Each Day is Like Heaven

April06treeringsmall Over the years, standing at the sink many times each day, I’ve seen the most remarkable sights… all the changes each season brings. Through the years, I’ve become aware of what changes will come about in each of the different months. I look for what each new season brings–eagerly anticipating the blooms that will soon appear all over the yard… the tiny new, elegant leaves of the giant old weeping willow tree, the daffodils that will soon dance around the base of that old tree.

Today was no different, the familiar sights were there… the earth pounding with the shoots and buds of springtime… the flitting hummingbirds taking sips from any one of the many feeders around the house. I found myself wandering back in time when little ones played in the yard—little feet stretching out, reaching to the heavens with each pump of the swings, splashing in the pool, volleyballs flying back and forth over the net, buckets and shovels in the sandbox, doll strollers, matchbox cars, tonka trucks and scooters, bicycles and basket balls in the driveway, roller skates down the lane, rubber boots jumping in puddles, snow angels on the lawn. Days gone by. So many days gone by so fast. Sweeter days. But they really weren’t sweeter than these. Just like those days… these are the good old days.

As I unloaded and reloaded the dishwasher, I was singing as I often do… and I stopped, mid-verse, and thought: do I really live this? Is each day ♪ really like heaven to me? does my heart really ♪ overflow? does He really grow sweeter to me the longer ♪ I serve Him? I was stopped in my melancholy-baby tracks. I had to say: No. No, each day is not like heaven—-at least not like the heaven I’ve imagined the Lord preparing for us. No, I thought, my heart’s not overflowing with that sweetness today. My heart was full of anxious thoughts, discouragement, disappointment and even frustration at different situations over which I have no control and cannot see good as an outcome to some of them.

I worked along… and there I was singing again; ♪ every need He is supplying, plenteous grace He bestows, every day my way gets ♪ brighter, the longer I serve ♪ Him, the sweeter He grows… ♪ Wait… here comes that chorus again. I thought: I’ve gotta get my mind straight, if I’m going to sing this, I’m going to mean it and if I’m going to mean it, then I’ve got to live it, and if I’m going to live it, then I’ve got to turn some things around–or, rather, turn some things over to the Lord that I absolutely cannot take care of, handle, understand… or carry.

housebasket Are you there with me? Are you needing to hand Him your basket? If you are, I totally understand. And, in order that you’ll be able to press on, I’d really implore you to join me in just handing over that stuff… there’s nothing we can do about it all anyway, so handing it all over is really quite freeing. I came across a verse yesterday that says, “And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer, and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” — Isaiah 65.24 Truly the Lord is our Jehovah Shammah — He is the Lord who hears — the Lord who is there.

I’m humbled again by the God who is already there… the God who hears me.

How is it that you do not understand?

I mull this thought over and over as I stir my coffee: How is it that you do not understand? It is a question Jesus asked His disciples *after* the feeding of the four thousand as they were reasoning among themselves about their lack of bread. (Mark 8.16-21) We ought to ask ourselves this question — especially if we’ve walked with Jesus a long time — especially if we’ve seen Him do above and beyond all that we could’ve asked or imagined.

So this must be us, too, because we have seen and experienced the provision, the miracles, the touch of Jesus on our lives and we, too, give in to fears and doubts and faithless thoughts. Where is Jesus when we do this? Well, we answer, He is right here. Yes! Yes, He is, but why do we think and act as though He is not (or was not or will not be). Why do we so often live as though He’s never passed by, never taken our hand, never touched our eyes, never made a difference in our lives.

We are like those who sought and received healing, but continue on having eyes that see not, ears but hearing not and experiencing but remembering not.

But Jesus. But Jesus — ever compassionate Jesus — doesn’t leave, does not forsake us, does not think us insignificant. As further demonstration of His amazing love and precious care, Jesus continues to show mercy. Mark 8.22: A blind man is brought to Jesus — for a cure, for sight to his eyes. And what does Jesus do? He takes the blind man by the hand. Has Jesus done this for you? Have you sought Him for this or that or some other thing — and He takes you by the hand? Before the blind man saw, he was led by the Lord Jesus.

O, that ought to be us. O, that we would trust Jesus when He takes us by the hand *before* we see — that we would be led by Him – in blind faith.

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises
of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

When Jesus was reminding His disciples of the miracles they had seen and experienced, He didn’t simply point to the miracle of feeding four thousand or of feeding five thousand — but He pointed out to them what remained — what was left over. Do you think on that in your life? After the miracles He has done… and all the “fragments” or overage or abundance left over. This is where (I believe) the above and beyond comes in when considering that the Lord has done/is doing/will do above and beyond what we ask or imagine. I think we’re just too often to blind to see — even though we’ve been given sight. May the Lord open our eyes that we may see — that we may understand — and remember — and live in His marvelous light. May it be for us, today, the testimony: whereas I was blind, now I see. O, what a difference since Jesus passed by.

