Lent Day 7: Ultimate and Intimate Audience

"Call to Me

and I will answer you . . ."

-- Jeremiah 33:3, NASB

Well-known and beloved by so many, the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy prompts us to croon: 

“. . . Early in the morning, 

my song shall rise to Thee . . .” 

The above thought is excerpted from yet another hymn written by another composer—Psalm 5, a song King David wrote for the Israelites to sing with flute accompaniment. The first three verses read,

“Give ear to my words, O Lord; 

consider my sighing. 

Listen to my cry for help, 

my King and my God, 

for to You I pray. 

In the morning, O Lord, You hear my voice. 

In the morning I lay my requests before You 

and wait in expectation.” (NIV)

The above words give us reason to pause and ponder on this seventh Lenten morning. The hymn lyrics suggest that there is a song that comes out of us and rises to the Father. Additionally, the verses imply that there is a desire within us to know that God’s ear is attentive to our speaking, sighing, and crying. Together, they reveal to our hearts that, from our earliest waking moments on any given day, every image we see, every thought we muse, every word we utter, every look we render, every attitude we portray is part of the melody that we sing and lift up to God.

Yet, there are many ways to categorize the “songs” we sing. 

Would our viewing the images that flood the screen of our smartphones and computers be best categorized as a hymn of praise or a song of entitlement to our most holy God? 

Would the glances and looks we exchange with those who see the pre-coffee version of us be reflective of a regal anthem dedicated to the King of kings? 

Would the words that readily cascade from our lips be best portrayed as a selfish soliloquy or a grateful dialog with our Redeemer and Friend? 

Would the thoughts that crowd our brains be best labeled as sonnets of wisdom or foolish ditties?

Would the attitudes we portray ring like sweet melodies or unpleasant tunes to Christ's ear?

This morning, you and I are reminded of an important truth: 

God is both our ultimate and intimate audience. 

As such, He is not merely interested in passively watching what we do; He desires for us to request His presence in our lives as an active participant from our first to our last waking moment every single day. He longs for us to have Him in mind as we tackle every task. 

He graciously invites us to rend our hearts -- giving first priority to His ear, His eyes, His heart. He readily beckons us to come to Him first and foremost with all of our cares. He lovingly promises to receive our heartaches, failures, torments, and the like.

The following lyrics have been ministering to my heart during this season:

"I'm trading my sorrow

I'm trading my pain

I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord

I'm trading my sickness

I'm trading my pain

I'm laying them down for the joy of the Lord"

-- Extracted from Trading My Sorrows, Darrell Evans

So, we can pray and say:

Lord, trouble is on my right; trouble is on my left. Above me there is pain, below me there is suffering. My tears have been my food day and night and everywhere I look dark clouds surround me. So, I am calling to You today. I surrender my burdens to You because You, O Lord, are Immanuel -- the God who is always with me in sickness and in health, in plenty and in want. 

Graciously, the Father does hear our cries. 

He knows the obstacles we encounter. 

His eyes see our pain. 

So, early in the morning and throughout our waking hours, may we remember to turn to our ultimate audience, to lay our requests before our intimate audience, and to wait expectantly for what He will reveal in response! It is in His nature to answer because He delights in revealing Himself to His people. May we commit whatever issue we face into His hands instead of grumbling, sighing out of frustration, or crying out of desperation! May we trust His ear, His hand, and His heart with all of our requests!

Lent Day 6: The One True Vine

I am gripped on this sixth lenten morning by John 15:5,

"I am the vine;

you are the branches.

If anyone remains in Me and I in them,

they will bear much fruit;

apart from Me you can do nothing."

This familiar verse takes on a different meaning to me as the word 'love' buzzes like honeybees everywhere I look. Indeed, everyone -- the media, politicians, the clergy, salesmen, the academy, custodians, the populace, activists, etc. -- is chanting one tune and one tune only:

Love is all that matters.

A brief self-inquiry reveals that I too readily join my voice to the unison of the above popular tune . . . that is, until someone, anyone infringes upon the minutest perceived right I hold dear . . . or until the one person who promises never to leave me goes without ever looking back. It is in such times that I sense bitterness, resentment, and hatred welling up within my heart.

It becomes crystal clear to me that I simply cannot love at all unless I remain rooted, grafted, and built on Christ and in Him alone. He is the vine; I am but a branch. Yet, connected to Him, I can bear much fruit. The problem is, I find myself wanting to be attached to other vines. By the same token, other vines are constantly seeking to snatch me away from the One true vine.

See, all of us share a similar plight. Daily, we are assaulted by numerous "vines" vying and contending for our allegiance. They promise, offer, advertise, and assert all kinds of enticing claims that they simply cannot deliver.

-  Spouses propose, "Make us your top priority and you will find unmatched, unequalled love."

-  Friends tender, "Come along with us and trust us. We are the only ones to be trusted."

