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Today something different: a  February poem for a July day.

2/24/07

The night was crisp and dark

The crooked smile of a new moon

rested in the leafless arms

Of the winter trees overhead

Surrounded by bright stars

But look! some of the stars

Have fallen into the trees:

Yesterday’s snow,

Melted and refrozen

became

Droplets of ice on the branches

Reflecting the moon’s blaze

Which was star?

Which was ice?

Hard to tell.

We, like that snow

Have been reshaped

In Christ, too

Become transparent

And in His light

We are stars in the trees of life

Reflecting His beauty

And carrying His love

 

 

 

 

Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses,”

Yes, Lord, we often trust in other powers: money, might or men of position. Sometimes we trust in training, technology and theology. And sometimes we trust in planning, persuasion and people.

But all of these fall far short of what we actually need; all are pitifully weak in comparison to our enemies: the world, our flesh and the devil. But you, Lord, are immensely more powerful than any of them. “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise….He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me” (Ps. 18:3,17).

All our enemies are less than nothing in comparison to you, Lord Jesus, the Star-breather, the Earth-spinner, the Dawn-bringer, the History-ender. You defeated them all in your death and resurrection. Therefore we must reject confidence in anything else but you.]

You are my Savior, my Shepherd, my Sovereign; you are my King, my Kin, my Keeper; you are my Protector, my Provider, my Planner. In you I can trust, for you will save me from the enemies who are too strong for me. Help me, Lord Jesus, to rest in you, to remember how you have helped me in the past, for so you will help me in the future.

I praise you, Lord Jesus, that you know every bend, every turn, every pitfall in the path you have laid out for me, as well as every ambush the enemy has set up. And you prepare me for them as I spend time with you each morning.

Then, as I keep on the whole armor of God, think your Word, and listen to your Spirit, in your power I can respond to each ambush, stand against each attack and be more than a conqueror no matter what Satan may throw at me. “I called to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies” (Ps 18:3).

I may trip, fall or get knocked down, but remaining in your truth by confession and repentance, I can spring to my feet again and continue on the upward path of righteousness you are leading me on for your name’s sake.

“I love you, O Lord, my strength.” You, LORD, “are my rock, my fortress and my deliverer… my shield and…my stronghold” (Ps. 18:2), and as I remain behind the shield of your love, in the stronghold of your holiness, and on the rock of your mercy, I am safe.

Praise be to you, the God of goodness, the Lord of love, the King of kindness, the Giver of grace, the Healer of hearts and the Protector of your people. Today I choose to live in the truth that “Knowing Jesus is Enough for Joy,” following your example, Lord Jesus–who, for the joy that was set before you, endured the cross, despising the shame and are set down at the right hand of God (Hb. 12:2).

Help me to keep my eyes on you and on the joy of knowing you, of knowing where I am going in life and death, for then the difficulties and pain of this life will fade in significance and power, so I can run with patience the race you have set before me.

Praise be to you, Lord, for your rich and beautiful gifts: new life and eternal life, joy and peace, hope and purpose, your love and embrace, light and grace. To know you is far beyond good, for it is the deepest desire of every human heart to be enfolded in a rich relationship with the Creator of the universe–but sadly, most rebelliously resist your regal offer and are instead locked into the crushing, destructive embrace of the negative values of this fallen world.

However for those who accept your offer, It is such a magnificent and beautiful privilege to rest in your embrace of love, in the warmth of your acceptance, in the grace you exude at each moment. And it is a great freedom to rejoice in the lack of condemnation, the lack of accusation and the lack of conditional acceptance. These realities are so wonderfully edifying, strengthening, encouraging and empowering–giving us a rich, warm foretaste of Heaven.

I can go out with you into today, Lord Jesus, knowing that I am with you and you are within me, that you will never leave me. I can trust you fully to guide me through the obstacle course of the day as we wend our way forward in this fallen world, leaving behind a better trail that others can follow.

 

Psalm 20:6 “Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;”

[This is a rock-solid certainty: you, Heavenly Father, saved king David in many difficult circumstances. And you saved Jesus, the anointed One–but not in the way any human would have expected. You did not save Him from suffering and death; you saved him through agony and dying by the resurrection. And you saved us through the same act of grace.

