May 28th, 2021
We’re coming down to the end of this month-long journey. Some evenings, as the sun sinks into the horizon… I, too, just desperately want to sink into my bed.
There’s nothing necessarily righteous or holy about this exercise. On the outside, it’s just a daily rambling of thoughts muddled together to form a daily blog post. On the inside, though, it’s a whole different scenario.
The discipline of taking my thoughts captive and allowing the Cross to reframe a day’s events has significantly helped me to build a firmer foundation on which to build my life. The span of a month generally allows me the opportunity to encounter a whole gamut of situations. Highs, lows, and in between…
Daily life. A bit of fanfare… mostly mundane. And a living and active God passionately working to see good come from any and all situations...
Deuteronomy chapter 6 reminds God’s people to write about Him, His works, His wonders, His miracles so they wouldn’t forget… So when life was well - they would remember how they had been rescued by the hand of God. When life was NOT well - they would remember that soon they would be rescued by this same God. And when life just plodded along - day after day… they would remember - miracles were still taking place behind the scenes.
This is why I write… The discipline is for me to remember.
He is faithful. Always.
As I search for Him, I will find Him. Always.
Sometimes silent… sometimes hidden… sometimes seemingly far away.
And faith comes rushing from the depths… deeply rooted faith - so that the silence, hiddenness and distance doesn’t move me - but rather grounds me.
Settles me down,
hems me in,
hides me in the shadows…
Of never ending love.
Grace -
Deuteronomy 6 says, “This is the commandment… that your God commanded me to teach you so as to live in the land you’re about to cross into to possess. This is so that you’ll live in DEEP REVERENCE before God... you and your children and your grandchildren, living good long lives...
Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got!
Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates.
When God, your God, ushers you into the land he promised through your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give you, you’re going to walk into large, bustling cities you didn’t build, well-furnished houses you didn’t buy, come upon wells you didn’t dig, vineyards and olive orchards you didn’t plant. When you take it all in and settle down, pleased and content, MAKE SURE YOU DON’T FORGET HOW YOU GOT THERE - God…”
May I never forget how I got here. May I never forget how I continue. And may I never forget the wonder of GRACE… the miracle of forgiveness… and the gift of never ending love.
