Gladness, Hunger, and Glory

Anyone who knows me remotely well is very aware that my deepest desire, other than to see my Savior in his glory, is to end the killing of innocent children in America. I've probably concocted a hundred plans in my mind since I was very young on just how I'm to accomplish this: writing, film, medicine, education, statistics, pure politics...you name it. And recently, I've had cause to rejoice at the incredible victories being won across various states on this pressing issue. Yet, there is so much work that is still unfinished, in an area where my talents could help fill the void. And that, my friends, is why I wrote this post.

One of the many godly people in my life is very fond of quoting Frederick Buechner, who once said, 

The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.

I'll admit it: the first time I heard that quote I wasn't sure how well it settled with me. What about people who are called to be janitors? Fishermen? Something, well...simple?

And then I read Martin Luther:

All our work in the field, in the garden, in the city, in the home, in struggle, in government-to what does it all amount before God except child's play, by means of which God is pleased to give his gifts in the field, at home, and everywhere? These are the masks of our Lord God, behind which he wants to be hidden and to do all things.

 And it all made sense. You see, God is a God who uses means. I post a lot about his infinite sovereignty over all things, but it's rare that I'll post on the doctrine of vocation because it is just so simple. God can, and in fact, does control the whole world. And yet, he chooses to use means. He chooses simple people, like you and like me, to accomplish things big and small. In the end, he uses every action for his great glory. How cool is that? You and I get to be part of a bigger plan, a bigger purpose...It's like any great saga: Each of the characters, regardless of their silent presence or hugely noticeable dialogues, serves a purpose. Yet this is a thousand times better, because you and I are wrapped into the tale of all history. That is, his story.

The question begs, then, what is each of us to do? It's a question which has been on my mind almost perpetually these last few months, as my friends and I are choosing our various paths in life. One friend is choosing dance, another neuroscience, another education, and still others are undecided. I've realized more than ever that I'm so dependent on my Savior's grace. And it's caused me to ask myself who I am and where I'm going.

One of my favorite teachers, Mr. B., once taught me rhetoric. And there he taught me something which left me in a contemplative mood for weeks:

Theorein (verb, Greek): To gaze intently.

Mr. B. explained that this word is often the word used in the Bible to describe people who have seen the face of God. He then showed us this image, pasted on my mind for weeks:

God showed Moses his face. And, in the Greek translation of the manuscript, Moses did theorein: he gazed intently, in total awe and amazement of Yahweh. Once he had seen this, he was given a command to lead the people of Israel out of their captivity. Notice his response:

 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[b] will worship God on this mountain.” 

 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[c] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

And, after a few more complaints raised by Moses, and many more assurances from God Almighty, these are the Lord's words:

Then he will let you go.

My friends, each of us has a deeply ingrained, God-given passion. Whether it's engineering, teaching, politics, medicine, or art, you have it, and you know it. If you don't know it, you have only to ask.

Sometimes it's so difficult for us to understand the words of 1 Peter 2:9, yet I think they address the issue at hand:

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may declare the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

If you are in Christ, you are part of that. That is your heritage.

The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness, the world's deep hunger, and, I might add, God's deep glory meet.

Soli Deo Gloria.

~Meridian

Who You Are

My last post was all about who God is. The God who created things like what you see on the left (Mt. Everest). But I thought maybe it was time to talk about who you are...because of God. Yeah, I figured you'd know there was a catch. :)

Last night I had a brief conversation with one of my friends from debate. It was just a casual conversation about his public school sports teammates, but one little side comment he made struck me, caught me like an unsuspecting fish going for the bait. "If I hadn't been homeschooled, or hadn't been in the family I'm in...I..." Well, the rest was fine too, but that little statement just did a Hallelujah Chorus in my mind. If I hadn't. Wow.

So much theological meatiness to jump on there. So much philosophical questioning. So much certainty of the present. So much to praise God about. 

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Let's start with the word, "If." The Bible is pretty clear that God is sovereign over every teensy tiny little detail of the whole universe, but he paradoxically acts this way without being a robot operator. Most Christians agree that God knows everything that will go on, but doesn't mandate it. I understand how those conclusions are reached (believe me, I used to think something pretty close to that), but let's dissect that a bit. If God knows everything (which we all agree on), and God is sovereign (which we usually agree on), then God cannot possibly have known everything without having some hand in it. That's the most basic academic argument for God's sovereignty, other than "the Bible says so" (which, by the way, it does).

However, there's another argument that may hit home a bit more for you. Let's put it this way: God knows everything that will happen. He knows, then, that bad things will happen. But he is the God of all justice! If he truly upholds justice, is he going to just let things slide? No. Clearly throughout Scripture God issues judgement upon sinners. But he cannot possibly just fix all the problems. Then he'd have a little more power than your local plumber. God is all-powerful...let's just say he's got the whole world in his hands.

If that's true, then you and I are not random. In fact, the Bible *clearly* indicates that we were designed for a purpose, something the Westminster Catechism summarizes when it says that "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever." Not only does God have a purpose on earth, he has an eternal purpose: that every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the God the Father. In a very glorious and mysterious way, God has already determined who will spend all eternity with him. That is, anyone who puts their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And of course, Paul made it clear that anyone who does so does it only because of the quickening of the Spirit. That is, God chooses to wake you from being dead in your sins to being alive in Christ. Nothing you do can make it happen: only God in his glorious mercy.