I praise you that every day, in the battle of life, you continue saving us, your chosen ones, your anointed ones, your beloved children. You are a shield to all those who take refuge in you (Prov. 30:5).]

“he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand.”

[You answered David in his distress, you answered Jesus in his death, you answer us in our difficulties–every day. And your answers aren’t some minor move but are in the mighty majesty of your right hand, your most powerful means of action. Your munificent ministering shows the depth of your commitment and attention to your chosen and appointed ones.

Praise you, Lord God, that you are the Deliverer, the Rescuer, the Answerer, the Shield, the Lover of your children. You are the Nobel and Trustable One to be worshiped and obeyed in trust and truth!

Help us to trust in you today, Lord God, resting in the certainty of your presence, your power and your provision, even when at the moment, we can see no help on the horizon. Praise you for your faithfulness we will experience today, so we can “know this love that surpasses knowledge” and our lives can be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:10).]

Thank you, Lord God, that you have made faith the primary means of joining you in your great plans, so anyone can do that: young and old, illiterate, and highly educated, rich and poor, powerful and weak, new believer or old.

This is an exciting truth, for it shows how everyone in the spectrum of maturity, from the newest believer to the most mature saint, can all give you glory at each moment in time, simply by responding in faith–getting up the shield of faith by offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Heb. 13:15).

I praise you for what you have before me today, Lord; help me to partner with you, knowing that all will flow from your hand of goodness, from your heart of wisdom, from your boundless grace, from your desire for me to join you in your great plans.

Help me to see each “next negative” as a positive possibility to offer you honor through thanksgiving, to grow spiritually and to be a shining light to those around me. What a privilege! Thank you for it and for what you will do in and through me today.

 

 

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, my Shepherd and King, as I woke to find myself with you. My dreams were unpleasant, having one obstacle after another–kind of like real life, but without your presence–so it was good to come back to reality with you!

Thank you for the wonder of knowing you, Lord Jesus, of having your grace, goodness and greatness in my life, of being continually offered rest, hope, and peace, a partnership of purpose and power in prayer, of being able to join you in what you are doing.

Thank you that this day before me will be filled with multiple possibilities of honoring you with faith, responding to disappointments, interruptions, problems and challenges with thanksgiving and the chance to thereby defeat frustration, impatience, selfishness, fear and worry.

To respond with faith is to do something that has eternal value, fulfilling the purpose you have given me in life of honoring you rather than focusing on myself and what is visible.

Lord, help me to live in and to live out this reality, walking by faith, offering the sacrifice of  thanksgiving in all things, joining you in what you are doing today.

In the last couple of days I’ve had conversations with several people who are angry and discouraged by the injustice going on. People in power are getting away with serious crimes while the average joe goes to jail for years for the same thing. The lying, cheating, destructive decisions, the crazy things people espouse and you can’t object without being attacked. The all drives people to anger and sometimes despair.

I’ve been rememorizing Psalm 37, the place I go when having difficulties with people (like my vengeful renter). Starting in verse 7 there is great direction for our times. Notice the commands

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil.

For those who are evil will be destroyed,

but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found.

But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

 

This reminds me of Asaph in Psalm 73 who was so stressed out by the corrupt officials. He said, “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply

till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.

Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.

How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!

Then Asaph looked back on his fretting and anger and realized that “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.” Not smart!

And he also realized this, in spite of my stupidity, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.

His conclusion is: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

A good orientation for us in our times!  So, let us,“  Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him…  For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.”

The Lord has a plan–are we willing to wait for His timing, and in the meantime delight ourselves in Him and His wonderful goodness?

 

The wrath of God will come on the wicked.   Picture from internet

 

 

Psalm 20:5 “We will shout for joy when you are victorious”

[We will glorify you, Lord God, for any and all victories–for people being set free, coming to know you, overcoming temptation, maturing in you, sharing with unbelieving friends. You are the great Doer of the wonderful, the powerful Bringer of good, the mighty Victor in all.]

“and we will lift up our banners in the name of our God.”

[It is your name that should be lifted up, magnified and glorified. Whatever results come from our efforts to obey you should result in honor for you, not for us. May the world see your power and purpose, your grace and goodness in whatever success comes into our lives through your hand.]

