Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Winters Worm

In short, winter depresses me.

Period.

I begin to dread it's arrival on July 4th, the date I consider summers mid-way mark- the apex of the all to short season that represents everything green and alive.

Winter is death and dark shadows.
Winter is grey and cold and sinister and claustrophobic.
The days are short and the nights are long.

But this past season, strangely, I didn't want it to leave me.

It seemed winter had found it's worm-it's anima.

I felt it behind me, pulling me inward towards its cold soul and wrapping me with the wings of its frigid cloak much like a behemothic seraph might.

It  became somewhat of a protective guardian isolating me from the world.

I can't explain it. I just felt safe, shrouded.

I didn't want to leave the confines of its cradle.

Maybe I needed a sabbatical from the spinning sphere of humanity, a soul rest.

Maybe I needed my brittle branches snapped, the cold and selfish heart thawed, the dormant faith revived, the obstinate will tamed and the road of righteousness restored.

Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly before your God
Micah 6:8

Maybe Winter needed to have it's way, so that I could heal, and be that gentle spring rain, the new green leaf, that doe of the morning or coo of a dove.

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come,
and the cooing of doves is heard in our land...
Song of Solomon 2:11-12





Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Isn't it just like You



I  bend the knee,
position  hands
to worship
but,

it's bare boned and,
half-hearted,

it's skeletal and,
sparse.

My eyes, they bend away-
shifting, turning,

distracted,

divided.

Isn't it just like you,

then,

to turn things upside-down

and,

inside out,

to make it all about,

 me,

instead.

I cough out words-

you return manna.

Praise weakly proffered-

circles back as worth wrapped

and,

I'm found,

bound

by grace.
      











Tuesday, July 1, 2014

White Stone


I will also give him a white stone with a new name on it.
Revelation 2:17


It occurred to me this morning, as I used some of the many names of God in praise during my quiet time, to consider what name might be imprinted on that white stone of Revelation for me.

What will my white stone say?

Will it tell my story here on earth?

How will I be known for all eternity?

In what way will that 'name' be a reflection of who I am based on Gods design of me?

"Name"; a word or a combination of words by which a person is designated, called, or known.

Names are influenced by many variables; culture, trends, traditions, personality, and even socioeconomic status.

It is interesting to consider just how much a part of a person's identity a name really is.

Consider some of the names for God found in scripture and how they define Him-
Ancient of Days
High king of Heaven
Son of the Living God.
Light of the world
Chosen and precious corner stone
He who searches hearts and minds
The God who See's
Morning star
Ransom for all men
I am who I am
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Using nature and descriptive personality traits and bent, rather than socially influenced trends that result in benign, one or two syllabled monikers that have relatively nothing to do with the person, the Native Americans employed a similar concept in selecting an eponym.

I looked up a few just for fun--

Dances with wolves
Runs beside horse
Lives in the woods-Cherokee
She always plays
Forest water-Cherokee
Stays at home-Chippewa
He laughs-Algonquin
Restless one-Hopi

Recently, in the midst of an especially difficult time of struggle in my life, The LORD affirmed my worth with a promise from scripture.
I needed the affirmation--

Daughter of Jersusalem, who's punishment as been taken away from you.    Zephaniah 3:14

When my mother, only 66 years old, was dying from Luekemia, The LORD gave me a very specific promise regarding her eternal destiny and ultimate dwelling place--

She who dwells--in the secret place of the Most High.  Psalm 91:1

During a particularly intense season of prayer spent on my knees for my husband, I was given this--

Bring the Boy to Me  Matthew 17:17

While waiting for our Korean born daughter, Abby, God confirmed the fulfillment of His promise to bring my daughter from the ends of the earth...your--

Seed from the East.     Isaiah 43:5-6 kjv




While the above verses in bold are probably not the holy white stone name to be assigned in heaven to that particular individual, it is certainly insightful to ponder ourselves beyond just a title.

There is one thing I am sure about, concerning that white stone name--

It will be a fitting description of who we are in the eyes of the one who made us.

It will be a holy name, known only by me and my maker.




******

And then, there is the Greatest name of all, the name of Jesus.

Wherefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God The Father.
  Phillipians 2:9-11