Whoa. Mind. Blown.

If God really has this great and awesome purpose for you, though, then he has not placed you in your circumstances randomly. You are not just the child of random Joe: you are firstly the child of the one living God, and secondly the child of the earthly parents God has bestowed you with. Whatever your situation, God has placed you there for a reason.

So now I'm guessing I've pretty well clarified that "if" isn't possible. But it gives those kind of statements so much greater meaning. If you don't follow, allow me to expound.

Since "if" is not possible, it means that you are in exactly the right situation for you right now. I'm not saying it's perfect: God's said that the world will not, and by God's very nature of righteousness cannot be perfect until he returns to set the world right. However, you and I can rest in the knowledge that God has a big plan for us, and that he chose this for us for a reason. Take my friend. He's homeschooled, he's from a great Christian family. God did not place him in some other family. He is not in a public school. If God had him in those circumstances, his plans would have been just as good and holy and righteous. But God placed him here. And that means that he gets to do what God is uniquely calling him to do.

In my own life, this is a very relevant issue. Sometimes I struggle with comparison of my circumstances to other friends' circumstances. Or I just wonder "what if." But that God placed me in the Paulton family, with the exact friends I have, the exact knowledge I have, the exact skills I have, right here in Colorado is amazing. It doesn't mean I won't go on and do other things: it means that I can go on and do those other things, because I was uniquely designed to do them.

There's a reason that Paul compared the Church to a body.

² For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. ¹³ For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves^[d] or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
¹⁴ For the body does not consist of one member but of many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. ¹⁹ If all were a single member, where would the body be? ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts,^[e] yet one body.

²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, ²⁵ that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

 Maybe you are called to be a doctor. A pastor. A missionary. A politician. A writer. A teacher. An engineer. A musician. An artist.

Whatever you're called to do, the way God uses you will be unique. But here's the cool thing: regardless of what you're called to do specifically, we're all called to do one thing generally: proclaim God's great name, and make it famous in all the earth. Probably one of my favorite verses of all time, one I quote to myself multiple times daily, is 1 Peter 2:9 --

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may declare the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

 That's you and me. This is where we talk about the next part. If we were. Here's where it get's hard. The book of Romans puts it better than any other: before Christ, we're dead in our sins. That means that all the people out there who don't know the love of the Lord are dead. Corpses. Rotting souls. That sin that you see is just the maggot coming out. I don't want to be grotesque, but that's what deadness amounts to. Total lifelessness. Because Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.

We may not know who God has chosen, but we know that he has chosen us to proclaim his glory. Peter isn't the only one who got this. Listen to Jesus himself in Matthew 28:

¹⁷ And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[b] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Some doubted, but then he said that he has all authority. And with his authority we are to go out and preach the Gospel to our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, our world. When light pierces the darkness, it is a dramatic thing.

Our lives ought to be as Christ's, who though he was pierced, rose again, and lives for the glory of the Father:

⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

Can you imagine if you were born in a different circumstance? Maybe. But the thought of that drives us to an even greater realization: that we were born in the circumstances we were born in. That we serve the God we serve, and that we are his chosen people. Out of all the people he could have chosen, of the option to kill us all out or create other beings, God chose to live and die and live again for US. You. Me.

Even those in different circumstances are there by God's divine will, perhaps just so that He can use us as light, because HE is God. 

And, even though this post is titled, "Who You Are," I think you'll have to agree with me that this is more about who God is, and who we get to be as a part of it.

Relish in God's goodness, friends, and celebrate your brand-new identity in Christ!

Soli Deo Gloria!

~Meridian

I AM

Excuse me. I am not. But don't worry...I know I Am. :)

If you've already read/heard Louie Giglio discuss this topic, the underlying concept of what I'm about to say won't be new to you, but perhaps the applications will be.

Lately, my life has been confuddled with a multitude of different activities and academics. And all it's done for me is pile into a big heap of worry, stress, and uncertainty. I know, great way to start your senior year.

I find myself asking questions. Who am I, really? What was I made to be? What will I study? Where will I go? What will I do? When will it happen? Can I afford it? Will I be happy?

My thoughts whiz by me at a million miles a minute. And ultimately I end up completely exhausted, unable to sleep, and more than a little stressed. What good is it all doing me?

Frankly, none. But recently I found encouragement in Louie Giglio's excellent book, I am not but I know I AM. That is, if God's name is I AM -- he is goodness, he is greatness, he is power, he is love, he is strength, he is kindness, he is mercy, he is justice -- then my name must be I am not -- not good, not great, not powerful, not loving, not strong, not kind, not merciful, not just. But God in his excellent greatness has called me out of darkness into his marvelous light. It reminds me of Plato's cave, only I'm no longer chained down: I've been set free! What's more amazing, I am part of a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that I may declare the excellencies of him who did this great work. (1 Peter 2:9) But the most mind-blowing, humbling part of the whole deal is that God -- the one who is all goodness, greatness, power, love, strength, kindness, mercy, and justice -- sent his own Son to die for me the worst death, a death stripped of all goodness, greatness, power, love, strength, kindness, mercy, or justice. He looked on him as if my sin was his, and he looked to the future. He saw me, and despising his own Son, he loved me. I, dead in my sins, sick with a gross and unsightly nature, was looked on and loved by this great God. This God who is everything. His name says it all: I AM. And I have to realize, with much humility and gratitude, that I am not. 

