Pushing Pause

If you know music, you know what these are symbolic of, right? 

The most commonly used (of the above) is this sign:

If you read sheet music, you know that each of these indicates what is commonly known as a rest. 

A "rest" represents a period of silence within music, and, indicates to the musician how long to hold silence.

The most common "rest" is the quarter rest (above), which is equal to one beat of music.

A rest is used for many reasons - here are a few:

To create an effective rhythm for expression...

To give emotional impact (tension, anticipation, release) and a change in the mood (attitude) of the music...

To mark natural pauses for instrumentalists and vocalists needing to catch their breath...

This morning's blog IS NOT about music theory.

Yet, a little music theory filtered through my quiet time this past week as I sat pondering the busy-ness of the coming summer months, and a recent conviction the Lord began stirring in my soul.

As I reflected on each individual concept: (The rests that are necessary for the kind of music I enjoy, the upcoming busy-ness, and a deeply planted seed of conviction) -- I knew without question what those three things tied together represented for me, and I'll take just a moment to share that with you.

This upcoming summer has presented to me two fairly good-sized, time-consuming projects I've agreed to work on before the fall hits.

In order to do so, I need to take a break from something; I am aware that I can't add without taking away.

As well, there's a conviction stirring inside of me, which lands me in the arena of social media. Lately, any time I've taken, especially Facebook, has left me with a heaviness in spirit regarding the always-prevalent self-promotion (I'm talking my own as much as anyone else's); it's caused me to grieve deeply and lament the loss of basic kindness, gentleness and goodness (human decency); and, there are days I walk away from checking any one particular outlet and am thoroughly agitated in spirit.  Besides, which, it is an absolute time-sucker.

Not good. 

I recognize the Lord is not a God of confusion or agitation...His lovingkindness (HESED) is always good...and, will settle our hearts, above all, in hope, joy, and, peace! 

Put these things together from this past week and I have one, great big, God-given sense of direction that will last me one-quarter (a simple beat) of this year (and then I'll re-evaluate).

I'm going to take this gift of rest, a Sabbath-of-sorts, from all social media, which will include this weekly blog, to pour my time into some other projects; and, I will push pause (selah) for a while: 

My prayer as I enter into this time is: 

May the Lord - the Creator of the Universe, the Author of Time - establish in me a new rhythm for creative expression; restore the priority of pursuing all the Lord wants from me daily with a peace-filled-spirit (un-needful of any pats on the back); give my attitude a course correction; and, simply, allow me to catch my breath in the midst of it all. 

To be honest, I'm excited for all the Lord may have in mind for this season...

...and, I fully believe, each of us need this kind of Selah from time to time for the same purpose. That timing, for you, as for me, should certainly be God-directed.

XXXXXXX

P.S. As one final thought on God's Great, Inexpressible Love (HESED) that is truly "BEYOND WORDS" (no matter how hard one may attempt to describe it), there is one final question and response to summarize all the blogs of the past weeks.

The question: In light of HESED, how, then, should I live?

The response: I, too, HESED because He first "HESED-ed" me (1 John 4:19). What does that look like? 

Go - and wash some feet (serve "the other")... see John 13.

XXXXXXX

Enjoy your summer!

What God Does With Trash

This morning, as per my usual routine, I went for a walk outside, in order to get in my 10k steps for the day. 

Someone has said something to the effect that if you are in need of creativity, you should go out for a walk; "angels whisper to a man (or old woman, in this case) when he goes out walking."

(discovered the author and full quote on Pinterest)

I can't speak as to hearing the voice of angels, but I can speak to the fact that I seem to have thoughts that often remind me of something the Lord might say to me. 

That kinda-sorta happened today.

As I walked, I began picking up trash alongside the road.

I gathered a substantial amount and wished I had brought a trash bag to hold it all. 