-  Religious traditions proffer, "Stick with us and you will always enjoy the most profound spiritual experiences. After all, why re-invent the wheel?"

-  Employers and supervisors say, "Take this position and abide in us, and we will grant you ultimate success and notoriety."

-  The world recommends, "Invest your all into status, riches, entertainment, self-indulgence, and I will lead you to discover your true self."

All such vines, even the ones created for our good, fall short of the glory of God. They simply cannot compete with the love of Christ, the One true vine. It is in Him alone our hope, joy, peace, fulfillment, satisfaction, contentment can be found. He is our strength, our sustenance, our song, and our salvation! In Him alone we can find our true fruitfulness in the world—loving and being loved, fully knowing and being fully known. His heavenly vine supplies everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3)

Songwriter Tommy Walker reminds us of the loving and fruit-producing characteristics of the Godhead:

"Patient, compassionate,

Love flows through You;

You never give up on the hopeless ones:

These things are true of You.

Holy and blameless,

You stand up for justice and truth;

Yet You love mercy and forgiveness:

These things are true of You.

And as I turn my face to You,

Oh Lord, I ask and pray.

By the power of Your love and grace,

Make these things true of me, too."

-- Extracted from These Things Are True of You

Powerful truths!

Indeed, the gospel reminds us we can only love because God first loved us. 

It is onto His love we are invited to cling. 

It is His love that unleashes and releases our heart.

It is His love that compels us to live for the One who died and rose again.

It is the love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit what will never ever fail us. 

Let us pray, therefore, asking the Father of grace to keep our eyes fixed on the sufficiency of Christ. Let us pray that all of our being might remain glued to Him so that we may grow to love Him and to love our fellow man, as He desires. Let us pray that our ears will remain attentive to the Holy Spirit as He draws us to love and rely solely upon God’s precious Word.

Such a love is all that matters.

Lent Day 5: Sehnen ~ Longing

The German word Sehnen, describing intense longing, came to mind on this first Lenten Sunday as I read a familiar passage. Let us ponder these words penned by the Sons of Korah, my dear brothers and sisters:

"As the deer pants for water,

so my soul yearns for the living God."

-- Psalm 42:1, NIV

Dry.
Thirsty.
Parched.

Do the above words describe our intense longing for God?
Does this Lenten season reveal our utter need and deliberate choice to have Jesus above all else?

"In the morning when I rise
Give me Jesus

Give me Jesus, Give me Jesus
You can have all this world
Give me Jesus."

-- Traditional Spiritual

Are we dry?
Are we thirsty?
Are our lips parched?

We are dry in the soul.
We are thirsty for satisfaction.
Our lips are parched from neglecting God's Word.

Jesus is the water that can moisten our dry souls, satisfy our deep thirst, and wet our parched lips. Yet do we go to Him? Do we bring our longing to Him?

"Jesus, the thought of You

It takes my breath away

One whisper of Your voice

Amazing Jesus

Jesus, the touch of You

It takes my pain away

Come near, my God, I cry

Embrace me, Jesus"

-- Extracted from My Treasure, ORU Band

Are the prayers we voice or silently muse reflecting souls that are longing for Christ, today? Can we truly say that our hearts are stirring within our breast at the sheer mention of God's name—Jesus, the Anointed One, the Dayspring, Emmanuel, the Alpha and the Omega, etc.? Are we completely won over by His amazing grace and unparalleled love? If not, what may be hindering us from truly desiring Him alone, the One who is our blessed hope?

God’s grace has placed a void, a yearning, a desire within the heart of mankind for Himself, whether or not we recognize it. At times, we feel scared of His wrath, distant from the intimacy He offers instead of feeling close and intimately reconciled in the Spirit of peace and love. Could this disconnectedness, this unfulfilled longing exist because we have allowed distractions to wedge themselves between our hearts and that of our glorious Bridegroom? Could it be because of unaddressed habitual sin, un-confessed worldliness, and unashamed distrust of God’s promises of forgiveness? Could it be that we are still seeking to earn our salvation through the “filthy rags” of religiosity instead of trusting His grace completely? Better yet, could it be because God wants to reveal to us that He alone is the sole Satisfier of our souls?

The apostle Paul addressed this issue in Colossians 3:2, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (KJV). Clearly, God's Word reveals that fleshly desires emerge when we erroneously believe that our value depends on what we do, what we own, and what others think of us -- that is, human goals and expectations.

However, what are God's goals for us? 

God desires to bring about holiness and sanctification in our lives. He "forgives all our sins, and heals all our diseases, redeems our lives from the pit, crowns us with love and compassion, satisfies our desires with good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:3-5, NIV).