Doing a new thing

Based on past performance, many of us can attest that doing a new thing is hard. This is where some of us fall off the cliff — or don’t even try! It takes determination to not allow past performance to thwart us from trying or doing a new thing!

Doing a new thing is tough. Especially when that new thing takes will power or money — few of us have much of either. And, as we age, we have this daunting fear that past results (things that were good before they stopped being good) don’t necessarily mean that today’s performance will yield the same ~~success~~ results. :o(

I think the devil delights in our doubts as much a he delights in our failings… surely he does when we doubt God or doubt our faith. But he also delights in sabotaging our efforts seek the Lord and to do good. Sometimes he’s successful at both. We mustn’t doubt for a moment that we do have an enemy that hates for us to yield to God, hates for us to seek the Lord — especially seeking the Lord early – hates for us to be faithful to the calling of the Lord in our lives.

I say this because I want to suggest that any attempt to do good or to do a new thing must be bathed in prayer and executed with the blessing of the Lord. I think failing these two things is what ultimately leads to our failure in doing that new thing — and, certainly, doing it well.

Take daily Bible reading or early rising or prayer or fasting, for example, if we attempt any in our own strength, we’ll fail — but, we know from Scripture, when we commit to seeking the Lord — His will and His righteousness, He will work in and through us — even though it may not look to us (at the time) to be working!

Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him;
and He shall bring it to pass.” -Psalm 37.5

So, as we launch out into the vast expanse of this unblemished year, this uncharted territory, we can be assured that the Lord is already here and He does, indeed, have a marvelous plan for each of us. And all the things that face us, all the trials and temptations, all the joys and sorrows, all the successes and failures do not — will not — escape His gaze. He is already there.

Then thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
This is the way, walk ye in it, that ye not turn to the right hand
and that ye not turn to the left hand. -Isaiah 30.21

As we seek to do a new thing, we must first seek His face, take His hand and and wait! and see! if that’s where He wants to lead us. I truly see Him doing a new thing… I want to follow Him in it… this is the first day of all our tomorrows… O, may we do a new thing… in faith!

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;
shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness,
and rivers in the desert. -Isaiah 43.19

Vision

A dear friend recently wrote a letter regarding losing vision and had several thoughts regarding the danger of lacking vision, and the importance of having vision or purpose. I’ve mulled that over. And over. I empathized and I actually sort of felt sick at the thought, the tragic thought of losing vision.

And then it struck me (but it wasn’t the first time) that I’ve lost vision. If you’ve never “lost vision” before, then it’s probably hard to understand how someone could go along, have a great track to run on and then suddenly lose vision. But it happens. And if it’s happened to you, you understand. You totally understand.

I started losing vision a long time ago. For some things — not for everything, for some things.
I got off track — or was rolling down what I see now was a sort of parallel track — thought I was going along fine. But a parallel track that’s off by 1 degree soon is off by a gaping distance. In the beginning it’s not so noticeable. And, maybe for quite a while it’s not so noticeable… but down the way a bit — it’s very noticeable. Usually to everyone except the one who’s in the car on the now-not-so-parallel track.

I’ve been very tempted to stop writing. You know… listening to enemy’s voice: why do you write, you don’t have anything to say, you’re worthless, you don’t have any wise words and on and on. I was tempted to stop accepting invitations to share with women in different venues. And I did — I did stop altogether. For a time. And then I thought: wait a minute — everything I believed I still believe. Everything that was previously important is still important. I may have made a mess out of a lot of things. I should have done so many things differently. But I didn’t — and time went by. I’m thankful for the Lord’s great blessing of encouragement and re-creation! By His grace, many — if not most — of the trials that I thought I’d never pass through have been redeemed and used for my good and His glory. I wait on Him for finish the work He’s begun — for I know that I know He will complete the work.

Some of my experiences may seem like failures, or circumstances may have changed, but the Truths I stand on, the Truths that guide and inspire me have not changed. I was tempted — have been tempted many, many times to drop commitments, drop the website, drop this blog, drop other writing projects and move on. The website’s antiquated. This blog’s out of date. The many writing projects are unfinished. The vision for all these things seemed lost.

The best thing about space and time is that perspective is gained in the passage of time and vision is gained from distance to an object. For both, clarity is a great blessing. My indecision has turned out to be a blessing — I don’t really want to dump the website — it took twelve years to build — it can be redone, it can be redeemed. And I don’t want to quit writing — I love to write. I’ve been redeemed. The Lord has given me a great opportunity. And I really don’t want to miss opportunities to share messages with sisters in the Lord — because He has given me so much. He has turned my messes into messages.

