Windows of the Soul

Whose Woods

Snowy woods...
Originally uploaded by Georgio R.

Yesterday I wrote about life as a journey in community with other people, and related it to our spiritual journey with Christ. Today, I am reminded that while we live in community, it is important to commune and cultivate a depth within. Alone. In the stillness and silence of nature, of quiet and uninterrupted times, in our thoughts, and in our hearts.

One of my favorite poems of all times is Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Something about this poem evokes in me the importance of alone time, reflection, and just being human.

Here’s the poem: take a moment and read it.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

It’s morning right now….not evening. But, it is early and it is still dark out. Often, I awake early before dawn, and I am learning to take reflection time in these wee hours while the house is still and quiet. It’s during these times, we can begin to slow down, reflect on our lives, think and capture our thoughts, and we can awaken to hear our hearts. These moments bring focus and clarity to our lives. These moments are treasures, if we take the time to practice them. These moments help us become fully human.

Jesus was in the habit of rising early and going away, alone, to pray (read Mark 1:35). To seek God’s face. To hear God’s voice, and attune his life so that he was in continual communion with his Father. This time alone brought focus, clarity, and direction to Christ’s ministry here on earth (see John 8:26-29).

Why would it be any different for us?

So, tonight, or early tomorrow, or maybe this weekend, begin to practice time alone to be in your thoughts, to hear your heart, to talk to your Heavenly Father. Slow down. Listen. Pray. Get in touch with who you are.

And then you will be able to give yourself more fully to those around you.

After all, don’t we still have promises to keep, and miles to go before we sleep?

Selah.

Journey

Desert Flower_0121.jpg
Originally uploaded by HVargas

Yesterday I received a card that said, “It’s not the miles, it’s the memories.” Memories are remembrances of people, things, events, often created in association with others. We often hear the adage: it’s not the destination, but rather, the journey. The idea implanted in these sayings, is that it’s not about what we attain, or even where we are going in this life. These are merely things.

Rather, it’s about the relationships, the people and the experiences we have in community, along the way, that are most important as we journey through life.

As I looked up the word journey, it implies a longer time spent traveling from one place to another. It implies a process or progress, rather than a product. It’s something we do: over, through, upon, or across, a prescribed path, a period of time, or a process or progression.

A journey can be a lonely place, if we are not paying attention to the nuances, the people, the experiences, and the learning along the way.

We’ve all heard about people who come to the end of their lives and realize they poured their time and efforts into things, and not into people. Or those who reach the top, only to find how lonely it is, especially if there is a trail of regrets, damaged relationships, or a wake of devastated people behind them.

So, as we journey, what’s most important is being present, alive or awake to each moment.

As a believer, or Christ follower, I have come to realize that I have a little extra help with the journey. I have the words of Jesus - “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20)  While Christ is not physically present with us, he is present in the life of a believer through the power of the Holy Spirit.

In fact, Jesus – Emmanuel - means God with us.

Our physical journey through life is not the only journey we take. We also journey in our spiritual life, our life in Christ, as a believer.  

Richard Foster talks about this in his book, Life With God. He focuses on the profound truth that the story of the Bible is the story of God seeking us. God offering, I will be with you. God asking, Will you be with me? God with us. God in us. God indwelling our inmost being. God transforming our lives into Christ-likeness. God walking along side and abiding inside as we travel the seen and unseen world.

Thus, we are never truly alone as we journey. We always have a friend we can turn to, a friend we can lean on. Because Jesus said, I am with you always.

It’s a great place to be.

Selah.

Be Exalted

Leaving Comments for God
Originally uploaded by joshcalebwray

When I think about the word exalted in the context of the psalms, I think of either David praising God, extolling His name, or I think of David crying out to God, requesting to be exalted above his enemies, and the danger they represent to him. Both meanings are about being lifted up, but for very different reasons. One for the beauty, splendor, refined and dignified attributes of God. The other for rescue from evil, danger, snares, wickedness, or the pursuit of enemies. (a.k.a: Help!!!)

