The Master Designer

I have learned so much more about God since I have been doing the daily Bible readings. It is easy for me to think of God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. I have never had a hard time "wrapping my mind" around that concept. I can look up into the sky and see His wonders and I marvel at the miracle of the infinite details of a seashell. When I envision God as the Creator, I see that nothing is impossible for Him and He does everything in such a big way. However, as I read through Genesis and Exodus, I see a different aspect of our Creator God. He is a builder, an architect, a clothing designer and an interior designer. For some reason, it is more difficult for me to imagine God in these "every day" roles, but I am realizing that he is an "every day" kind of God. He is very interested in all of the details concerning our daily activity.

When God instructed Noah to build the ark, He knew exactly what the ark needed to remain afloat during the time of flooding. He was specific about the type of wood to be used--cypress. It was to be coated with pitch inside and out. The ark was to be 450 feet long, 75 fee wide, and 45 feet high. As a builder of the infamous ark, God protected Noah, his family and all of the animals, and also demonstrated His wrath upon a godless generation as the waters covered the entire earth. His instructions were accurate and fail-proof regarding the construction of the ark.

In Exodus, we read about the construction of the Tabernacle, the altar of burnt offerings and the priestly garments. These chapters contain tedious details about the construction of the Tabernacle. Surprisingly, I was very fascinated by these chapters. God was very specific about the materials to be used for the Tabernacle just as he was for the ark before the flood. He specified the length of the curtains and size of the altar of burnt offering. He was particular about the clothing for Aaron the priest, and how it was to be designed. He only chose the finest materials to be used for these things. As I was reading about all of God's specifications for the Tabernacle and the priestly garments, I began to ask "Why?" Why would God go to such great lengths to give such detail? Why was it so important to God for his instructions to be followed so accurately?

Sometimes God's instructions are for our protection as demonstrated with Noah and the ark. Other times, God's instructions show us a bigger picture of Himself, or they display symbolism of what is to come. The Tabernacle symbolized in many ways the coming of Christ, the pure and spotless Lamb who would come to atone for the sins of all people. God has also revealed to me that He is a God of great order and detail and He has expectations for His instructions to be followed completely and accurately as an act of obedience. Sometimes it doesn't matter if we know the answer "why" to all that God asks of us. What does matter is that we are obedient to do what He has asked us to do. God the architect, master planner, interior designer is reconstructing each of us on a daily basis. Will we hear Him as He gives us specific instructions about our lives? How will we respond? What I learned from reading these chapters in Genesis and Exodus, is that God has a specific design for our lives, and they will be made of the finest materials--character, endurance, perseverance, faith, etc. Ultimately, our life's purpose is to point to Christ and to demonstrate His love, mercy and faithfulness. May we all be sensitive to God's master planning in our lives so that they bring glory and honor to Him while we are here on this earth.

God's Unfailing Love

I have heard many stories over the years about people who were near death, and as they looked back on their lives, they admitted their regrets and disappointments. One of the biggest regrets mentioned is the fact that the individual didn't spend enough quality time with his/her family and friends. When I come to the end of my life, I will definitely want my friends and family to be reassured of my love for them. If we spend any time reading the Bible, we will find that God is very intentional about letting us know how much He loves us.

There are so many themes in the Bible, but none greater than that of God's unfailing love. From the very beginning, God has been about the business of redeeming and restoring His relationship with man--His beloved creation. Echoing through the pages of Scripture, we hear God's voice whispering, "I love you, and don't forget it." As I have been reading the daily Bible readings, I was struck by the absolute tenderness of God to write this love letter to us.

The term "unfailing love" is mentioned over and over again through the Scriptures. "Unfailing" means "completely dependable", "endless--as a resource or supply."

Here are a few passages from our daily Bible readings which recall God's unfailing love:

Psalm 32:10 "...but eh lord's unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in Him."

Psalm 48:9 "Within Your temple, O God, we meditate on Your unfailing love..."

Exodus 15:13 (From the Song of Moses and Miriam) "In Your unfailing love You will lead the people You have redeemed..."

Psalm 52:8 "But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God's unfailing love forever and ever."

God desires for His unfailing love to be active in our lives--surrounding us and leading us as we trust in Him; but we need to be convinced that He loves us so that we will trust Him completely. God's resources are limitless, and that includes His love as well. Oh Lord, let us be like the olive tree flourishing in the house of God. Shower us with Your unfailing love today. Thank You for sending this beautiful love letter to us in the form of Your Holy Word. May our lives be a reflection of the love that You have poured out on us!