This morning's haul consisted of cans, a little wheel (like might be on a suitcase), several pieces of wire (barbed and non), a dime, a piece of bone picked clean and whitened from the sunshine, two pieces of a straw, a glittery bow from off some gift at some time, a few pieces of glass... I left the banana peel 🤣😌😳

Tomorrow I need to go back with a trash bag, I couldn't carry it all. 

I found myself talking to myself (should I be worried?) as I journeyed home "full-of-hands" (as our son, Adam, used to say when he was a small child). 

It went something like this:

"Whatcha gonna do with all this trash you've collected."

"Well, duh, throw it in the rubbish bin."

"Maybe you could create something out of all this garbage. There are people who take trash and turn it into art."

I knew that. 

I've seen one such structure created out of items that have washed ashore in my hometown of Bandon, OR.

In DIA, Terminal B, there is a hanging art sculpture made out of lost luggage and other lost items (picture courtesy of "tomtom303,"who created this structure).

I, however, am no artist, and do not have ANY creativity; yet, I'm feeling a tug to do something with this discarded junk. 

Here's why...

Sometimes, we can feel discarded, of little value, worthless, like "junk..."

Yet, the Lord, who created us, loves us, treasures us, doesn't just gather us up from the side of the road and throw us away. He still has a plan for us when we surrender ourselves into His creative hands.

The Lord is good at "taking trash and turning it into a treasure."

With that, I remembered, again, the Hosea and Gomer love-story from last week.

She definitely had to feel the way I just described. 

If you recall, Gomer walked away from her loving husband to chase other "lovers." She is an allegorical figure who reminds us that we do the same to the Lord - we look to "other things" to fulfill, satisfy, bring contentment, and pleasure.

As I continued the story, I discover Gomer's lovers got tired of her, and placed her up on an auction block to be sold as a slave (naked and ashamed).

There's a lesson to be learned here:

Whatever we turn to besides the Lord will make slaves of us all...and strip us bare, leaving us in shame.

There stands Gomer waiting to be sold, no doubt feeling like trash, certainly discarded, used-up, and of little value (the best price a female slave (in her prime) might be sold for according to Leviticus 27 is 30-shekels. 

BUT GOD...the two most hopeful words in the entire Bible!

Do you know what Homer (her prophet husband) is told to do? Here it is....

"The Lord said to me, 'Go again, love a woman who has been loved by another man and is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves Israel, though they turn to other gods...' (Hosea 3:1)."

Buy her back. Redeem her.

Thus, Homer does, for the whopping price of 15 shekels of silver, with a little barley thrown in, as well (commentaries I've looked at said the 15 shekels of silver, plus the barley may have been worth the full price of 30-pieces of silver). 

In the midst of all the back and forth conversations between Homer and God and Gomer...we learn this truth from the Lord: 

"I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness, justice, steadfast love (HESED), and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness...and you will know the Lord. And, in that day, you will call me, 'My Husband' (Hosea 2:16, 19)."

In spite of us. In spite of how we turn away. In spite of the slavery we fall into when we turn our eyes. In spite of our prone-to-wander-hearts, God loves us with steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, justice and mercy.  He woos us to Himself. He draws near to us. He speaks tenderly to us (Hosea 2:14-15). 

God masterfully turns ashes into beauty.

He turns slaves into brides.

He takes us from the land of trouble (the Valley of Achor in Hosea 2:15) to a place of triumphant victory.

He removes us from despair and opens for us a door of hope (Hosea 2:15). 

He picks up the garbage and creates a new creation glory-worthy.

What a story!!!

Hmmmm.....someday maybe I'll make that creation of art out of all that rubbish I picked up today, if for no other reason that to let this message be driven home into my heart day in and day out. 

XXXXXXX

PS. Remember the price Judas betrayed Jesus for? Yes, that's right, 30 pieces of silver! Jesus' life (to Judas) was worth the same price Hosea paid for Gomer, BUT...that price meant redemption for all of us...

NOT JUST REDEMPTION, RESTORATION 

(something new birthed out of the old!)

Hallelujah!

We are, truly, an Easter people and Hallelujah is our song!