To prepare for this blog, I did a word search on the word exalted, and as I read passages with that word, the one that seemed to fit the best was Psalm 46:10. “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." (NIV) The on-line dictionary defines exalted this way: raised to lofty height; elevated; extolled; refined; dignified; sublime.

So let’s go back to Psalm 46. Let’s take a moment and read:

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 
though its waters roar and roam and the mountains quake with their surging. 

Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, 

the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; 
God will help her at break of day.        
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; 

he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The LORD Almighty is with us; 
the God of Jacob is our fortress.       
Selah

Come and see the works of the LORD, 

the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; 

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, 

he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God; 

I will be exalted among the nations, 

I will be exalted in the earth."

The LORD Almighty is with us; 

the God of Jacob is our fortress. 

Selah

God is our refuge, strength, our fortress. He is with us. He will be exalted no matter what kind of havoc is taking place. We recall His splendor; we stand in awe of His capacity to create desolation, or to melt the earth; He can make wars cease.

Our God is bigger than anything going on around us, so focus on Him. He created it all in the first place. He has it under control.

Exalt God. In turn, he will keep his own exalted above the fray of danger.

Selah.

Prevailing

Nature prevails
Originally uploaded by ABucin

I was surprised and somewhat pleased when I read the definition of the word prevail as I prepared to write this blog. It comes from the Latin word praevalere: prae - meaning before, and valere - meaning to be strong, able, or worth.

Valere looks similar to my name. Now, my given name is Valerie, and as a kid, I did not like my name. I was the only Valerie in elementary, middle school, and one of two Valerie’s in my high school of over 2,000 students. It wasn’t common then, and it’s not terribly common now. Now, as an adult, I like my name because it is uncommon, but that’s now. And I know that my name means ‘strong’.

Prevailing is the word that came to mind in recent quiet times with the Lord, while reading in the book of Isaiah, chapter 54. One definition for the word, according to the on-line dictionary is as follows:

To overcome; to gain the victory or superiority; to gain the advantage; to have the upper hand, or the mastery; to succeed; sometimes with over or against.

I remember a friend telling me one time, “No weapon forged against you will prevail.” I had never heard that before. And here I was reading it in the context of Isaiah 54 (verse 17) very recently.

I think one of the great concepts or mindsets of the Christian life, is that of prevailing. Overcoming (1 John 5:4). It is winning. Not winning at all costs, but rather, winning because of what we steadfastly believe; winning because of who we are in Christ; and winning because, as Christians, we believe that the battle is already won (John 16:33).

Christ paid the ultimate price with his life for ours. First, he denied his right to heaven and came to earth as man. Then, after living a sinless life, performing many miracles, and healing many, he willingly gave his life for ours. He took our sin, accepted his own separation from God, in order to once-and-for-all-time redeem mankind for all eternity to live with God (John 3:16-17). That is, if we accept his sacrifice paid on the cross.

It’s His gift to us. But like any gift, we must first accept it, or receive it, in order to make it our own (John 3:36; John 6:40; Romans 10:9).

Hmmm. Where are you in terms of accepting God’s gift to you? Think about that.

So, back to prevailing. Many Biblical characters prevailed in a variety of circumstances and situations. In the Old Testament, when Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed in battle, and when he let down his hand, the Amalekites prevailed. (Exodus 17:11)

Likewise, David prevailed over the giant Philistine, Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:50)

Christ prevailed over sin and death. (1 Corinthians 15:55-58)

We, too, can prevail (Romans 8:11; 2 Timothy 2:8-12). Over life circumstances. We can overcome adversity. We can overcome difficulty. We can overcome whatever life throws at us. And we can choose to live in victory. In love, joy, peace, with patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We can prevail through faith. And through prayer.

