No Doubt This Man is a Murderer

I kind of embarrassed my little sisters this evening
during Bible reading.

Acts chapter 28, verses 1-4.

"After we were brought safely through [the shipwreck], we then learned that the island was called Malta. The native people showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold. When Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks and put them on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened on his hand. When the native people saw the creature hanging from his hand, they said to one another,

'No doubt this man is a murderer. Though he has escaped from the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.'"

Did those natives know just how close they were to the truth? 

Paul WAS a murderer! 

According to justice, he shouldn't have been allowed to live...for his hatred towards God and God's people, he deserved death under the just wrath of God...

but mercy

said

otherwise.

verse 5:

"He, however, shook off the creature into the fire 
and suffered no harm." 

And how did I embarrass my sisters?

My throat had gotten a little...tight...and...

WHY does the abundant mercy of our God make me CRY!?!?!

~~~

Jesus bore the justice

So we could have the mercy.

Praise His beautiful Name!!

Word Searches

You have given me the shield of Your salvation, 
and Your gentleness made me great." 

(2 Samuel 22:36)

- - -

Isn't that a pleasant little verse? Just because I had some extra time this morning, I decided to drag out my Strong's Concordance and do some word searches. Sometimes my findings are just what I anticipate...a word means exactly what I think it does. Other times? Just WOW.

This was a "Just WOW" kinda morning, as I dug into this little verse.

 Had to share. :)

First of all, this Psalm of David is in two places. Recorded in Psalm 18 as well as in this chapter of 2 Samuel, are King David's pourings-forth of praise to God for deliverance from the hands of all his enemies. Talk of a shield in the verse above makes sense! And here David proclaims that HIS shield was God's salvation.

Shield, let's look up the word shield! 

SHIELD--"meginnah"

"a shield (i.e. a smaller one or buckler); 

figurative: a protector; 

also the scaly hide of the crocodile."

I really like that last one. :) God's salvation wrapped around David like scales on a crocodile, protecting him from harm--which is odd because you think of "salvation" as an outcome rather than a defense:

e.g. "I was in trouble, and then he saved me."

But no. David speaks of God's salvation AS his greatest protection--even before being literally delivered. God had promised him salvation, and David had believed God, strapped on the promise, 

and used it as his greatest defense against the enemies of doubt and fear. 

God's promise of salvation was as good as accomplished salvation.

- - -

The next little piece is what really blew me over, though. 

 "Your gentleness made me great."

THIS is what originally made me stop and do some extra word studies. What does God's gentleness have to do with David's greatness? It's just not what I would have expected to read there.

Are you ready for this?

The word "gentleness" is used only 4 times in the Bible. Used with a slightly different connotation each time:

--"Sweet reasonableness" (2 Cor. 10:1)

--Goodness expressed in action (Gal. 4:22)

--"Divine condescension", aka. clemency (Ps. 18:35)

aaaandd...

hey wait a minute. 

Isn't this 2 Samuel passage a re-quote of Psalm 18? Shouldn't it be the same word? I certainly thought so...but it's NOT. Are you ready for this last definition of "gentleness", as used in our nice little verse up there?

GENTLENESS--"anah"

affliction

painful treatment

discipline

Wh-wh-WHAT?!?!

Okay, who wrote this dictionary? Those sound like antonyms to me.Who even thought to translate that word "anah" into gentleness, in both the ESV and the KJV? I don't get it! Why can't it be:

"Your sweet reasonableness made me great"

or even

"Your goodness made me great"?

But even as I puzzled and puzzled--I realized it's actually really really effective. How humbling that David could be so submissive to what had the appearance of very harsh dealings--and be able to see beyond the pain to God's goodness, and call them "gentle". Affliction from the loving heart and active kindness of God that must sometimes appear harsh in order to produce the kind of heart He desires--one that submits to and even blesses the rod!

The making of a truly great man indeed!

- - - 
"For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, 

and those who find it are few." (Matt. 7:14) 

Narrow and hard, not to discourage any from walking it, but because it must be to produce the steadfast, sinewy disciples Jesus wants. Few find it because few see God's good "gentleness" in suffering, and don't recognize it as the way to Life. Christ bore God's wrath...will we complain over the suffering that is gentleness by comparison? Jesus is the way, the truth and the life--and to walk with Him means to participate in both His joys and His suffering. Oh, how we must wrap ourselves up (like a crocodile in its scales!) with the promise of His final salvation! This isn't easy stuff.