Whoa.

So, as I've gone through my daily life, I've been asking myself how God, in his omnipotent greatness, truly satisfies my desires. As I study like some kind of SAT-maniac, and begin to stress over not having high scores, I pray aloud, Lord, you are the source of all wisdom, and I am not. I trust you. My day goes on, and suddenly I panic about my debate case. And I pray, Lord, you are the winner of every argument, and I am not. Speak to me. Again, I can find peace. Then, I realize I have to determine a college application and nervousness overwhelms me. But the Lord is good to remind me of himself, and I pray, Lord, you are the great shepherd, and I am not. Lead me.

These little acknowledgements of the Lord are not magic spells, but they do amazing work on my heart. Each time I remind myself of the Lord's presence and relevance in my life, I realize all over again just how beautiful it is that HE IS GOD, and I am not. 

Many of you will remember the song, "He's got the whole world in his hands." That song was my favorite as a child. I loved to sing it over and over and do all the motions with it:

He's got the whole world in his hands

He's got the whole world in his hands

He's got the whole world in his hands

He's got the whole world in his hands

Looking at it, the song seems pretty repetitive. After you've sung it a few times, you get the idea and you're ready for it to end. But I think there's something profound to learn here: God really does have the whole world in his hands. Because God's name is I AM, and thus, we are not. Even so, he chooses in his goodness to keep the whole world in his hands.

Somehow that's easier to believe as a child. A child's parents feed him, clothe him, shelter him, take him everywhere. His troubles consist of scraped knees and broken Lego sets. Then, at some point, he realizes the world is much bigger than he will ever be able to handle. More than a thousand of him could handle. More than the whole world can handle.

It's no wonder John Newton wrote his infamous hymn, "Amazing Grace." Newton was a slave ship captain, an adulterer, and a drunk. His youth was spent on women and wine. Then, in a

terrible storm, God caught Newton's attention. In months, Newton went from being a slave to sin to being a preacher of freedom, both man's and God's. Newton was considered the worst kind of heathen: no man on earth could have turned around his life. And, God didn't have to do it. After all, he is God. But he did it for Newton.

And he did it for me. And for so many of you. So my stresses come. Tomorrow, I'll study for the SAT. I'll research for debate. I'll work on essays for college applications. I may even do some political work. And you know what? God's name is still I AM.

Soli Deo Gloria!

~Meridian

[i am not]

Conquistadors

Joan of Arc, the savior of France

Everybody's heard of them. Not just the Spanish ones, either. Men like Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, and Alfred the Great, among them. All these men were called the great. Why? What makes someone so spectacular as to deserve the title great? 


There was much to it. For a man to really be a "great" man, it seems that by history's standards, he must have great wit, survive some great calamity, be educated by a great man, have a great religious standard, rule or conquer a great kingdom, be great in his treatment of his subjects and soldiers, write a few great things, and stand out as a great leader. Phew. That's a lot of greats.

Still, this is such a low, low standard for being great. If a man truly was great with every bit of his heart and soul behind it, he would have to do much more. Being truly great would mean to know everything that ever was, is, or ever shall be. It would mean living through life's greatest disasters, and yet having the greatest wealth and privilege as well. To be a great person in your very essence would force a person to be the ultimate educator, to author your own religion, to be the awe of everyone who ever lived, and at the same time the pure hate of these very people. To write the greatest masterpiece ever written, and to make it exceed not by just a little the other works. To be the most powerful leader, and yet the humblest servant. The most loving person, but the one most likely to invoke fear in any individual or group, no matter how powerful. To be nothing but absolute good, and to have no traces of evil or sin in your life. To be God. 


"Wait a minute!," you're thinking, "To be great, you don't have to be God." Well, technically, no, but if you want to come anywhere close to the epitome of greatness, you'll have to come pretty stinking close to being God. Don't hear what I'm not saying: that these men should stop being called great. No, of course not! They were fantastic as men, and I admire them ever so deeply, but the reality is they weren't God. But even the Creator of the Universe -- the Creator of time itself! -- chose not to stop with being great. No, he went much farther.

Willing to suffer, God died on our behalf. We who were ugly, disgusting, unworthy, sinners, an insult to the very name of God -- he died for us. Jonathan Edwards said it well:

The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire; be is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes as the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. 'Tis to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you were suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God's hand has held you tip. There is no other reason to be given why you haven't gone to hell since you have sat here in the House of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship; yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you don't this very moment drop down into hell...And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners; a day wherein many are flocking to Him, and pressing into the kingdom of God. Many are daily coming from the east, west, north, and south., many that were very lately in the same miserable condition that you are in, are now in a happy state, with their hearts filled with love to Him who has loved them, and washed them from their sins in his own blood, and rejoicing in hope of the glory of God.

If you couldn't read that, just copy-paste it into a document and enlarge it. It takes up a lot of space, but you need to read it. Now.

The point is, God is completely great in every way, if he would do this for us! And even if he didn't do it, he still is worthy of every praise. 

So why did I call this post "Conquistadors"? I did so because that is what we are called to be. See Matthew 28 and the book of Acts for proof. If we serve such a great God, shouldn't we want to get out there and spread the message of his loving grace toward us? And if this is the case, why shouldn't we be conquistadors for the Cross?