God is our redeemer. He is the God of all the earth (Isaiah 54:5).

“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to work havoc; no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:16-17, NIV)

He is in control.

Selah.

Finding Jesus

Witness
Originally uploaded by Églantine

Ever play hide-and-seek when you were a kid? We did. I can remember hiding out on hot summer nights with fire flies, mosquitoes, plenty of humidity, and a sense of adventure. Not to mention my sisters and brothers, neighborhood kids, and more. We paraded around in the dark looking for places to hide within a certain boundary area, while the seeker would count to 100 before coming to look for us. And, if you were “found”, well shucks, you were “it” – you know, the next seeker.

You know, the idea of hide and seek is not a new one. My sister spent much of our middle teen years hiding my clothes under her bed. But, I eventually caught on, and found them.

We do this in everyday life. Some of us hide from the reality of our past. Others hide from intimacy with others. Still others hide who they really are from those around them. There are those who hide from reality by finding refuge in drugs and alcohol, work, promiscuous sex, or self-destructive behaviors. Then there are those who hide from success, from failure, from themselves, the truth, and … well … you-name-it.

Some of us hide from God (notice I did not say religion).
There’s one problem with that. The truth is that we cannot hide from God (Psalm 139). He is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient (that is, all present, all powerful, and all seeing). Yeah.

So, where are you going? And do you really think you can out-run, out-hide, out-smart God? The One who spoke this universe into existence from nothing. The One who commanded and it stood firm (Psalm 33:9). Think again.

Reality check. Rather, checkmate. You cannot.

But, you know, God is a Gentleman. He will wait until you come to the end of yourself. The end of your hiding. The end of your game.
And yet, when you seek Him, He will be found by you (Jeremiah 29:13-14).

Even though God, who is invisible, cannot be seen, we can see evidence of Him (Romans 1:20). His fingerprint is all over creation.

Neither can we see the wind, but we can see evidence of the wind in the trees, or feel the breeze on our skin. Even though we know a person by their voice, we cannot see a voice, only evidence of the voice. Even though we know a person’s personality. We cannot see a personality, only evidence of a personality, in likes, dislikes, quirks, deeds, and in a person’s way of being.

And even though we cannot see God, we can know God (Jeremiah 9:23). We can know Him through nature; we can know him through His word to us, the Bible; we can know him through other believers. We can know him, our creator God, in the person of Jesus Christ.

So as you wander through this life, why not reconsider the game of hide-and-seek you may be playing. Why not become the seeker (Matthew 6:33)? Why not start finding ways to find Jesus in your everyday life? You’ll find Him in the Word, in the faces of other believers, in books that help you in your faith, in the beauty all around us, in music, harmony, in nature, in the eyes of a child, and in so many other places.

And when you find Him, you’ll be glad you did. A relationship with God breathes and brings new meaning to life: Simply because everything is better with Jesus (John 10:10b).

Selah.

Peace

Peace in the Dark | A Prayer for a Peaceful New Year
Originally uploaded by * Arielle *

Peace is defined by the following four characteristics according to the on-line dictionary: the state prevailing during the absence of war; harmonious relations; freedom from disputes; the absence of mental stress or anxiety; general security.

The Bible also talks about peace for the believer. And I believe peace has a lot to do with the definition as we see above. Yet, I also believe that peace is truly something we cannot manufacture, nor can we fully achieve it on our own efforts or merits. I believe there is a Super-Natural element to peace.

Let’s take a look at peace as Paul describes it in his letter to the Philippians chapter 4, verses 4-9:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. (NIV)

When I read this passage, I realize there is a conundrum here: the peace of God, and the God of peace. Kind of like one of those words that spells the same forward and backwards.

But here, we are seeing that the peace of God transcends our understanding. It is above and beyond what we can get our heads wrapped around. And this peace of God is like a sentinel - which faithfully guards our hearts and our minds. Guards our hearts and our minds from what? Well, let’s go back to the definition we read – from war, disputes, stress, anxiety or threat – real or imagined.