But generations of the faithful tell us--
it is good.

- - - 

"The hill though high, I covet to ascend;

The difficulty will not me offend;

For I perceive the way to life lies here:

Come, pluck up heart, let's neither faint nor fear.

Better, though difficult, the right way to go,

Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe."
  
 --John Bunyan 

"Strive to choose, not that which is easiest, but that which is most difficult. Do not deprive your soul of the agility which it needs to mount up to Him."

 --St. John of the Cross

Childhood Reflections

As bright and shiny as I wish my track record were, I am here to tell you today that there have in fact been times in my life when I have embarrassed my mother.

The particular story brought to mind today is one that (for some odd reason, unknown to myself) frequently comes up in our household: The day--surely more than 20 years ago--when we were visiting the Pastor's family.  A fun-filled afternoon in their basement, playing with toys far more fascinating than my own, in the company of my little friends! I was, no doubt (?), a perfect angel the entire time.

Until it was time to go.

When called upon by dear Mother to clean up and get ready to go, there was just no way I was ready to give up my fun. I glowered up the stairs where my mother and the pastor's wife were standing, clenched my little fists, stamped my foot and hollered "NO!!!"

Yes, I do believe that is one day my Mom could have lived without.

- - -

Thanks to proper discipline and training (not to mention a few years to grow up) I can assure you my mother and I are on much better terms now than on that afternoon. In fact, I have given up foot-stomping altogether. When it comes to appropriate behavior, I at least get it right far more now than when I was an undisciplined, selfish little child. No longer do I shout "NO!!!" to my Mom when she asks me to do something that doesn't tickle my fancy. I've learned all those lessons, right?

Ummm.

Today I learned that something precious to me is to be outwardly taken away in the next few months. A friendship not dissolved, but made physically distant--in the midst of a huge project we were beginning to work on together, that had so many hopes in it for the future. Wanna know how my heart was tempted to respond?

"NO!!!"

"I don't LIKE this plan of yours!! I want things to stay how they have been!!"

Ah yes, that rebellious little child is yet residing in this 23-year-old. Still needing to be dealt with. But between the years of then and now, Someone called the Holy Spirit has taken up residence in my heart. I may not like or understand something my heavenly Father doles out for me...but I know who He is...

He is good.

He is wise.

And His promises is that:

"The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O LORD, endureth forever: forsake not the works of Thine own hands." (Psalm 138:3, KJV)

All the things in my life, including dear friends and dear plans, are gifts--works of His hands. Not something that belongs to ME to do what I think best with. I must let go and trust that not only will He not forsake that work, He will perfect it according to His mercy!

Just as I couldn't know as a little girl why my Mother was needing to leave (nobody else could fix our dinner!), I can't know even now what work my Heavenly Daddy is doing. But just as I was trained to trust my Mom and to obey joyfully...so my Father is teaching me to trust Him. And to submit even to the things that hurt, or that I don't understand.

And in that sometimes painful submission?

So much peace.

Holy Bread

"Holy Bread"

ruminations of 1 Samuel 21:1-6 and

2 Timothy 2:21-22
- - -

Hungry, hunted

Alone, in need,

"O Priest! have you five loaves for me?"

"I have, but 'tis

Of holy make

For holy vessels--men stainless, meet."

"In glorious march,

Or journey plain,

For all my men 'tis one the same!

"Kept free of sin--

Pure and holy

Consecrated, serving wholly.

"So on this day

When need is great,

Much confession I need not make.

"These hands are clean,

My heart is right,

In holy bread, I may delight."

Priest gave the bread

And too, a sword

To David, chosen of the Lord.

- - -

And so to you

The offer stands

Of holy bread and sword in hand.

Not because

Of your own deeds--

It's not your work to cleansing leads.

But on the cross

The High Priest bled

And fed you with His holy Bread.

To clean the vessel:

Body, soul.

In word and deed, to make you whole.

So that you

Before Him be

Soldiers, holy, chosen, clean.

In glorious march,

Or journey plain,

Found in Him without a stain.

Defending truth

With Truth's own sword

No more in need, fed by the Word.

Ascribe

"Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,

Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;

worship the LORD in the splendor of His holiness."

(Psalm 29:1-2)

~ ~ ~

One meaning of "ascribe" is to "give" or "write up" a character trait to someone. We might ascribe genius to Einstein, courage to Lassie, undiscriminating justice to Atticus Finch. But in man, these traits are all displayed or held with imperfection. The world can only ever measure man against man, and say one has more of a certain admirable quality than the others.