Alfred the Great, Charlemagne, and Constantine are three fantastic examples of rulers who were used by God to save their nations. All three of these men, though, did it partly by conquering in battles, and much by conquering hearts. They showed their people the Living God, and the people wanted more of him. Mini-renaissances happened in these nations. Often it began with a single step of action for the Gospel, which is something each of us should aspire to accomplish. That first step is hardest, and from there you have to go if you've really experienced the love of God. Loving God makes you want others to have him for a king, and it makes you want to serve him in every action. As St. Augustine said, 

"Love God and do what you please."

We should want to spread his kingdom.

How this should be done is a question that has spanned the ages. Martin Luther King, Jr. believed firmly in peace. The Crusades were not afraid of violence. The Separatists of England chose to start over all together. But, regardless of how it is done, there is no question as to what must be done. The how depends on the situation, but the what remains. Go into all the world. And don't turn back. There are two things Mr. Baker told me which I will never forget. The first,

"Move forward, be swift, never let the dust of the earth touch you."

In other words, don't doubt what you're called to do for a single moment if you know you're called to do it. And finally, I leave you with my favorite thing he's ever taught me,

 Theorein- Greek, verb: the act of gazing intently

Mr. Baker showed us a depiction of Moses gazing at the burning bush, awed at the majesty of God. What are you gazing intently upon? Does it strike your heart with terror, and yet with a firm, unshakable love? Is it the God of the Universe, who holding you over the very gates of hell, chose to rescue you and call you his child, his beloved? I challenge you to love him for that, and simply for being God. I challenge you, and myself, and any brother or sister out there, to go all out for this God. Be changed. Tell everyone about him. Dance the dance, sing the song, know the Book, love our Lord. One step can change the world. Be conquistadors.

Meridian

Changing the world through our daily struggles

Have you ever felt like you are reaching for something you will never quite get your hands on? It's right there, waiting to be done...You want to change the world. You want to do something great. Hold that certain job. Write that award-winning novel. Visit Antarctica. But you are so bogged down by daily life, it seems it will never happen. Things keep getting in the way. Or maybe it's just that the right opportunities aren't there. Whatever your case, you aren't alone. Countless others have faced this same plight. But, God is his gracious sovereignty will fulfill your dreams when he fulfills your dreams. As I brought up recently, St. Augustine once said that, "He serves you best who is not so anxious to hear from you what he wills as to will what he hears from you." Sometimes, we must surrender dreams, and exchange them for God's will, which is always the most glorious path in the long run. Quite honestly, I don't even know why I am posting this today. Perhaps it is because I recently heard that one of my friends, Sarah, who has had a life-long dream of going to Oxford, is going to be attending this coming semester. Maybe it is because of the music I'm listening to. I don't know. But, at any rate, I just felt like I needed to share a few things with you.

First, this passage after David realizes that his dreams will be fulfilled I by his son Solomon. It is interesting to note David's reaction to this knowledge. Rather than being frustrated, saddened, jealous, or even passively submissive to God, he ensures that it will be all ready for Solomon to take over.

1 Chronicles 22

 ¹Then David said, "Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt offering for Israel."

David Prepares for Temple Building

 ²David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. ³David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, ⁴and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. ⁵For David said, "Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it." So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.

Solomon Charged to Build the Temple

 ⁶Then he called for Solomon his son and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁷David said to Solomon, "My son, I had it in my heart to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 'You have shed much blood and have waged great wars. You shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood before me on the earth. ⁹Behold, a son shall be born to you who shall be a man of rest. I will give him rest from all his surrounding enemies. For his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰ He shall build a house for my name. He shall be my son, and I will be his father, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel forever.' ¹¹"Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you. ¹² Only, may the LORD grant you discretion and understanding, that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the LORD your God. ¹³ Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the rules that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed. ¹⁴With great pains I have provided for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents^[a] of gold, a million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone, too, I have provided. To these you must add. ¹⁵You have an abundance of workmen: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of craftsmen without number, skilled in working ¹⁶gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Arise and work! The LORD be with you!"
 ¹⁷David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help Solomon his son, saying, ¹⁸"Is not the LORD your God with you? And has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people. ¹⁹Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD." 


Isn't this remarkable? David got everything ready for Solomon.

In this second example I want to share with you, it is a movie trailer. But it is as true a story as the story of David. If you haven't seen Amazing Grace, stop reading this and go watch it.

Wow. That's all I can say when I think about this man's life. Realize God's plans, and let them be your dreams. You may just change the world.

May God bless you in your pursuit to follow him!

Meridian

How the Classics Have Formed My Worldview: On Serving God

It's been a few days since I promised to post. :) School has been heavy, but I do actually have a Socrates quote that I was able to use in today's post. Enjoy. =D

Classical quotation:
"When mind runs mad, dishonors God,
And worships self and senseless pride,
The Law eternal wields the rod."
-Euripides
Scriptural evidence: But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed...You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. -Romans 2:5, 2:23
My interpretation: This one is pretty self explanatory. Essentially, these two selections from Ancient literature and the Bible say exactly the same thing. We could even rearrange the Euripides quotation so that it would be in the same order as the Biblical passage. It would read like this (some transliteration done here for the purpose of making sense):

When mind worships self, the Law eternal wields the rod.
The mind runs mad and dishonors God.

