Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from my family to yours. I'll be taking a break from blogging for the next few days to celebrate Christmas. You are probably focusing on your loved ones during this time as well. Let's enjoy the fact that Jesus came to the earth to be Emmanuel - God With Us.

I'll share with you the lyrics of a song entitled, Hymns, from Cynthia Clawson's CD, Hymnsinger. The song was written by Paul McCusker & David Maddux. It is a tribute to those who have walked in faith before us. It is also a personal prayer that we might be an inspiration to those who come after us.

HYMNS

I hear their songs
Their words of beauty reaching deep
Within cathedrals of my heart
Angelic choirs
Reverberate the stained glass windows
Of saints and sinners in their place
Singing out "Amazing Grace"
While in the glory of their faith
I'm drawn to find my part
And sing with all my heart

I know their words
Their thoughts reflecting simple truth
Of testimonies rich in love
Their eyes can see
The mystery of loving kindness
Of chains and blindness torn away
Power found in each new day
The Lord's compassion on display
His touch from Heaven above
Gave words to speak their love

Composer of my soul
Show me all You show to them
The hymnwriter, hymnsinger
Let me know their eloquence
Let me share their offering
Put the notes in my heart,
The lyrics on my lips,
And let the essence of my life
Be a song that others will want to sing

I see their lives
Like tears that fall upon a page
A mark indelible in time
What sacrifice!
Their hearts poured out like raging water
For sons and daughters to believe
And generations to receive
The harvest white from all their seeds
No greater love sublime
Could change this heart of mine

Composer of my soul
Show me all You show to them
The hymnwriter, hymnsinger
Let me know their eloquence
Let me share their offering
Put the notes in my heart,
The lyrics on my lips,
And let the essence of my life
Be a song that others will want to sing

The LORD Knows

Psalm 1:6a - "For the LORD knows the way of the righteous…"

My way is known by Yahweh Himself. I know I am righteous only because of Christ. "But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe." (Romans 3:21-22)

Thank You, Father, for making me righteous. Thank You for knowing me. Your knowledge of me brings great comfort. Your watchful eye keeps me from feeling alone. "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!" (Ps. 139:17)

Adorn My Soul

"Come, 0 Lord, in much mercy down into my soul and take possession and dwell there. A poor dwelling, I confess, for so glorious a Person as You. Yet, I am preparing for a fitting reception of You, by holy and fervent desires of Your own inspiring. Enter then, and adorn my soul, and make it a worthy place for You to inhabit, since it is the work of Your own hands. Give me Yourself, without which, even if You should give me all that You ever have made, yet this would not satisfy my desires. Let my soul ever seek You, and let me persist in seeking, until I have found, and am in full possession of You. Amen." (St. Augustine)

This prayer of St. Augustine puts into words a longing that has been in my own heart. I have spoken before about not being satisfied by anything on this earth. It is He Himself that my soul seeks. There is no person, activity or possession that gives my soul its true satisfaction. Lord, it is You alone that I desire. As Augustine says - please make your dwelling down in my soul today. Thank You.

A Prayer for Sight, by Richard Foster

I see people, LORD, by they're all a blur of activity...a little like trees walking about. Go here! Go there! Do this! Do that! It's like we're all in a frantic scramble of climb and push and shove.

I'd really like to know each person as a unique individual, Lord, not just as a consumer or a competitor. But how? Too many people enter my day for me to pay attention to them all.

If I cannot truly "see" everyone, Lord, may I at least see someone. Help me to see that solitary individual...and for the rest---forgive, O Lord, forgive. Amen.

(Foster, Richard. Prayers from the Heart. HarperSanFrancisco, 1994, p. 82.)

He Rises to Show You Compassion

"Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion." (Isaiah 30:18a)

Isaiah 33:2 - Prayer

"O LORD, be gracious to us;
we long for you.
Be our strength every morning,
our salvation in time of distress."
(Isaiah 33:2)

Lord,

Thank You for being gracious to us. We do long for You. You are our strength and our help. If we are having a hard time finding that "longing place" in our hearts, help us to slow down and see You in new ways. May we long only for You. You are gracious.

Amen.

Advent - The Coming of the Savior

"Therefore the Lord himself will give yo ua sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel [God with us]. (Isaiah 7:14)

Advent. I've known the word. I've also know that it means the four weeks before Christmas. However, it's so much more meaningful than that. It literally means, "The coming of the savior." I found another definition that gives it even more meaning - "a season to prepare for Christmas when Christ's first coming to us is remembered; a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ's Second Coming at the end of time."

I pause and take a deep breath over those words..."the coming of the savior." What does it mean to me that someone came to save me? To save us? This is a love beyond description.

Today may you and I be overwhelmed with the love that is shown us in this season. God with us. A savior to save us. Love has come to earth!

In a Hurry? (Part 3)

To wrap these "hurry" thoughts up for now, I think the best thing to do is to look at the life of Jesus Himself.

No one will argue that Jesus had an easy, carefree life. He made the ultimate sacrifice of His own life for us all.

However, as I read the gospels I don't really see Jesus as being stressed out or in a hurry. He knew who He was and He knew why He came here. He was in constant contact with His Father and He spoke and did only His will.

Sometimes I think I am wrapped up too much in things that don't matter. I've allowed the culture to dictate what should and should not happen in my day to day life (marriage, parenting, social habits, roles).

As I am typing this I realize that I don't have this fully baked. I am giving you my musings raw. I wish I could say I have this figured out. Some of it may be the season of life in which I find myself (mid-life).

There is a definite transition in this 40ish stage of life where the things that used to work or make sense don't so much anymore. I can see that my talk about hurry has digressed into how life is changing for me on the inside. Well, such is the stuff of blogs.

I know this much - I cannot look to my culture to help me in my quest for living a fruitful, abundant life. Only in Jesus will I find the ultimate fulfillment and wisdom needed to traverse this journey of life.

I said in the last entry that we have a God who is greater than anything in this world. It is true - see in 1 John 4:4b…

"…the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."

May our God and Father and our Lord Jesus Christ grant you and I the ability to take life at that pace that He desires. May you be unhurried in your inner and outer journey so that you will not miss what He has for you in each and every day. May this be so!