Remember, what we tend to worry about rarely does actually happen.

Notice that in order to access or receive the peace of God, there are a few things the believer is instructed to do. First is to rejoice. This isn’t a suggestion. It is a statement or command: Rejoice in the Lord. Not sometimes, but always. Refuse to be anxious about anything. Yes anything. (this is a tall order) Rather, pray. Pray asking. (that’s what a petition is – it’s a request) Pray asking with thanks. Pray asking with thanks presenting your requests to God. Then comes the peace of God that transcends understanding. Oh, yeah.

Ok, so what about the God of peace?

Same deal. More stuff for us to do. We need to be careful what we put into our minds. We need to be cautious about what we allow ourselves to dwell upon. Ever heard the expression: garbage in, garbage out? What are you allowing in your mind? Filth? Pornography? Junk TV? Music that focuses on wrong thinking and feelings?

I hope not!

Paul is explicit about what we put into our minds and what we allow ourselves to dwell upon. Whatever……….yes whatever ………… So long as it is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, praiseworthy. Or, whatever the reader has learned, received, or heard from Paul. And if you learned, received or heard something from Paul, that would be about Christ.

Then, the God of peace will be with you. Why then? Simply: because God is holy. You are to be holy. And when you focus on Christ, or whatever is pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, then the God of the Universe will be with you.

That’s a promise.

In a word: Peace.

Selah.

Double Portions

God favours Eastbourne
Originally uploaded by Craigienz

When I think about double portions these days, I cringe. I have lost 47 pounds in the past 18 months, and double portions are a rarity for me anymore when I sit at the table to eat. 

But double portions can be a good thing as well. In a recent study of God’s Word, I came across a passage in the book of Isaiah. As often is the case, when a passage of scripture keeps popping up in my quiet times of study and prayer, God is speaking to me.  

In the book of Isaiah chapter 61 verses 1-7 state:

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Aliens will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. (NIV, emphasis mine)”

Jesus himself quoted these words of prophecy from this chapter of Isaiah as he read to those in the synagogue. The message, from Jesus to those listening, was that he was the fulfillment of this prophecy. And, God’s favor was being proclaimed for then, at his speaking. 

But I think this favor applies to believers in our day; I believe God’s favor is also for now. Likewise, just as Jesus was the Good News personified in his day, we as believers we are the ones who live and bring the word of God to the world in which we live. As such, we are ministers of the Good News of Jesus Christ, regardless of what we do to make a living.  

If we are believers in Jesus, and we are full of the Holy Spirit, we too, are commissioned to bring good news to the poor, comfort the broken hearted, and proclaim freedom – in Christ.

God exchanges our ashes (the messes we make of our lives) for His beauty. He rebuilds our lives, and in turn, we are to help others rebuild their lives.

Does this surprise you?

Double portions are just another indicator of God’s favor on our lives. 

Hannah received a double portion from her husband, Elkanah, despite her barrenness (1 Samuel 1:5).

Elisha requested a double portion of Elijah's spirit. Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?" "Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit," Elisha replied (1 Kings 2:9).

Likewise, we are recipients of God’s favor, if we live in relationship with him through faith in Jesus Christ.  

So, what does God’s favor look like in our lives? Here are a few things that come to mind:

Blessings … and the ability to bless others. Joy ... praise instead of despair.  Beauty … for our ashes.  Righteous living … being firmly planted like great oaks.  Being a rebuilder ... of others’ lives.  Having the privilege of salvation … and being called a priest of the Lord, a minister of our God.  Prosperity ... "See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws;  then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess  (Deuteronomy 30:15,16)." Honor ... "Those who honor me I will honor (1 Samuel 2:30)." The fruit of a life rooted in God ..."love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22)." 

Double portions … a good thing … the rewards of faithfulness to God.  

Selah.