Or something like that. Not very poetic, but you get the idea. :)

Classical quotation:
"He serves you best who is not so anxious to hear from you what he wills as to will what he hears from you." -St. Augustine
Scriptural evidence: ...Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done. -Luke 22:42 AND "And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us." -1 John 5:14
My interpretation: Even Jesus prayed this way! We must present our petitions before God, but we must also be willing to hear whatever God will have us hear, and to make that our will, rather than trying to force our petty agendas on a God who rules the universe.

Classical quotation: 
"And His will is our peace;
it is that sea to which wholly moves
what He and Nature create."
-Dante 
Scriptural evidence:  ⁷ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight ⁹ making known^[c] to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." 
-Ephesians 1:7-10
My interpretation: Dante had it almost exactly right here. The only thing I would change, based on this passage from Ephesians, and other Scriptural passages, is that God actually creates nature, and nature obeys him...in one sense, you could interpret that to be Dante's meaning, which is what I will do for my purposes here. Isn't it remarkable the sense of security that the reader hears in Paul's voice when you read this passage? Indeed, God's will should be our peace, because his will is over everything.

Classical quotation:
"God must surely always be represented as he really is, whether the poet is writing epic, lyric, or tragedy." 
-Socrates (or Plato, whichever you will accredit it to from Republic)
Scriptural evidence:   
²⁴ "If I have made gold my trust
   or called fine gold my confidence,
²⁵ if I have rejoiced because my wealth was abundant
   or because my hand had found much,
²⁶ if I have looked at the sun^[e] when it shone,
   or the moon moving in splendor,
²⁷ and my heart has been secretly enticed,
   and my mouth has kissed my hand,
²⁸ this also would be an iniquity to be punished by the judges,
   for I would have been false to God above. 
-Job 31:25-28
My interpretation: It's interesting how we can, in the words of Job, be "false" to God in so many different ways, often through our actions, and other times our words, as Socrates points out. We are better, though, to intentionally give him the credit due his name than to fall into the pit of not honoring God and ending up having to learn the hard way that he really does control everything. God is amazing, and I think it's about time he started getting some credit, at least from me.

Thanking God for the breath I have now through him, the snow that's falling down by his command, the strength he gives me to move forward each day, and the gift of his Son Jesus Christ at the cross.

Meridian

How the Classics Have Formed My Worldview: On Human Nature

Over the next few days I want to do some posts quoting the classics and showing how classical literature has formed my worldview, formed Western society, and confirmed the formation of Christian doctrine. I am now in my fourth year of officially studying the classics, and I am thriving on it. Hopefully I will be posting 3 quotes or so for 3-5 days, depending on how many quotes I dig out of my files. Some people lately have been questioning my classic-reading, and some of my worldview as well, so here I present you with something of an explanation, including Bible references to back myself up. :) The Bible is my basis for all these things, but I want to show how reading the classics is beneficial to the Christian. Some things I can guarantee you you will wholeheartedly agree with, and others you will strongly disagree with, but here I go anyway. Today's topic: Human nature.

Classical quotation: "You wish to be called righteous, rather than to act right." -Aeschylus
Scriptural evidence: ¹ Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ² "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." ³He answered them, "And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition?" -Matthew 15:1-3
My interpretation: The Pharisees are known to Christians for their hypocrisy. Yet, in some passages, Jesus actually compares any human to a Pharisee. We all want to be called righteous people. Everybody, whether admittedly or not, wants to be reverenced. But we kind of want to be the bad guy, too. This is sin in our lives. Aeschylus had it exactly right: we all want to be known as the good guy, but secretly, we don't want to bother with actually being the good guy.

Classical quotation:
"The soul, which is created apt for love,
The moment pleasure wakes it into act,
To any pleasant thing is swift to move.


Your apprehension draws from some real fact
An inward image, which it shows to you,
And by that image doth the soul attract;


And if the soul, attracted, yearns thereto,
That yearning's love; 'tis nature doth secure,
Her band in you, which pleasure knits anew.


And as fire mounts, urged upward by the pure
Impulsion of its form, which must aspire
Toward its own matter, where 'twill best endure,


So the enamoured soul falls to desire-
A motion spiritual- nor rest can find
Till its loved object it enjoy entire.


Now canst thou see how wholly those are blind
To truth, who think all love is laudable
Just in itself, no matter of what kind."
-Dante

Scriptural evidence: "but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful." -Mark 4:19
My interpretation: Go back to Genesis 1. Read it. In the beginning, whenever God created anything, he called it "good." Then read 1 John 4. You'll discover that God is love. While you're at, skip back to Genesis 3. Then read Mark 4. Read the whole chapter. If you want to know the end of the story, read the book of Romans. But for now let's focus on man's sin problem. See, we are created in the image of God (Genesis 1), and we have been declared good by God. This God is love (1 John 4), which means that if we are created in his image we have a love capacity as well. But we have a sin problem (Genesis 3), and so we are left broken, and no longer good. We are all born that way. We are marred by sin. Still, God in his goodness has left us with pieces of himself, because he loves us still. So, we go after anything resembling love. Sometimes we get it. Other times, we miss. More often than not, we get a generic replica of the real thing. Many times, it turns out to be worse than that: it is folly, sin. Satan messes with us. Read The Screwtape Letters if you want to know how. Dante was right: we are blind, and completely hopeless. We need a Savior (book of Romans) to take our sin and desperation completely away.