Just as God Said

Word of God Speak
Reflections from the Daily Bible Readings
The Word of God for the People of God
The daily Bible readings have been refreshing as I have read passage from the Old and New Testament and the Psalms. Reading Genesis, I am reminded of the passage in Hebrews 12:1 which says "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses..." My faith has been increased as I have read and reviewed the unbelievable faith of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Then, in Hebrews 11:6 we read that it is impossible to please God without faith. Over and over again, we read that the faith of our forefathers was considered as righteousness before God, and each patriarch received rich blessing and reward as a result of their faith. However, all were tested. Abraham tried to take matters into his own hands many times, instead of letting God work to reveal his plan. Jacob deceived and manipulated his way to get the things he wanted. Though some of these ancient men of faith failed the "pop quizzes" of life, they ultimately passed the final exams and realized God's promised blessing.

The phrase "just as God said" is a key phrase in both the Old and New Testament. Adam and Eve experienced their punishment for eating the forbidden fruit--just as God said they would. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob received the Promised Land just as God said they would. In fact, God was faithful to confirm His covenant with them to strengthen their faith. The wise men found the baby Jesus under the star in the East, just as God said they would. Jesus came forth from the land of Judah, just as God said He would. How wonderful it is to read God's covenant to Abraham, Jacob and Isaac; to read the Psalms of the one who would live in Bethlehem, the "City of David"--the fulfillment of every prophecy concerning God's redemption. Jesus Christ--the exact representation of God's glory, the Great High Priest, the One with whom God was well pleased, was revealed to us at just the right time in history. It is evident that God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purposes very clear. We have this "hope"--the anchor for our souls, firm and secure.

My prayer is that we will all treasure the priceless gift of God's Word. Psalm 19 tells us that God's Word is more precious than gold, sweeter than honey from the comb. ..in keeping them there is great reward. The Word of God is the voice of G0d--the voice which uttered the creation of the heavens and starry hosts. The Word of God is the GREAT I AM--the beginning and the end, and the Word of God is the Good Shepherd who whispers comfort and encouragement to those who are cast down in spirit. Every day, God is "watching over His Word to perform it." (Jer. 1:12) Let us also watch to see how He performs His Word each day.

Word of God speak, would you pour down like rain, Washing my eyes to see Your Majesty... To be still and know that You're in this place Please let me stay and rest in Your holiness Word of God Speak...

A Second-Hand Violin

I've always been impressed with the Apostle Paul who said he had learned to be content in all things. He endured shipwrecks, prison and persecutions, yet none of those things seemed to affect the inner peace and joy that remained in his heart.

There was once a great violinist named Paganini who entered the stage to play before an audience, when he noticed something was wrong with his violin. As he looked at it, he realized that it was not his famous, valuable violin. In a state of panic, he turned to his audience and told them there had been some mistake and he did not have his own violin. He stepped back behind the curtain thinking that his violin was where he left it, but he discovered that someone had stolen it and left an old, second-hand violin in its place. He remained back stage for a moment and then went out to face his audience. He said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I will show you that the music is not in the instrument, but in the soul." He played as he had never played before; and out of that second-hand instrument the music poured forth until the audience was captured with enthusiasm and the applause almost lifted the ceiling of the building. Paganini was able to effectively demonstrate that the music was not in the instrument, but in the soul.

The life of Paul and the story of Paganini both encourage me to be intentional about growing my faith "from within", developing the ability to say "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:13) Paul learned to trust in the faithfulness of God because God was faithful to Him. His contentment discourse goes like this: "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether being in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength." (Phil. 4:11-13) It is as if Paul wrote the favorite hymn that we sing:

Great is Thy Faithfulness
Oh God My Father
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy Faithfulness
Lord unto me

If life hands us a "second-hand violin", it is a good opportunity for us to see whether or not the "music is within our souls." May we become like Paul and learn contentment in all circumstances as we trust in the faithfulness of God.

The Weapon of Praise

I was really touched this past week by the song "This is My Destiny." It is a powerful modern hymn containing Biblical theology and truth for every believer. Dennis Jernigan, the writer of "This is My Destiny", is also the writer of other well-known worship songs such as "Who Can Satisfy" and "You are My All in All." He was once a struggling youth who did not fit in with his peers. He had numerous self-esteem issues and eventually fell into homosexuality because that was where he found acceptance. As a young adult, God delivered him from this lifestyle and called Him into music ministry. Today, he is married and has several children (9 I last heard!) He is a powerful worship leader, and his music brings healing and hope to many who are struggling. Dennis admits even today that he writes many of his songs as weapons of warfare against his old patterns of thinking. He has learned that praise to God Almighty silences the enemy (Psalm 8:2). In other words, Satan is basically "bound and gagged" when we praise the Lord. He is forced to sit and listen to it!

In the Old Testament, King Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord before going into battle against the enemy armies who were advancing toward them. Seeing the size of the enemy armies, Jehoshaphat prayed, "Lord, we don't know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chron. 20:12) The Lord spoke to Jehoshaphat saying, "Do not be discouraged because of the vast army...you will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance that the Lord will give you...Do not be afraid, but go out and face them tomorrow and the Lord will be with you." (2 Chron. 20:15-17) Jehoshaphat and all of his people fell to the ground and began to worship the Lord. They praised Him with a very loud voice! Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord; to praise Him for the splendor of His holiness. Then they went out ahead of the army singing "Give thanks to the Lord for His love endures forever!" As they began to sing, the Lord sent ambushes against the enemy and they turned toward each other and destroyed one another. Not one member of the enemy army was left standing. What an incredible story!