So, now…
Some of the messages have become messes.
Some of the messes have become messages.

And thinking on this has given me a new vision. The messages that have become messes? I’ve decided not to just dismiss them entirely for they are part of who I am and where I’ve been, but I hope to turn them, by the grace of God, back in the messages.

So, now…
My new vision is to clean up some of the messes, give them new meaning. Share some of the messages that have come from the messes and, again, by the grace of God, be a vessel He can use. I might add, I’m sure thankful for the husband the Lord gave me — why the Lord blessed me so, I will never know but I’ll be forever grateful! His insight, his perspective is a gift. I know, we women tend to see things as all or nothing sometimes — and it takes a wise husband to point out the anchor is still holding… that the ship may be tossing or listing to one side or the other — but the Anchor holds. The Anchor holds.

Only God can:
turn a MESS into a MESSAGE;
a TEST into a TESTIMONY;
a TRIAL into a TRIUMPH;
a VICTIM into a VICTORY.

Speech filter

“She openeth her mouth with wisdom;
and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”
proverbs 31.26

As we have “spell-check” to alert us to misspelled words – or a grammar-check to alert us of grammar mistakes, this verse serves a divine speech-check — except that we never get a second chance to say the right thing first. This verse then would be our speech-filter verse. The word spoken is spoken – no highlight, delete, re-speak… what’s said is said. We might tend to say the first thing that comes to our mind — and may not stop and give attention to whether it’s wise or kind. So then, as we carry on through the day or when we have opportunity to teach or share a thought — we might test our comments by filtering them through this verse.

O, how our lives need filtering. The filter could be described as the continually abiding life. This filter might be reveling: am I abiding in Christ? Is what I am thinking and/or saying from the Lord? This filter is sort of a product of the engrafted Word — learning and continually gaining more understanding from the Bible; having our life committed and yielded to the will, the way and the leading of the Lord by the Holy Spirit.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life.”
–proverbs 4.23

I cannot count the number of times I’ve said things — and then said or thought: O, I shouldn’t have said that! Or, I can’t believe I said that! More and more I am seeing that the things I/we say are not from nothing — they come from somewhere. Has this thought come from a yielded heart, a content life — for encouragement or edification — or is this word or thought borne of bitterness, pride or some other selfish thing? More succinctly, is this of the Lord or of the enemy? Ouch.

Second chances we might receive to say the right thing might not come right away — if at all. We usually know –instantly– that we’ve said the wrong thing or that we spoken in haste or anger or foolishness. But sometimes we say things we honestly have no idea that the words came across as angry, critical or judgmental. I am coming to see more and more that humility and forgiveness go a long way — for retrieving a misspoken word is not like autocorrect for misspelled word.

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt,
that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
— colossians 4.6

I’m again reminded to use a double filter when speaking: Is this comment wise? Is this comment kind? This double filter would sure prevent many misunderstandings, hurt feelings, rude or inconsiderate comments. Problem is, we often have hurt feelings over what someone’s said to us — but we tend to forget we ourselves are just as guilty of speaking without grace or speaking without charity. I am so often reminded of this as I think on past offenses or wonder why someone has said this or that hurtful thing. And I have to again filter it — and it’s a decision to do so — only this time, I must filter it through the filter of love: love bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13.7) I think that it’s in the remembering of this that much ground is spared in maintaining and for mending relationships and friendships.

Sweet speech, loving kindness and graciousness are always a blessing — speaking otherwise always destroys. Time and time again I am having this matter tested in my life — and continually I am learning more need for refraining, rephrasing answers, rewording comments, reworking thoughts and speech. All of the different humbling experiences have been truly for my good — and I’m thankful to have the blessing of correction and second chances. Proverbs 31.26 is a wonderful speech filter.

“Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility:
for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
— 1 peter 5.5

Springtime came…

I smile as I look back and recall a blog entry I wrote on the 22nd of March called Springtime… seasons. At the end of that post I wrote: “… And I can truly say that God has had the sweetest surprises in store for me following some of the seemingly most barren seasons. Praise the Lord. He only does all things well. May I never take this for granted.”

Additionally, in that post I included the lyrics of a song Spring Time’s Comin’ that’s surely become even more meaningful to me since that post was written — because just two weeks later I opened the door to receive a package someone had sent to us. I could not have known on that day that the Lord, indeed, had a marvelous surprise right around the corner.