Classical quotation:
"My sin was all the more incurable because I imagined that I was not a sinner." -St. Augustine
Scriptural evidence: "³And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. ⁴In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants^[a] for Jesus’ sake."
-2 Corinthians 4:3-5
My interpretation: the Gospel that is veiled proclaims that men are sinners. This is a secret kept by the world that Satan would have no man know, but the work of Christ prevents him from having his way.   At some point or other, whether here on earth in finding salvation through Christ, or at the judgement day when all men who are not already proclaiming Christ as king shall be condemned, all men shall have to see their sin for what it is. Still, man's nature will reign for a little while in every human (except for Jesus, of course). Thus, we are like Augustine. We do not understand our own sin until God's revelation touches us.

Today I talked a lot about sin. There is hope though! I love this hymn, and I hope it penetrates you as deeply when you are reading this as it penetrates me now.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound;
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear;
And Grace my fears relieved!
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils, and snares
I have already come.
'Twas Grace that brought me safe thus far,
And Grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun;
We've no less days to sing God's praise,
Than when we've first begun.

In Awe of Him,
Meridian

Thy Kingdom Come: The earth when Christ returns

"I saw night visions,
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed."
    -Daniel 7:13-14 (ESV) 1

Sometimes Christians are prone to wonder what the world will be like when Christ returns. Will it be bright? Solemn? Heaven on earth? With so many possibilities at hand, one longs for some kind of explanation. While it may not be the annals of the new earth, Daniel 7:13-14 offers something of a glimpse into the dominion of Christ, in the unlikely quartet of glory, kingship, servitude, and eternity.

"And to him was given dominion and glory." The word glory in its various forms is used 536 times in Scripture.2 Clearly God wants to make a point about himself! What is this glory of which he speaks? The answer can be found by simply noting what words are frequently used in conjunction with the word glory, throughout Scripture. Daniel 2:37 says, "O King, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory…" Again in at least eight other passages power and strength (or might) are written along with the word glory. Revelation 5:12 builds on this, listing power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and praise as things attributed to the Lord. What an image this provides for the reader! When Christ returns, the glory described in these passages will be unmatched by any other individual who ever walked the face of the earth. Truly, there will be glory.

The second identified characteristic of the world upon the second coming is the kingship of Christ over all the peoples and kingdoms of the earth. Revelation 12:5 says, "She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter." This passage alone marks out an incredible amount of authority being given to Jesus. To ancient, and even medieval people, this image would have had a large amount of significance. In ancient Egypt and Greece, to have a scepter was an indication of ultimate owe, something only kings would carry.3 So, for Scripture to add on top of this that Christ holds an iron scepter is to make a point of absolute, unquestioned authority. Yet it also entails a sweet, fatherly image. The oldest scepter is the heqa-scepter, which has been described as a shepherd's crook, 4 invoking the picture of God gently keeping us on the path he has before us, thus humbling himself despite his majesty. This will be the kingship of Christ.

So far the glory and kingship of the reign of Christ have been discussed. Now the focus shifts to something that appears far less enticing, though just as beautiful. If Christ will rule the nations, then what will his royal subjects do? Daniel 7:14 continues, "that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him."Servanthood is the third aspect of the new kingdom. While it may not be the modern ideal, a servant attitude is praised in the Bible! It is interesting to note that the knights of the middle ages did not start out as knights, but rather as pages. A page was a knight-in-training who would serve nobility and other knights. As he reached his teen years, the boy would become a squire and assist other knights with the care of their weapons, and their personal needs. FInally, if he had done well, he would take on the rank of a knight. Even then, though, his life would remain one of service to the king. He had come through years of lower service in order that he might be prepared to meet this higher calling of service. 5 This is how the church's servitude to the ultimate king will be- one of progression that will culminate in a joyful, even deeper relationship with God. Servanthood is beautiful, made even more so by the reign of Christ.

The final aspect of the reign of Christ is eternity. Most kingdoms don't last more than a few centuries, and even those that do make it, can't last forever. But God's kingdom will stand. Daniel 7:14 goes on, "his dominion is an everlasting dominion." That means that when it comes, it stays. Nothing could happen to this kingdom to take it away. Rome burned at it's emperor's own hands. Briton lost its momentum to internal corruption, and ultimately was overtaken by invasion. In recent months and years, the governments of various middle-eastern countries have fallen apart. But God's kingdom stands forever. Daniel 7:14 concludes, "and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."

As wonderful a picture as someone may have described of God's kingdom when Christ returns, it's going to be better. Looking back at all that's been discovered over the course of this essay, it is clear that the new earth will be filled with glory. Not only this, but along with it Christ will cause power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, and praise. These will come about because of his kingship, authenticated by his iron scepter. Since he cares about his people, he will use his gentle staff to guide them to joyful servanthood, bringing them closer to himself. And, in the end…well, there won't be an end! The joy will be everlasting! So this tour of the new earth ends right where it began, at Daniel 7:14.

"And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed."


-----------------------
Endnotes
1 All Scripture references ESV.

2 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_times_is_the_word_glory_in_the_bible

3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sceptre

4 http://www.proprofs.com/flashcards/cardshowall.php?title=egypt-quiz-1

5 O'Brien, Patrick (1998). The Making of a Knight. Watertown, MA. Charlesbridge.

Rhetoric I Speech of the Day #2: World Population

I love Rhetoric class! Here is the outline from a speech I gave the other day on the world population. Please note that when I speak about "Economic planning" I do not mean a socialistic system, but more of a preparation for this population increase by improving systems internally. For example, small businesses should be encouraged to prosper, farmers should be shown techniques for maximum production, etc. Also, when I refer to "population control" I am talking about abortion, the Pill, and all alternative modes of birth control.