-Augustine-

What God Says About His Love & Spiritual Adultery

Earlier this week, Bay and I met up with friends in Moab, Utah for some light hiking and sight-seeing (BTW, the pictures sprinkled throughout this blog do not do the beauty of Moab and the Canyonlands justice).

With the handiwork of God everywhere, and, recognizing He created all this for our enjoyment, I delighted in this evidence of His great love. 

The Lord shows off His love for His children in splendor, yet we often ignore it. 

More likely, we take it for granted...

...and, this led me to contemplate what is probably, the oddest of love stories in Scripture: that of Hosea and Gomer.

The book of Hosea is an allegory, a novel, poetry, narrative prose, and prophecy all wrapped into one short story.

It is often confusing, deeply theological, and, like the word, HESED, mysterious (it's also a little bit off-the-charts hard to fully comprehend). I know, 'cause I'm wading through a study of Hosea right now. 

Hosea, the husband in the story, represents God. In life, he's called to be a prophet of the Most High God. He's faithful, selfless, compassionate, and deeply in love with Gomer. Considering he represents the Lord, we are assured that Hosea is a kind, gentle, protective, generous, encouraging husband, who honors and cherishes her well.

Gomer represents Israel, God's bride. She also represents the Church of today...thus, I (!) am (!), often (!), Gomer (!). All that Hosea is, she is not. Gomer's whoredom leads her to a promiscuous lifestyle, turning often to other lovers. She's faithless, self-centered, unkind, and deeply in love with her own wants and chosen-lifestyle. 

Remember: this is an allegory...and, the book reminds us that while the Lord is slow-to-anger, He is still a righteous judge. He is quite jealous for His bride. He will do whatever it takes to get her back home. 

I read the book and wonder over and over again, what is Gomer's problem? She has a loving husband who adores her, three beautiful children, and a life a lot of folks might covet. 

AND YET...

Look at these thoughts running through her mind:

"I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink (Hosea 2:5b)."

Hosea provides all this for Gomer. Don't think for a moment that he held back. It's clear throughout the book, Hosea is over-the-top-generous to his bride. 

Bread and water - these things are symbolic of Gomer's daily need for food and drink.

Wool and flax - important necessities for weaving the fabric from which she'd make her clothes (she's kept warm, for sure, but more important to Gomer, apparently, is how she looks). 

Oil and drink - from what I read these represent the things that brought pleasure and "sweetness" to life. Hosea appears to be no slave-driver-of-a-husband with unrealistic expectations. 

I see two problems so far in my study on Hosea and Gomer. 

1) For some reason, Gomer can't seem to identify as a "beloved bride." Hosea chose her, in spite of her prostitution; He loved her with his whole being, and saw her as a pure, spotless, beloved bride; He provided well for her. Yet, it would appear, Gomer only saw herself as she once was, not as she had become. So, she continued to live the same way. 

We do, this, too. It's so easy to slip back into old patterns, and, just live as the "old creation" we once were;  not as "the new creation" God has redeemed us to become. It's no wonder, the enemy does his best to obscure our identity in Christ and cause us to look inward, not upward. As we believe we are, so we live. It's easy then to turn to other idols...

2) Gomer had a deadly case of FOMO (just like the Prodigal Son, what led her astray was a "fear of missing out"). Going back to the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve planted in our DNA, the notion that there is always MORE somewhere else. 

So, we take our eyes off of the good around us, the signs of the beauty of God's great and amazing HESED, and chase after something else that will give us MORE... We are never satisfied, never truly content; and, we turn to other lovers. 

I turn to other lovers. 

More of all that's good. More of all I WANT. Making my life more about ME, what I can get; and, less about the Lord and His goodness, His faithfulness, His HESED.

My self-centeredness leads me on a dead-end journey right back to me. 

James, the brother of our Lord, calls this "spiritual adultery." Here's exactly what he says:

You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your own passions. You adulterous people! Don't you know that friendship with the world, makes you an enemy of God (James 4:3-4)?

