismiss the Old Testament as being less significant because the New Testament is saturated with the Old Testament. And without it, you will not get the full story. The epic love story of God pursuing you and wooing you with His unconditional, unfailing, unconstrained and immeasurable love for you.