Remember the lyrics to that Spring time song? “…Right before your eyes, God has the sweetest surprise, all the new things He has planned to colour your world… Spring time’s comin’.”

As I looked at that package, I wondered what could this be?!? I even called my husband to tell him a package had come – mostly bcz he is the one who receives packages more often than anyone else here in our home. I thought it surely must be a business related package. But, oddly, it was sent by UPS from UPS. Strange. And so, the phone tucked between my ear and shoulder, I opened the box… dug through the zillions of packing chips to find another box. Open it, open it, he exclaimed! And as I opened the box I saw a letter… three pages… and I began to read… Wes, still listening…

Again, remember the lyrics to that Spring time song? “…Right before your eyes, God has the sweetest surprise, all the new things He has planned to colour your world… Spring time’s comin’.” Well, right before my eyes God did have the sweetest surprise… After reading the first page, I turned to the second…. what?!?!? Itinerary?!?! *Our* names?!?! What?!?! Then, a book: Hawai’i!?!?! What!?!?! Then turning to the third page… what!?!?! We’re staying here…?!?!? Omygoodness, this must be a joke… how can this be?!?! Who could have done this wonderful thing?!?!?! How can this be?!?!?

“…Right before your eyes, God has the sweetest surprise, all the new things He has planned to colour your world… Spring time’s comin’.”

Now that dream — that wonderful dream — is part of the beautiful collage of memories we have. And it is, undoubtedly, one of the more beautiful memories of our whole life – truly being the best and longest time we’ve ever spent alone together. It was a dream – but better – a dream come true.

Later we would have confirmation that all that was contained in the package was indeed true and was for real. Emails from Aloha For Reals gave more confirmation (and more questions… more what in the world?!?!? more how can this be!?!?!). It was then that we began to dream… and that’s when I wrote that post A new start and an old dream.

Weary of the winter, grieved over disappointments and misunderstandings, lost in wonder how to put life in proper perspective and move on from trials and failings… Springtime came and with it the hope of a brighter tomorrow.

As I wrote, while we were in Hawai’i, we asked the Lord many times: why are we here? why have You so blessed us in this incredibly lavish way? Well, initially, we saw the great blessing of just being there – the beauty, the brightness, the warmth, the aloha!, the joy of being alone and in love, the peace and quiet, the rest… but then I began to see God’s great message written everywhere we went: God is not without witness! God preserves a witness – He preserves a hope and a future. Beautiful, fragrant flowers growing in tens of thousands of acres of lava fields gave witness to this great and precious truth: God is not without witness anywhere! And… thus: in my life, springtime came. I’ll share tomorrow some more things the Lord showed me there and when we returned home. More significant to me, with each passing day, is the fact that God was demonstrating all winter long, all through the early Springtime, He did have a marvelous plan for us… and it wasn’t just that wonderful trip – it was that, and more.

More of that song again:

It’s been a long hard winter, Spring’s long overdue…
Icy wind, cruel and bitter has chilled hope out of you,
you want to look ahead, but your heart’s so full of dread,
you can’t see the subtle changes in the air…
Spring time’s coming…

On the heels of a Winter wind, balmy breezes
will blow across your garden again,
the seeds of hope you’ve planted,
are alive beneath the snow, the blooms are yet to show…
this season will end.

Spring time’s coming, after the winter wind.

I know it’s hard to imagine that Spring’s on the way…
With the trees brown and barren and the skies so gray —

Right before your eyes God has the sweetest surprise
All the new things He’s prepared to colour your world…
Spring time’s coming.

As long as heaven and earth remain
God promises the seasons will change
Spring time’s coming.

Timely Words

I’m profoundly aware this morning of the timeliness of the Word – of the order of the LORD, His plans, His purposes and His timing. What a blessing it is to walk with the LORD and to see His signature on the writing of the day or to see His orchestration of sequences of events. What a wonder, what a marvel: that the God of the Universe, the Creator and sustainer of all life would think on me… would think on you and would take note of all that concerns you before as yet one day or one moment comes to pass.

This morning, even before our family gathered for breakfast and Bible study, we had some of the cares of this world on our minds and it came to pass that we would be reading a section of the Word that would prove to have been orchestrated by the LORD for us to be reading this day. Through the years, this has happened more times than I can number or remember.

We were reading in Genesis [yes… we’ve started at the beginning again, and yes, it might take us years to read through ;o) ] and in the natural course of our reading we came to the passage where Jacob is returning to his country and has great fear of Esau; and it was during that time that he wrestled with a man – whom we know to have been the LORD — and the point of God’s blessing and changing him, his life and his name. God did not need to tell Jacob His name – for Jacob, now Israel, knew he had seen God face to face and that it was God that had preserved his life.