He's talking about those things we chase after far more than we chase after the Lord. 

So far, the story of Hosea and Gomer has been more convicting than anything...and, that is what is worth my pondering this week. 

However, I, also, know the story has a hopeful ending.

It's hopeful, because the beauty of HESED shown to me, all about me, reminds me that no matter what, God sees me where I am, loves me faithfully, grieves over my prone-to-wandering-heart, and will do anything to bring me home again.

Ultimately, His unfailing love (HESED) changes everything. 

God Runs Our Walk of Shame

If I were asked to describe the Bible in just a few words, after ho-humming for a bit (because I'm definitely not an individual who can do "few words"), I'd probably land on two: love story.

The Bible is a love story from cover to cover. 

There is no question it is God's story of His redemptive love for me (yes, you, as well). 

I know it takes twists and turns; allows us to stand on heights and drops us in the depths of despair; causes us confusion, yet more frequently settles our souls; but, it will always take us back to "Jesus loves me, this I know." 

At the end of the day, God's Holy Word is a tapestry of HESED (steadfast love, lovingkindness, faithfulness, mercy, slow-to-anger-ness and grace), woven with incredible colors and creating a design uniquely fitted to each one of His children. 

Of all the 66 books of the Bible, there is one little story that EXEMPLIFIES to me God's sweet love. 

This particular story is found in the middle of the book of Luke (ch 15) - a parable Jesus told. 

Someone once explained to me that a parable acts like a welcoming structure (i.e. a "home") into which you are invited, where you can sit on the floor, and enter, not just a story, but an experience. 

That's how I feel each time I read the Parable of the Prodigal (wasteful, reckless) Son. 

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

XXXXXXX

Let's review.

A dad has two sons. By Mosaic law, the older son gets 2/3 of the inheritance upon the father's death, and the younger gets 1/3. This was indisputable. 

However, the younger son, wishing for "something more" to life, and wanting to "do his own thing," finding himself totally unsatisfied in the Father's love, and desirous to "get out from under the father's thumb," hatches a devastating plan.

It's a plan that assumes he knows what is best for his life, but he doesn't have the money he needs to put it into play.

Quite hard-heartedly, this young son comes to the father, and out of the blue, basically says to the dad, "I wish you were dead! Then I could have my inheritance."

Now, he didn't say it in those words, but those are the words Father heard, because there was no feasible way the younger boy could have the money, unless his dad died. 

We don't hear a word from the Father's mouth, as he gets the money, gives it to his son, and tearfully waves him on down the road. 

So, the boy journeys to a "far country."

It's not necessarily far in distance, but far from the father's oversight, and, definitely into Gentile country (there are pigs in this story). 

After squandering his inheritance in reckless living (we can only imagine), a famine hits the land, and the boy ends up basically working as a slave, slopping pigs... HE'S SO HUNGRY, HE'D EVEN EAT THE PIGS FOOD (truth is - he couldn't eat their food, 'cause our stomachs aren't made to digest the pods the pigs were eating). 

This tells us just how far this well-to-do-Jewish-boy has fallen!

(P.S. The story of the prodigal is also a story that nothing ever satisfies us like the Father's love - what are we thinking when we are attracted to the "something-more" life offers?)

However, there in the muck and the yuck of the pig pen, the boy REMEMBERS...

He remembers the KINDNESS (the HESED) of his father, even towards the servants. 

It doesn't take him long to go from A to Z... 

"I could work for my father! Oh...but, I'm definitely not even worthy to be treated as a servant...Yet, perhaps there is a place for me..."

So, he heads home practicing his speech the entire way.

Meanwhile, Daddy daily looks down the road for his boy. 

In the deep grief of his heart, he has watched and prayed for the young man's return. 

AND, THEN ONE DAY...

In the distance, the dad sees a bleep on the horizon; knows without question it's his son.

The boy, with head hanging, and a speech on his tongue, begins the walk down the road toward home.

Each step on the familiar pathway is agonizing, humiliating, and filled with guilt.