But with the Lord? Rather than He falling short of the traits we ascribe to Him, our words fall short of Him! They can never even begin to describe His character in its perfection. 

Though we're welcome to try. :)

However, there's a second meaning of the word "ascribe"! It is:

"to credit or assign, as to a cause or source".

For the Scriptures to ascribe something to God means that not only does He display these qualities, but that He is, in fact, the root source who causes these things to exist, and to be good. Yet for those of us whose eyes have been opened to His glory and beauty, we must become not only speakers, but living illustrations of the truth and beauty of His character, displaying in our lives those qualities which are a direct result of drawing Life from its source.

Is He the most glorious being in existence? 

Let us not be enthralled by anything or anyone less than He!

Is He strong? 

Let us throw the weight of our burdens upon Him alone and trust Him to carry us through the storms and troubles of life--full of confidence in His ability to deliver and keep us.

Is He holy? 

Let us live lives of holiness and godliness by His power and in His strength, because He is holy. 

Let's not stop at "ascribing" characteristics to God through Scripture, let us follow it with true worship--the living sacrifice of lives lived in accordance with who He is"in the splendor of His holiness" !

~ ~ ~ 

"And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts....

"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 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. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." 

(2 Cor. 3:3; 4:5-7)

Have I Not Commanded You?

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9) 
-------

Almost everything that COULD have happened to intimidate Joshua had happened. He'd seen how rebellious the people were. His leader Moses had died, leaving leadership on his shoulders. The land was yet to be taken, and was filled with some pretty big, very bad folks. No doubt he was far from feeling full of strength and courage.

But look at the word God uses:

"Have I not commanded you?"

Joshua was not necessarily expected to feel strong or courageous. Nor are we. We are simply commanded by God to BE. Not to "feel", but to live based on what He tells us is true: "The Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

Feelings of courage may or may not follow. Our insides might be shivering the whole time we're obeying. I don't know about YOU, but I prefer the appearance of victory before I feel brave or strong. But then...there's God, commanding it before we've had victory, and while the enemy is still barreling straight at us. The promise of His presence has to be enough for us to take action, whether we feel able or not, lest the battles never be fought and the land never taken.

Obedience to the Word and deliberate action based on the character of God (even when terrifying) promises prosperity and success in the things God has called us to do. It may not be what we would define as those things in a worldly sense. Christ's victory was in His own death. But it is not to earthly prosperity/success that we're called. We are to fight the good fight, keep the faith, and finish the race, even as our very life is being poured out. Through obedience, we can enjoy Christ's strength, courage and peace, knowing that whatever comes is God's victory, and that the One who is worthy will get the glory.
--------

"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith." 
(1 John 5:4)

"I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33)

Welcome to Spring!

 Ever since the first daffodil bloomed out in the gardens, my sisters have been on a mission...

to fill the house with SPRING!!

Hyacinth of a shade of purple simply impossible to photograph!

With a scent I can only communicate by mailing you the flower itself.

Oh, for scratch and sniff screens!!

 Double "ruffle" daffodils.

Carrie picked out my garden this morning...and by the afternoon it was full again of new blooms!

Amazin'.

 And this, Kate informed me, is a

"Welcome to Spring Bouquet".

And so 'tis.

 Ahhh...can't get over how creative our Creator was...and is! 

And as my brother Sam often reminds me--these are the flowers that grow in a fallen world. Can you imagine what Eden must have looked like? Or what flowers must grow in "Aslan's country"?

We can never out-imagine God. Even the most marvelous things we could think up or invent don't  touch what God does on a daily basis...creation of new LIFE. 

Daily He causes new flowers to bloom,

acorns to germinate,

a new human soul to be knit in secret places...

 and these are just the edges of His ways!

Yet He also does a most wonderful and inexplicable thing.

Flowers die and return to dust.

Oak trees grow, age, fall, and return to dust.

Human beings pass away, their bodies returning to dust.

BUT...

He can take something--someone--who is spiritually lifeless, 

