Ponderosa Pines lifting white-gloved hands in praise.
I can read Isaiah 12 over and over and it never loses its power, or joy, or wonder. I can dwell on each verse and my song of praise and thanksgiving keeps building with in me for I know it is just the beginning.
Trees playing hide and seek in the clouds
When I play hide and seek with my grandkids the joy is in being found. “Come find me,” they yell from their hiding place, then squeal for joy when I find them. Unfortunately, as children grow up they become more like adults and want to stay hidden. Even more sad they don’t care to play at all.
Thankfully the Lord knows that our real joy is in being found. Don’t miss out on life by trying to stay hidden from God. Become like a little child by calling out–– “Come find me,” and Jesus will come running to embrace you with all the joy of heaven.
I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. Luke 15:7
Winter’s frosting
Sometimes at church I can’t see the forest (worship of God) for the trees (my mistakes). I feel and act like I am in the old covenant. In the Old Testament, worship had to be done perfect, or the sacrifice was worthless.
Sunday we gathered and the mistakes began to mount. A worship song was sung too high for me and I could not sing without squeaking. I had trouble handling the communion elements (I am clumsy with a little tremor). Someone’s cell phone buzzed. My mind frequently drifted, but Jesus, the New Covenant sacrifice, covered all the short comings, elevating all of us to perfection in worship allowing the Holy Spirit to move in a mighty way.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22
The worship was made perfect and acceptable to God, for in Jesus we are made holy and pleasing.
Lupine lifting up to praise God
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
When I praise God, I begin to review all he has done for me.
He has forgiven me, and removed my shame.
He has redeemed my life from sorrow and death.
He satisfies all my desires.
He leads me into goodness and guards me on the way.
His love for me knows no bounds, and he will not let anything come between us.
He shares himself with me, and gives me his name that I should call upon him.
Even the flowers of the field praise the Lord.
What a blessing it is to praise God
Praise the Lord, O my soul.
A paraphrase of Psalm 103
Above the fog
“Better is…” a place where we do not see clearly. A place we must rely on God’s Word.
Better is one day in your courts
than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Psalm 84:10
Better to have nothing and see God’s glory,
Than to have everything in darkness.
Better to be last with Jesus,
Than to be alone at the top.
Better to mourn and receive comfort from Jesus,
Than a thousand days of laughter without hope.
Better to be merciful and receive mercy,
Than trying to justify yourself before God.
Better is to humbly follow Jesus,
Than pursue all the wisdom of this world.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil. Proverbs 3:5-7
A brand new day in the Icicle Canyon
On this brand new day what do I most need?
I need to reaffirm my hope is in the Lord and not myself. With His help I can scale the wall before me.
You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning;
my God turns my darkness into light.
With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall. Psalm 18:28-29
Along with hope, I need remind myself of God’s faithfulness to His promises (His Word). I can trust in Him.
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11
And most of all, I need to rest in His love for me.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
This is what I need. This is what we are given in Jesus. Take a long deep drink of this “Living Water” on this new day.
Stephen L Hufman 