Rhetoric I: Speech of the Day Number 2

Proposition: Economic planning and allowing more people on earth provides a better solution for population management than birth control or other alternative methods will employ for this issue. In other words, more people is actually a preferable thing. This is contrary to the common belief that such methods as birth control are preferable, and economic planning for more people is of a lesser importance.

I. Introduction (30 seconds)
    A. 7 Billion people: what is the issue?
    B. World populations (show graph)
    C. “Real-time” beliefs that are popular
          1. Birth control
          2. Elimination of certain ethnic groups
    D. Economic planning, and more people, provides a better alternative
          1. Thesis

II. A brief analysis of the issue (15 seconds)
    A. African and Asian populations rising
    B. European and other populations sinking


III. Definition of a good strategy (30 seconds)
     A. Utilizes earth resources efficiently
     B. Provides adequate living space for earth’s population
     C. Economically wise and efficient (jobs, finances, etc.)
     D. God-honoring and Biblical

IV. Economic planning allows earth resources to be used efficiently (15 seconds)
     A. Less people = less cultivation
     B. If cultivation is desirable, more people provides more workers and is also desirable
     C. Planning will allow for earth’s resources to be maximally used

V. Economic planning will allow for better usage of earth’s living space (45 seconds)
     A. Only 3% of earth’s 15, 794 square km of land is actually inhabited (by 90% of the people)
     B. 4.3 billion people fit into 473.82 square kilometers while the other 700 million people spread out on 15, 320 square km. We have a lot of space!
     C. Using this space is much more desirable than letting it go to waste, which would be less efficient
     D. More people is fine, and in some ways, better!

VI. Economic planning is wise and efficient for jobs (30 seconds)
     A. Some people disagree
          1. Wrong because many hands lighten the load
     B. The more people there are to create jobs, the more people there are to take them


VII. More people and economic planning are Biblical (30 seconds)
     A. The Bible calls the man with his “quiver full” a “blessed” man
          1. Children are a gift!
     B. Alternatives oppose this
          1. Birth control and elimination of people groups is unhealthy, and definitely non-Biblical!
     C. Planning is also highly advocated in the Bible
          1. Wise to prepare, that the world may benefit

VIII. Conclusion (15 seconds)
      A. World population is an “issue”
      B. Proposed methods by the world are not good
      C. Planning for more people is the best
           1. Meets criteria
           2. Provides a better societal foundation
      D. The best solution.

Isaiah 55: Pt. 7- Come that you may know God

For me, this week has been a really incredible week of learning and soaking in the grace of God. Today I want to conclude my little mini-series by summing up everything I've been finding in this deeply rich passage.

Isaiah 55

The Compassion of the LORD

 ¹ "Come, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.
³Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴ Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
   and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you. ⁶ "Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
⁷let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
 ¹² "For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

To conclude this series, let's look at this one more time, verse by verse, in just a sentence or two each verse.

Vs. 1: God is calling us to come to him!

Vs. 2: If we come, we must come bare before him, so that he can be sufficient for us.

Vs. 3: When we come, we can listen. If we listen and hear, then we will live.

Vs. 4: When we listen, we should become leaders and witnesses.

Vs. 5: When we witness, the nations will come.

Vs. 6: When the nations come, they will seek God, and we must show them how.

Vs. 7: If they seek God, they will leave their wicked ways and God will have compassion on them.

Vs. 8: In his compassion, God is so different from us.

Vs. 9: God's ways are not our ways: he is so much greater and higher!

Vs. 10: In his greatness, God speaks his word, and it stays and takes root.

Vs. 11: Not only does God's word take root, it also succeeds in whatever it does.

Vs. 12: As God's word succeeds, joy and peace will result among the nations-- even the mountains will worship him!

Vs. 13: This joy and peace will be everlasting, and God's reign will be forever.

Isn't this just remarkable? What a mighty God we serve!

Isaiah 55: Pt. 6- Worship that joy may abound

Isaiah 55

The Compassion of the LORD

 ¹ "Come, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.
³Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴ Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
   and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you. ⁶ "Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
⁷ let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
 ¹² "For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Wow, wow, wow. That's all I can say. God promises us in this passage that his kingdom is coming at his word, and since his word shall always succeed, we get to enjoy all the glories described in the passage above. Being a child of God is very special.

Vs. 12:  Joy is a very complex subject that involves so many different things. Essentially, though, every facet of joy can be enraptured in the reality that true joy is from the heart, of God, and is a part of every aspect of life. Peace works in exactly the same way. When God says that we, his children, will go out in joy and be led forth in peace, he means that our entire lives henceforth that moment will be joyful and filled with peace. What a picture this is! Because of the fall, all societies have been lacking somehow in both of these departments. God promises to bring both to us! The picture he gives us is glorious, too. Imagine the Himalayas, Alps, Rocky Mountains, Andes, and all the other mountain ranges across the earth breaking into song. Add to that the redwoods, palms, evergreens, aspens, and cherry trees clapping to the beat! This is incredible stuff!