As God reveals Himself to us today, I pray our hearts will not be so guarded that we would miss Him. As instances of dissatisfaction surface, I pray we will gain the vision to see that God is calling us to Him that He might satisfy us with His love and presence. As moments of disappointment manifest themselves, I pray we will receive the wisdom to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ -- He is our blessed hope of glory!

Let us, like Habakkuk, “station [ourselves] on His ramparts and look to see what He will say to us!” (2:1) Let us go to the throne of grace, mercy, and sublime love, praying that He will direct us to unreservedly love Him, long for Him, and worship Him with intense passion and commitment. He is the One who fulfills every good desire. In fact, His Word says, “A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul, . . . it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)

Let us pray.

Sweet Jesus, we thank You for desiring our ultimate best. We rend our affections on this lenten morning. Envelop our hearts with the understanding that Your work on the Cross was complete; and that, by grace through faith, Your blood effectively killed in us every aspect of moral filth and the prevalent evil that our hearts harbor. As we face trials of many kinds, be pleased to increase our longing for the day when our glorified bodies will house the kinds of desires that will be fully God-honoring. May we, throughout this season and subsequent ones, increasingly grow in our yearning and longing for You! Amen.

Lent Day 4: Sun and Shield

Would you join me in praying on this fourth lenten morning?

Jesus,

The Logos,

The Word Incarnate,

The Desire of all nations,

The Radiance of God's glory,

We come to You with our hearts.

We come, surrendering our very selves

that You may choose to employ us for Your glory.

Open 

our eyes,

our hearts, our minds, 

our bodies, and all our faculties

to see and partake in wonderful truths,

beautiful promises, loving precepts in Your Word.

Teach us to stand in awe of Your might, beauty, holiness,

and sovereignty as long as we have breath. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen! 

The Sons of Korah write,

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; 

the Lord bestows favor and honor; 

no good thing does He withhold 

from those whose walk is blameless. 

O Lord Almighty, 

blessed is the one who trusts in you!” 

-- Psalm 84:11-12, NIV

            

Have you, like I, never before pondered the notion of God fashioning the sun to reflect some of His qualities? 

The sun is a star; Jesus refers to Himself as the bright Morning star (Rev. 22:16). The sun grants light to the universe—“nothing is hidden from its heat” (Ps. 19:6). Likewise, Jesus assures us in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness.” 

"Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes, let me see

Beauty that made this heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You

Here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

You're altogether lovely

Altogether worthy

Altogether wonderful to me."

-- Extracted from Here I Am to Worship, Chris Tomlin

As the sine qua non or the basis of the solar system, the sun sustains life on earth, being the source of heat, energy, and motion. In his discourse to the men of Athens, the apostle Paul clarified in Acts 17:28, “In Him [God] we live and move and have our being.” In his letter to the Colossians, Paul further asserts, “In Him [Christ] all things hold together (1:17).

The writers of Psalm 84 also liken God to a shield. A shield, as we have come to understand the word in our time, depicts a person or any suitable material that protects, blocks, guards, or defends us against blows, dangers, toils, harsh conditions, and the like. In fact, from Genesis to Revelation, the Word remains consistent with the truth of Psalm 46:1, which reads, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

As we approach the discipline and practice of prayer, what images flood the screen of our minds and hearts?

Do we see Christ as the Sun of righteousness and the Light of the world? Is He our sole vision? Are the very eyes of our hearts enlightened to know the hope to which He has called us, the riches of His glorious inheritance in us, and His incomparably great power for us who believe (Eph. 1:18-19)?

"Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart

Naught be all else to me save that Thou art

Thou, my best thought, by day or night

Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my Light."

-- Extracted from Be Thou My Vision, Ancient Irish Hymn

Do we see the Lord as a shield around us, lifting up our heads (Ps. 3:3) when we are tempted to cower under the enemy’s darts? Do we picture Him as the One who surrounds the righteous with His favor as with a shield (Ps. 5:12)? Do we believe that He is our rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, stronghold, and the horn of our salvation (Ps. 18:2)?  

"But Thou, oh Lord, are a shield for me

My glory and the lifter of my head."

-- Extracted from Thou, Oh Lord, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

May this season of rending counsel our eyes to see glimpses of truth the Lord has reserved for us in His Word! May this season of fasting cause us to feast upon the Bread of Life that nourishes our souls! May this season of mourning crystallize in our minds the notion that God's mercies are renewed to us, as my colleague and friend Christian George puts it, "not only every morning but also every mourning"! 

And may the Father use our lifelong surrender to prepare our hearts to crave the rays of the Sun of righteousness and to surround our souls with the Shield that lifts up our heads!  

Let us pray that we will learn to rely on our Lord to be the lamp for our feet and the light for our path (Ps. 119:105) when darkness and frost seek to overwhelm our wavering hearts. Let us also tell Him that we accept His offer to be our buckler, absorber, buffer, shelter, and bumper when life gets rocky—as is often the case. 

Christ is worthy of our trust!