There is nothing joyful about the return for him...but, if he is going to reconcile with his father enough to get a job that will fill his stomach, he must walk this walk of shame!

He must return back to where he started and seek forgiveness.

Herein is the beauty of this story.

The Father doesn't even let him walk the walk of shame!

Instead he runs it toward the son!

The Father picks up his garments and runs toward the end of the road ---- remember old, wealthy Jewish men DO NOT RUN; but, run this daddy does and throws his arms around his son in an embrace of HESED. 

Before our "prodigal" can finish his speech, the Father has kissed him, wrapped him in his best robe, put shoes on his feet, a ring on his finger, and planned a party of celebration. 

DAD has welcomed his boy back into the family.

There's more to the story - the other son - but this is it for today.

Here is what I hear:

We are all prodigal (wasteful, reckless) people, prone to wander, prone to think we know better, worried there is more outside the will of the father, and fearful we are going to miss out (BIG TIME FOMO). 

Our Heavenly Father matches us prodigal-ness for prodigal-ness. He's willing to be just as wasteful, extravagant, and reckless in pouring out His love on us, lavishing us with the riches of His grace.

When we wander off, The Lord watches for our return and never stops. And, sometimes, as in the case of the rest of the lost things Jesus talks about in this chapter, He even goes looking. This is a reminder that depending on our situation, God runs toward us, chases after us, or stands and waits for us; BUT GOD always has His eyes on us!

His love never fails.

He is always for us, longing for us, jealous for us. 

We deserve the walk of shame.

Instead, he runs to us, to cover our shame with His HESED (it is all-consuming).

We don't deserve it.

He gives it anyway.

Oh to grace, how great a debtor / Daily, I'm constrained to be / Let Thy Goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to Thee. 

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it / Prone to leave the God I love / Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it / Seal it for Thy courts above.

-Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing-

Robert Robinson

Oh, the magnificent, mysterious, magnetic HESED of God!

It is always, always, always FOR US...

And will ever be Beyond Words!

In Emptiness and Silence

We arrived home last night from 12-days of travel, speaking, and celebrating the wonder of Easter. 

Truly, the Lord gifted us with a glorious combination of serving, sharing, connecting with old friends, making new ones, and filling our hearts with the beauty of south Texas. 

Yes, there's a "but" coming...

BUT - even after a decent night's sleep, I feel tired. 

Well, perhaps "tired" isn't the right word ('cause I have energy enough to spare).

After reconsideration, I believe "empty" is the right word.

So, when I woke to write a new blog for this week...NOTHING!

Absolutely zippo.

I've had times like these.

You may have them, as well.

Frustrating, right? 

I'm sure you can relate to those moments, when, well, God seems absolutely absent. 

I pick up my Bible to study where I've left off, longing to hear His voice, and nothing seems to settle in my soul. 

Yet, we know that the Word of God is powerful and it's ACTIVE (it's job is to work for us, on our behalf).

 

We know it NEVER comes back void...there's always something God has to say to us.

We know that ALL SCRIPTURE is God-breathed and USEFUL (whether to teach, to rebuke, to course-correct, or to train in righteous living).

I am, also, very aware that the Lord wants to "satisfy me in the morning with His unfailing love (Psalm 90:14)," meaning He wants to take me from empty to overflowing, simply because of His HESED (that Hebrew word I just can't seem to get away from). 

Obviously, the Lord, eventually, gave me something, cause here I am, writing.

Gotta tell you, though, I thought for a couple hours that this may be the beginning sign for stopping. I wondered if I had exhausted the life of these random thoughts; and, it crossed my mind that I'd hit the end of my leash. 

Nevertheless...God. 

Yep, He is a God of "nevertheless;" and, it dawned on me, why not use this morning of feeling empty, disjointed, and, frankly, "stumped," to share a little reality.

There are times when our Lord seems significantly silent. 

Yet, even in the silence, I'm vividly aware that He is often behind the scenes working, and will not leave us stranded (I learned that lesson years ago from the beauty of a story about Queen Esther). 