who has been completely cut off, by sin, from his Source of spiritual food and drink; and who, being dead in sin, is without hope of saving himself from the well-deserved wrath of God...

 and breathe His very own eternal Spirit of LIFE into him.

How?

I have no clue.

Why?

I can't tell you.

I mean, He doesn't need us.

The Creator could have created something else to take the place of the sinful creatures that we are!

But instead, He chose...

He chose to redeem out of this world children and worshippers for Himself...through the death of His perfect and precious Son, Jesus.

He chose to bear the sin of man upon Himself on the cross.

LIFE died for the one who was DEAD...

in order that His LIFE might be given,

so that the DEAD might LIVE again, never to die.

Bodies to turn to dust, but with the hope of resurrection!

And souls redeemed to live forever with their Savior.

Oughtn't this new Life within us cause us to live differently from who we were before? 

Does "the love of Christ [control you]?" (2 Cor. 5:14)'

Are you bearing the fruit of the Spirit of Life in

"Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control." (Gal. 5:22)?

Are you beginning to look like, talk like, love like Jesus?

It's not like it's something you can create yourself.

We're the creature, not the Creator of this marvelous work of Life!

I reckon all we can do is about as much as the flowers in our gardens:

trust our wise Gardener,

stretch our roots down and our faces up to receive nourishment,

submit joyfully to pruning,

carry out the purposes God has for us,

and grow upward.

After the death of fall and the barrenness of winter--

Welcome to Spring!!

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

(Romans 6:22-23)

...as you have believed

"Go; let it be done for you as you have believed."

Matthew 8:13

"'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' 

Oh Father! There are so many things right now that I have to know--is it You?!? Are You calling me to this? Is that what You want me to do? It looks so impossible! But oh if it's You, please call me clearly!!

"He said, 'Come.'

So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus."

 Oh Lord, I begin with faith! And so far as I have faith, You meet it. 

You are indeed all-powerful! 

But there seems to be a direct relation between my faith 

and what You do in my life.

Troubles come.

Persecution comes.

The way is hard.

Fear takes hold.

"But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink..."

Oh Father, what happened? 

Your power is just as present, just as able to hold me up now as before. Why am I sinking? Have I let my fears overcome my faith? Have I wanted to walk by sight not by faith? Have I wanted to walk by my own reason instead of trusting Your Word? In my heart, do I only want to "come" as long as it looks safe?

Walking by faith got a lot harder when 

He asked me to walk on H2O!!

And I begin to sink.

 

 "he cried out, 'Lord, save me.'"

I may be having trouble walking on water, as yet...but when I'm sinking I sure know where to run! Only You can save me, Jesus!

"Jesus immediately reached out His hand and took hold of him"

Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful.

"saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?'"

Ouch.

Do we wonder where the mighty deeds of old are? Perhaps we should look to ourselves and ask instead where the faith in Almighty Creator God is--the God who spoke this world into existence.

The lack of mighty doings rather glaringly speaks of the lack of mighty faith in a God who can move mountains.

Oh God, give us boundless faith that unleashes Your boundless power in our lives!

"Come."

Matthew 14:28-33

Worms

"For He knows our frame;

He remembers that we are dust."

Psalm 103:14

Men plow the land with heavy machines, sharp tools, and hard labor. They sweat and work and have to go over the earth multiple times for anything decent. Running into rocks, roots, and clay soil.

God uses earth worms.
Talk about His ways being higher than ours!

Soft, unintrusive, dirt-processing animals that slowly work to break up even hard, stubborn ground. Aerating the soil--preparing and improving it for better plantings and growth.

Yes, God knows our frame; remembers we are but dust.
And yet...He delights to prove His greatness by gaining great glory for Himself through the weak and unlikely.

But for our lives to bear fruit and bring Him glory means that we
must: accept His call--no looking back,
faithfully obey--trusting in His provision,
joyfully follow--because we love Him,
and could do nothing less or else!

It may mean you're as invisible as an earthworm underground. No matter! You're doing His work! In His strength! And if He can receive glory through the simple, steady work of the earth worm--He can receive glory from the faithful working out of His will in your life, whatever and wherever it may be.

"For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure."
(Philippians 2:13)

"Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand?"

(Job 26:18)

(worm photo courtesy of wikipedia.com :)