Welcoming Morning

Black, brown and gray squirrels

run through the wet grass

welcoming morning, breathing in

new day adventures while searching

for snippets that satisfy.

Burning bushes burst into flames

while tall trees gradually yellow

and let go of their delicate leaves.

I crunch them as I walk the road,

savoring the mellow gold.

I soak in quiet respite from noise.

The world keeps turning, churning

with angst, fear, selfishness, wars.

Yahweh is still King! The birds sing

praise songs, and so will I.

He knows my heart and soul,

only he is in control

of what is planned for me,

tiny as I am in this universal sea

of waves crashing, leaping high.

During this autumn season it is difficult to make myself leave the warm house to step out into cold (often windy) weather. But I’ve committed myself to walking, so at dawn I layer up and make sure my ears and hands are covered, then take off. It is a new day, a grace to be thankful for.

So what can I notice today in this Detroit neighborhood that will boost my gratitude?

Here and there squirrels are hopping about, sniffling what is in the grass. Once I saw two young ones wrestling; one tried to climb a tree trunk but the other one was holding him tight. He struggled and got free. Like me, he was chasing down a happier day.

I am also searching for snippets that satisfy. I find them in the maple trees turning crimson, the sun sneaking up behind a cloud sitting on the horizon and guilding it, the golden carpet of leaves on the sidewalk. And I thank God that I can walk and treasure these moments. People I love are homebound, waiting for recovery from surgery, or waiting to be taken to surgery. Others have run out of prescription meds, and restarting the process of access is taking a few days. Some are overwhelmed with late hours, multiple jobs, little time to relax. They come to mind, and I pray for God’s hand on their hearts and lives. I have a lot on my plate today too, and wonder how I should push myself through to get it all done.

I had scanned the news before leaving the house, and there was way too much distress in it. I need to let the world noise fade away and rejoice instead in peace, the Guide leading me hither and yon through the neighborhood, showing me hidden treasures of beauty. So I lift my heart and welcome the morning. I will follow the loving prompts of the Spirit within me, who knows what he has planned for the rest of the day as I move on to “next things.” 

I pass a large Black man that I recognize since we both walk the same streets most days. He is listening to a broadcast from his phone and I  can hear a voice say: “So if you turn to second Corinthians . . .” Yes! He is meditating, his own way. I shout out to him: “I love Jesus too!” He grins and responds: “Amen!”

So I am reminded to just soak in the new morning with its brisk breeze and bright colors and protection from tripping on broken sidewalks and the beauty of ancient trees that would have a century of stories to tell. The Creator thought of all these things, and I am wowed that he is walking with me.

Starting with praise, prayer and perception is like fueling the car for the journey. I come home grateful and ready to take next steps, to accomplish what is put before me, welcoming this morning!

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lam. 3:22-24 ESV)

Unveiled

My veil is off.

I stand before you

as I am, Yahweh,

nowhere to hide,

and nothing between us

except your brilliant light.

Mesmerizing,

absolutely pure,

clarifying

(in its every sense),

your radiance hugs me,

encircles me

and sticks to me

softly glowing

to radiate the truth:

who you are

and who I am becoming

while I live in your Presence,

the burning bush my home.

It might seem self-promoting to talk about standing in the light of God’s presence and living in “the burning bush.” So let me explain the biblical teaching that impacted me with this imagery of spiritual transformation. None of the radiance that might be flowing from us and “bearing fruit” is due to our own worth or talents: it all comes from being sanctified, made increasingly holy through the work of the Spirit in us.

God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush, revealing to him his true name: Yahweh (I AM). It was a frightening, unexpected moment.  Moses could not bear to keep looking at the bush. Shocked that the glory of God was revealing itself to him in burning light ,he “hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. “ (Exod. 3:6 NET)

Years later he spent forty days and nights meeting up with God on the mountain, receiving God’s covenant words to pass on to his people:

27 The LORD said to Moses, “Write down these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” 28 So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread, and he did not drink water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. 29 Now when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand– when he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to approach him. 31 But Moses called to them, so Aaron and all the leaders of the community came back to him, and Moses spoke to them. 32 After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken to him on Mount Sinai. 33 When Moses finished speaking with them, he would put a veil on his face. 34 But when Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil until he came out. Then he would come out and tell the Israelites what he had been commanded. (Exod. 34:27-34 NET)

Now Moses was the one who was reflecting God’s glorious light on his face! The people were afraid to come near him and he had to convince them to listen to the message he brought them, from Yahweh. He knew, however, that they could not handle that bright light that would reflect off him each time he spent time with Yahweh to speak with him. While with his God he wore no veil, only when he came back out.

Moses never claimed that he deserved that glory. He knew it was only a result of being called into God’s presence as his servant. Paul, writing to the Corinthians, underlined that same truth. Yes, God had used Paul and his cohort and accomplished amazing things through them, but that did not mean that they were to be viewed as intimidating. He needed to make it clear that any radiance emminating from them was coming from their relationship to God as his servants. Through Jesus’ self-sacrifice and resurrection there was now a new covenant, not one written on stone tablets but on hearts by the work of God’s Spirit:

. 5 Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as if it were coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, 6 who made us adequate to be servants of a new covenant not based on the letter but on the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:5,6a).