“May the LORD grant all your requests.”

[May you fulfill whatever requests line up with your will, Lord. May none of my requests that you know aren’t right be granted. I don’t want to be asking for a king, as the Israelites did, or for a longer life, as King Hezekiah did, when that is not your will.

Protect me from myself and my own ideas. I surrender my all to you and ask that you lead, that I might follow and do what is your desire. Today may my thoughts, motives, words and actions please you, give you honor and exalt your name before all those around me.

 

 

On the way home from hospital after my angiogram, Dr. Christian said, “My wife and I would like to give you a car. We bought this one recently and put an ad for our old one in the paper, but for some reason the paper never printed it. I think the Lord did that so we could give it to you!”

I was flabbergasted! He wasn’t even a believer, hardly knew me and was making an offer like this!  I certainly wasn’t going to refuse it. The only drawback was that Dr. Christian’s car had a standard transmission. We’d hoped to get a car with an automatic so Barbara could drive; but on the other hand, if Barbara didn’t have to drive, it would take some stress out of her life here.

The next day we went over to Dr. Christian’s to see the car. And what a car it was! A luxury VW station wagon with four wheel drive, 16 inch tires, a 6 cylinder diesel engine, 6 speed transmission, individually heated seats, and so on. it was a true doctor’s car. And it was a beautiful spruce green, one of my favorite colors. It was everything I’d ever wanted in a vehicle but never had!

As I looked it over, Dr. Christian said, “I’ve decided not to give it to you, but to keep it in my name. That way I can put it on my insurance and I will also pay the taxes on it.”  Wow! That would save us a bundle of money! The Lord certainly was showering us with His goodness.  Later that week Dr. Christian took me with him to reregister the car and got us “JC 12” for a license plate.  “I thought that a plate mentioning Jesus Christ and His 12 disciples would be good for a believer like you!” he said. How thoughtful!

Then the next week when we went to visit Dr. Christian and Melanie, he reached out his hand and said, “Here, take this.”  “What is it?” I asked.

“It’s a credit card. Use if for your diesel fuel purchases and I’ll cover the costs!”  In addition, he proceeded to pay for all the repairs on the car when needed, put new tires on it, changed the summer and winter tires at the proper time and even paid my traffic fines! This was a whole series of wonderful gifts from God through this man—–much better than being able to sell our old car in Turkey and then buy another ancient one here in Germany. The Lord was filling our cup to more than overflowing!

Moving to Europe from the Turkish economy had meant that our income was not going to cover our expenses very well, especially with the value of the dollar dropping constantly. But now, with Dr. Christian and Melanie’s gifts, more than one third of our expenses were covered. What a wonderful provision from God!

Not only did He provide us with transportation, but this car was so much fun to drive that when Barbara would suggest we go downtown, I was ready to go, just to be able to drive it more! And when it came to driving on the autobahn, we could buzz along at 100 to 110 miles per hour (160 to 180 kilometers per hour) and it felt like we were doing 60, it was so smooth and stable.   We praised Him every time we got in the car, and we thanked Him just as often for Dr. Christian and Melanie’s generosity.

Our friendship with Dr. Christian and Melanie was also a gift. Almost every week I would ride to work with Dr. Christian and while he was in surgery, I would sit in the waiting room and work on email and my writing. It was usually the most productive day of my week.

During the 90-minute ride there and back we had great talks, discussing many of the theological questions Dr. Christian had, as well as doing Bible reading and talking about apologetics. After a year of this he said, “Now I believe. I believe that God exists, that the Bible is true and that Jesus died for my sins. But I’m not ready to surrender my life to Him; at present I have no impetus to do so.”

“Ok…..” I said, “I will treat you as a believer and we’ll move into discipleship lessons. God will bring you across the line when you are ready.”  And so God did more than a year later when, in response to a crisis, Dr. Christian prayed on his own to accept Christ as Savior and Lord. We all rejoiced at God’s faithfulness in answering our prayers. It was quite a trade we had: he gave me a car, I led him to eternal life!

Picture: the car Dr Christian loaned us parked below the two windows of our little apartment.