I believe it is the same with all of us when we come to that point of wrestling with God, as it were, and when He has His way in our heart — in our life and our name is changed. That point where we no longer walk in the old path but are changed in newness of life.

If you’ve never come to that point, then maybe today’s the day you will look to the LORD — He will be found by you if you seek Him with your whole heart – you have His Word on it. You will never have a time of calling out to the LORD where He will not already be there – attentive to your cry. He says, “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Ps 46.10)

And He says in Isaiah 43: “…I am the LORD, your Holy One, the creator of Israel, your King. Thus saith the LORD, which maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters… Which bringeth forth the chariot and horse, the army and the power; they shall lie down together, they shall not rise: they are extinct, they are quenched as tow. Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert… because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise… I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”

Well, as we read, I was comforted that God has heard our prayers, has surely gone before us and has not shifted His gaze. I see how the LORD is consistently consistent, persistently persistent and mercifully merciful through the years. He alone is faithful.

As we prayed around our table, it was evident to me that God is ever present, some were acknowledging the answers to yesterday’s prayers, some were praising for yesterday’s provisions and petitioning for today’s cares. And we have confidence that He, indeed, hears our prayers. He hears your prayers, dear friend, the cries of your heart — and is ever present. What a comfort to see Him trace a rainbow in the rain.

As we set about the day and I came into the sunroom to read, I was further reminded of the consolation of the LORD.

I wrote some of the words of this morning’s “Streams in the Desert” on a card… they ring in my mind.

“…Hide thy tempest of individual trouble behind the altar of a common tribulation and, that same night, the Lord shall appear to thee. The rainbow shall span the place of the subsiding flood, and in thy stillness thou shalt hear the everlasting music. –George Matheson”

I decided to post today’s “Streams in the Desert” entry for you to read, below.

I pray you, too, are blessed by these timely words.

Streams in the Desert 1.15.08

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Be Still

Author: Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
Source: Streams in the Desert
Scripture Reference: Genesis 26:24-24

“And the Lord appeared unto Isaac the same night” (Gen. 26:24).

“Appeared the same night,” the night on which he went to Beer-sheba. Do you think this revelation was an accident? Do you think the time of it was an accident? Do you think it could have happened on any other night as well as this? If so, you are grievously mistaken. Why did it come to Isaac in the night on which he reached Beer-sheba? Because that was the night on which he reached rest. In his old locality, he had been tormented. There had been a whole series of petty quarrels about the possession of paltry wells. There are no worries like little worries, particularly if there is an accumulation of them. Isaac felt this. Even after the strife was past, the place retained a disagreeable association. He determined to leave. He sought change of scene. He pitched his tent away from the place of former strife. That very night the revelation came. God spoke when there was no inward storm. He could not speak when the mind was fretted; His voice demands the silence of the soul. Only in the hush of the spirit could Isaac hear the garments of his God sweep by. His still night was his starry night.

My soul, hast thou pondered these words, “Be still, and know”? In the hour of perturbation, thou canst not hear the answer to thy prayers. How often has the answer seemed to come long after I The heart got no response in the moment of its crying–in its thunder, its earthquake, and its fire. But when the crying ceased, when the stillness fell, when thy hand desisted from knocking on the iron gate, when the interest of other lives broke the tragedy of thine own, then appeared the long-delayed reply. Thou must rest, O soul, if thou wouldst have thy heart’s desire. Still the beating of thy pulse of personal care. Hide thy tempest of individual trouble behind the altar of a common tribulation and, that same night, the Lord shall appear to thee. The rainbow shall span the place of the subsiding flood, and in thy stillness thou shalt hear the everlasting music. –George Matheson

Tread in solitude thy pathway,
Quiet heart and undismayed.
Thou shalt know things strange, mysterious,
Which to thee no voice has said.

While the crowd of petty hustlers
Grasps at vain and paltry things,
Thou wilt see a great world rising
Where soft mystic music rings.

Leave the dusty road to others,
Spotless keep thy soul and bright,
As the radiant ocean’s surface
When the sun is taking flight.
–(From the German of V. Schoffel) H. F.

This classic devotional is the unabridged edition of Streams in the Desert. This first edition was published in 1925 and the wording is preserved as originally written. Connotations of words may have changed over the years and are not meant to be offensive.

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Only God can: turn a MESS into a MESSAGE; a TEST into a TESTIMONY; a TRIAL into a TRIUMPH; a VICTIM into a VICTORY.

Only God can:
turn a MESS into a MESSAGE;
a TEST into a TESTIMONY;
a TRIAL into a TRIUMPH;
a VICTIM into a VICTORY.