God has reminded me this week that praise is a powerful weapon against the enemy. Praise is the way se "stand firm and take up our positions." There is great victory in praise. We begin by recalling truths from God's Word. I believe the song, "This is My Destiny" is a warfare hymn that Dennis Jernigan wrote to silence the enemy. The chorus says:

He calls me child He calls me to His side eternally
He calls me once was lost, now found, was bound to sin now free
He calls me holy, calls me righteous by the blood redeemed
He calls me overcomer crowned with victory, this is my destiny!

Stand firm, take your positions--let us see the deliverance of the Lord! Praise is powerful and it is our destiny to be overcomers!

Something Beautiful

Not too long ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Andre Watts and the Ft. Worth symphony play the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #2 in Cm. The music was so incredibly beautiful that it made me cry. Rachmaninoff is a master of beautiful melodies (as many Russian composers are). The unique aspect of this concerto is that it came as a result of the aftermath of a disastrous failure of his first symphony in 1897. After horrible failure, Rachmaninoff sank into a deep, clinical depression. He began to doubt his ability to compose, and he was ready to put his music career behind him. After much therapy and encouragement, he decided to write the Piano Concerto #2 in Cm. It is one of his most captivating works, and audiences world-wide are astounded by the beauty of this piece.

This story reminds me of God's ability to redeem and restore after failure and loss. I am not sure of Rachmaninoff's religious beliefs, but it is evident that God is the author and creator of music, no matter who the musician may be. God is always at work within us to cause us to triumphantly march into victory even if there has been failure in our lives. When I was growing up, I learned a song written by the Gaithers entititled, "Something Beautiful." The lyrics go like this:

Something Beautiful
Something good
All my confusion
God understood
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife
But He made something beautiful of my life.

There is no failure or mistake too great that God cannot overcome. I love Corrie ten Boom's quote, "There is no pit too deep that He is not deeper still."

If you ever get a chance to listen to Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #2 in Cm, you will hear absolutely beautiful music, and it would be difficult for you to believe that Rachmaninoff almost gave up composing before it was written. I am so thankful that he didn't give up! I am also thankful that God doesn't give up on us either. We are all "symphonies" that are being written, and God is creating "something beautiful" in all of us!

But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. (2 Cor. 2:14)

A Beautiful Flower

Cheryl Costello-Forshey once told a story about "the most beautiful flower." The story began with a woman who was disillusioned with life, with many reasons to frown. She sat down on a deserted park bench and began to sulk. At that moment, a little boy interrupted her silence and exclaimed, "Look what I found!" In his hand was a flower which was quite pitiful, with worn petals and a brown, droopy stem. As she grew more irritable, the woman just wished the boy would go away and leave her alone. Instead, the boy sat beside her and placed the flower to his nose and said, "It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful too. That's why I picked it for you!" The little boy handed the woman the flower, which looked more like a weed. There were no vibrant colors in this flower, no wonderful aroma or anything eye-catching about it. The woman was rather insulted that the boy would give her such an ugly "gift." She almost wondered if it was a joke. Out of kindness, the woman took the flower and said "thank you". The woman noticed that the boy handed the flower to her, but did not place it in her hand, and then she realized for the first time that the little boy was blind.

The little boy was pleased that she accepted his gift and ran on to play. The self-pitying woman sat speechless on the park bench after the little boy left. It was almost as if the little boy "saw" her self-indulgence. Perhaps he had been the one who was blessed with true sight. The woman learned a great lesson that day--from that moment on, she vowed to see the beauty in life and appreciate every second that she had. As she held the wilted flower to her nose, she breathed in the fragrance as a reminder to her of the lesson the boy taught her. It was at that moment that she could smell a "rose".

There are certainly plenty of problems in this world and it is easy to get bogged down with all of the issues that plague us on a daily basis. The Lord used this "beautiful flower" story to remind me this week that I need to be thankful for each day and the blessings that belong to me. Sometimes when things don't go "our way" we are tempted to become disillusioned, but there are always things to be thankful for in this life and the Lord desires for us to have a heart of gratitude. The blind little boy is such an inspiration to me, because he was not concerned with the fact that he was blind--he was not depressed or sad because of his blindness. Instead, he was enjoying life and giving to others.

Lord, open the eyes of our hearts as you reveal those "beautiful flowers" to us. Many times, we have blessings that we do not see. May we not be blind to the blessings that you desire to give us. Give us "true sight" as we seek to be thankful for each day and the special moments that will be gone before each day is over. Most of all, help us to see the needs of those around us so that we can bless some else's life today.