Vs. 13: Remember that thorn you got stuck in your foot when you were little? It hurt, didn't it? Well, God also promises that all such things will be gone. This is probably also a symbol for evil, which will be gone when the Lord comes back and reigns forever. How amazing is that? To replace this evil, good will arise instead. The good, God says, will make God's name great, and everyone from then on shall worship him forever. So if we worship him now, one day we will join the legions of those who have gone before us in the faith, and we'll be blessed with this everlasting joy, peace, and reign of God.

Like I said earlier, wow. That's about all there is to say.

Tomorrow, I'll conclude this little series with an overview of the whole passage: Come that you may know God.

Joyfully praising him,

Meridian

Isaiah 55: Pt. 5- Listen that you may succeed

Listening. One of the hardest things to do, but one of the greatest and most beneficial skills one can learn. Try it sometime. :)

Isaiah 55

The Compassion of the LORD

 ¹ "Come, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.
³Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴ Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
   and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you. ⁶ "Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
⁷let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
 ¹² "For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Vs. 10: Rain and snow. Beautiful weather conditions, but sometimes they give us problems. Driving along a road in the midst of a whiteout blizzard can actually kill us. Likewise, standing in the middle of a torrent of rain for an extended period of time can make the human body very sick. On the other hand, these conditions can be a blessing. At Christmastime, when everything is rather bleak and dry, that little bit of snow adds moisture and beauty to the surroundings. In a hot, dry summer, a good rain is welcomed most thoroughly. God's spoken word is like these conditions. His words can be dangerous, and can cause our lives to be lived on the edge. Yet, despite the extremities, his words can be welcome, and add beauty to our broken world. In fact, his words don't just add beauty: they are the essence of beauty. God's words are not sent down from heaven only to be pulled back up again. He loves us, keeps his word, and wants his word to take root in the hearts of all his creation: especially his chosen people.

Vs. 11: God is all-powerful. When he says he is going to do something, he does it. With his words he shows us who he is and how we are to respond to that. Ultimately, God reminds us in this passage that his word will succeed at whatever it sets out to do. When I was titling this post, I thought through this success factor, and its relation to listening. When I formed the title, I was concerned that it might sound like some sort of health and wealth prosperity gospel. Then I realized that this is the truth: we must listen in order to succeed. For isn't it true that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me?" At the same time, the opposite is equally true. Essentially, we cannot do all things without Christ who strengthens us. Listening to, and obeying God, are the key to true success. This is because Biblical success is not defined by how much money you make, how famous you are, or even how good of a family life you lead. Success, in God's Book (literally!), is defined by God's success, and how closely you are following to his mission. Considering that the Bible is the ultimate authority, it might be wise to take this seriously. If, at the end of your life, you can say that though you certainly have not had a perfect, sinless, life, you have, by the grace of God sought at every moment to please him in every way, and to follow him in perfect obedience to the best of your human ability, then you have been successful, because we have seen a purpose bigger than ourselves, and as big as the God who created the entire universe. No one, of course, is perfect, but we can do our best as God gives us grace to live humbly with him every day. In the end, then, to listen is to succeed.

Tomorrow: Worship that joy may abound.

Seeking to listen to Him,

Meridian

Isaiah 55: Pt. 4- Know, that you may worship

Isn't God's goodness just remarkable? Today I want to continue to explore this remarkable passage from Isaiah. You might be wondering why I am  posting the entire passage every day. Quite honestly, I find it amazingly refreshing to read the entire thing every day. But, of course, that is completely up to you as to whether or not you would like to do the same. :)

Isaiah 55

The Compassion of the LORD

 ¹ "Come, everyone who thirsts,
   come to the waters;
and he who has no money,
    come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
   without money and without price.
² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
   and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
   and delight yourselves in rich food.
³Incline your ear, and come to me;
    hear, that your soul may live;
and I will make with you an everlasting covenant,
    my steadfast, sure love for David.
⁴ Behold, I made him a witness to the peoples,
    a leader and commander for the peoples.
⁵ Behold, you shall call a nation that you do not know,
   and a nation that did not know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God, and of the Holy One of Israel,
    for he has glorified you.  
⁶ "Seek the LORD while he may be found;
   call upon him while he is near;
⁷ let the wicked forsake his way,
   and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him,
   and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
   neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
   so are my ways higher than your ways
   and my thoughts than your thoughts.
 ¹⁰ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
   and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
   it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
   and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
 ¹² "For you shall go out in joy
   and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you
   shall break forth into singing,
   and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;
   instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;
and it shall make a name for the LORD,
   an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off."

Vs. 8:  God is an amazing God who has created the whole universe, and holds every detail of it right within his hand. His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is so much greater than us, and we ought to be in awe of that fact. In the same way, God reminds us that his ways are not our ways. God is our superior in every respect: that he accepts and loves us as his children is completely unfathomable! Wow!

Vs. 9: God continues to remind us of his power. A God who loves us so greatly, and who controls so much, should be the focus of all our attention: he is truly worthy! Not just that, but we are unworthy of his love. The deeper we get to know him, the more we'll love him. The more we love him, the more we'll worship. I don't know about you, but I want to be a worshiper! I want to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, and use every moment of every day to please him. Now, of course, I am human and simply cannot live up to that standard. But I can certainly try. This is much of the topic of St. Augustine's Confessions, in which he realizes his own sin, and God's greatness, and suddenly he wants to please him at every moment of every day. When we read through works like this one, we should be inspired to do the same, because what a mighty God we serve! If we know how great he is, we should be moved to worship him in total devotion.

Tomorrow: Listen that you may succeed

Serving him in awe,

Meridian