He will fulfill His promises; and, this one in the middle of the book of Micah (7:18) where the Lord assures us He delights in DOING (acting on, living out) steadfast love is one I clung to this morning.

So, between the silence, the emptiness and, finally, the Lord showing up to satisfy and fill - - - - what? 

There's a little four-letter-word that no one likes to hear, especially me.

I'm a do-er, a fix-er, and a box-ticker (I fervently love checking off the boxes on my to-do-list).

Regardless, there are times, we simply have to WAIT. 

Waiting is never inactive,

I've found I look a little harder, listen a little more carefully, pay attention a bit more closely...

That's what I just did this morning; and, sometimes in the oddest of places, simplest of moments, and in the middle of the craziest of conversations, He will do HESED and He will fill up the "empty." 

This morning, after taking a bit of a break and doing a little organizing of my desk, I clearly heard God's voice through the words written on a small little sticker handed to me one day after lunch last week.

It is a reminder, a challenge, and an encouragement; but, it is more...

This morning it became "RHEMA (light-and-life-giving)" to my heart.

FOR when GOD speaks my soul is truly satisfied.

My lesson from this morning: 

When God seems silent, don't give up; show up a little more intentionally, and He will satisfy you with His unfailing love. 

Love Them to Death

 

As I post this particular blog, it is that day during Passion Week theologians call "Maundy Thursday."

Commandment (that's what 'maundy' means) Thursday.

Jesus spent His last week on earth teaching His disciples the lessons that really matter. 

These final instructions schooled them for the ministry they'd inherit after Jesus' ascension. 

So far, Jesus (remember: God is Love) opened their eyes to the following crucial appeals - - -

Palm Sunday: "Look at Your King! He's coming on a donkey!" Lesson #1: LOVE always lead with humility. 

Monday: Jesus cleansed the temple. Lesson #2: For those who follow Jesus, our hearts are His temple. Examine it often, keep it cleansed through repentance. 

Tuesday (the Olivet Discourse): "Woe to you, Blind guides..." Seven times Jesus uses the word "woe." It's not a word of judgement, but a word of lament. Jesus wept over the religious leaders who were empty and lost. Lesson #3: Love always laments/grieves for the lost around them.

Wednesday (a day of rest): In the midst of ministry/serving the Lord, we need to stop from time to time and simply rest (body, soul and mind). Lesson #4: Love lives a life in balance.

We've made it to Thursday - the day of New Commandments.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, that you love one another as I have loved you (John 13:34-35)."

This Jesus said, just after He picks up a towel, wraps it around his waist, grabs a basin of water, and kneels at the feet of His followers and washes their stinky, mud-crusted, calloused feet. 

He shows them what HESED looks like.

Lesson #5: Love serves. 

This passage in John 13, where Jesus washes His disciples feet, begins like this (vs 1): 

Jesus, having loved His own that were in the world, loved them unto death. 

Did they deserve any of it? 

Of course not!

Jesus even says to them as He bathes their feet, cradling them against His chest: 

One of you will betray me; one of you will deny me (three times!); and, ALL OF YOU will run away and have nothing to do with me. 

Yet, Jesus lives the definition we began with for HESED:

HESED: When I deserve nothing from God's hand, but He blesses me anyway...simply because of WHO HE IS.

GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4:8).

I AM...HESED (The Lord to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 3:12).

And, Jesus says to us all, "Go and be LOVE just as I've showed you." (the lesson of John 13)

"Stoop low, grab a towel, wash the filthy feet of the unlovable, the untouchable, the unthinkably awful people and serve them. Love them to death. "

Love them to death.

Continue to HESED (on and on - with no stopping), until they are ready to stoop low, die to self, and bow the knee to HESED (Jesus); then love them some more...to death.

HESED one-another for Heaven's sake!

 

Then...they will know that we are Jesus' followers.

(For out of true HESED comes our ability to HESED in return.)