After explaining the greater glory of the new covenant, which is not written on stone tablets but on the hearts of the covenant people, Paul writes that a veil is meant to conceal the light that radiates from this intimate connection with God–that is why  Moses wore it when he came out from his place of meeting with Yahweh. But now it is not to be concealed!  Instead, whoever becomes a follower of Jesus and enters into the new covenant, they no longer are kept from seeing God’s glorious plan or from living in his presence. This intimate connection is what gives his servants the courage and privilege to not only live in his light but to radiate it to others! We have new freedom and, through his Spirit, we are in the process of being transformed. This transformation is actually measured by degrees of glory! God’s light shines from us increasingly through our interaction with him and his empowerment:

12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we behave with great boldness, 13 and not like Moses who used to put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from staring at the result of the glory that was made ineffective. 14 But their minds were closed. For to this very day, the same veil remains when they hear the old covenant read. It has not been removed because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 But until this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds, 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled faces reflecting the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, which is from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:2-18 NET)

This transformation is through the Spirit’s work in us—also called sanctification. One key activity that keeps it increasing in us is doing what Moses did: spending time in conversation with Yahweh, then living out what we learn from him and sharing it with others. So let’s take a good look at our participation in this growth. Are we in this kind of relationship with God? Are we spending time focusing on him and his messages?  Are we doing what he tells us to do? How are we then radiating the light of his glory as we live our lives?

We are only adequate to radiate his light, and bear fruit, through his work in us!

I Am That Ewe

I am that sensitive ewe                                                                             

that cries out what she sees

lurking by the precipice,

then cowers in the shade,

hiding out, because rams

turn to push her aside

and other ewes grimace

with disdain and shock.

Did I not see that danger?

Am I really that near-sighted?

I struggle along, at the edge.

But there are others with me:

my special mate and certain friends.

We move on with the flock

but carefully go silent.

Some think our tears are dew drops.

But as I rise, next morning,

I hear the Shepherd call my name.

He has not left us lonely.

His staff reminds me: he alone

can guide me and protect me.

No one but him truly knows

what lurks behind thorn bushes,

or which cliff edges crumble.

I breathe out. Breathe in. Calmed.[1] 

When we walked through our beloved village, Tiepogovogo, during our years in Côte d’Ivoire, I loved watching the sheep who were at home there. They sometimes just searched for shade under a tree or next to a hut, sometimes they were canvassing the dirt for food. It was when they needed to go out to find good pasture that they were shepherded, often by a young teen who would need to keep them away from pitfalls like wandering into the road or taking off alone. I was reminded of how we are compared to sheep in the Bible. We need our Good Shepherd’s care or we get into trouble.

When I was going through a situation where I had called out warnings but was treated as irrelevant, I landed on Isaiah 40 where it is underlined that the Shepherd watches over the most vulnerable sheep in his flock with special care:  the little ones, and their mothers who feel responsibility for them.

He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. (Isa. 40:11 NIV)

Maybe you feel responsible for someone who needs care, whether or not you are a parent or caregiver or friend. Or maybe you are responsible for the success of a project. The weight can be heavy.  And there are those moments when we feel like that ewe at the edge of a cliff where a misstep could lead to a terrible fall.

 Are you caught in a situation where you feel danger is lurking for people you love, or for your community, or your nation? Do you sometimes feel rejected by those very people because you see a situation from a different point of view?  In these days, especially in this political season, that actually seems to be quite common.

The Good Shepherd knows when his sheep need special attention. Sometimes it’s the young ones that can’t keep up with the others. Sometimes it’s the mom, the ewe, that is trying to care for her baby while the flock is moving on ahead. Whoever needs special attention is immediately cared for by him..

As that chapter in Isaiah moves on, the exclusive greatness of our God is described. It elevates the picture of the Shepherd to the King of the Universe who is aware of all that is happening and ultimately in charge. Ponder these verses, all the way to the end, and find your hope in him, the loving all-knowing God who gives his people strength when times are rough.

22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. 23 He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. 24 No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

25 “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

26 Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing. 27 Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God”? 28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isa. 40:22-29 NIV)

[1] “I Am That Ewe” is one of the poems published in the book When He Whispers: Learning to Listen on the Journey.” (available on Amazon and Christianbook.com).

A Jolt of Joy

Now, heart focused on the Godhead,

love makes the air too dense to breathe.

His presence bathes the world in light.

My eyes must squint against the glare:

his holy essence, who he is.

Joy jolts me unexpectedly.

Reality is so rock-heavy

only my lightness of being

keeps me from going under.

If, astonished at this transformation,

my sensors pull back, quivering,

and turn to safer foci like

the joy that slipped in sideways,

it diffuses into aftermath

and I am left still wishing

that the feeling could remain

without the threat of intimacy

and all that light exposing me.

The truth is that this pulsing joy

refuses to be idolized,

to take one jot of radiance

from the One, the holy Other.

Its impulse is my brush against

the edges of his ways, and only comes

when heart’s eyes center on my God

and I burst open like a flower.

Joy registers the shock.

Have you experienced those moments of ecstatic joy when you suddenly find your very soul leaping to a new level of worship? When it happens, you want to cling to it for as long as possible. It feels like a taste of what it will be like to see our Lord God in person and know him in a whole new way. If only it would last! The temptation is to focus on that feeling and pursue it rather than the Person that inspires it.

When we are truly worshiping him, hearts lifted to him, joy may embrace us within. One place where I experience it is when I join his people in songs of praise, remembering who he is; it can bring tears of joy to my eyes. Going to his temple, there is protection from the storms outside, real peace. Psalm 84 uses the imagery of a bird finding a safe place for her nests right there where God’s people are singing his praise:

2 I desperately want to be in the courts of the LORD’s temple. My heart and my entire being shout for joy to the living God. 3 Even the birds find a home there, and the swallow builds a nest, where she can protect her young near your altars, O LORD WHO RULES OVER ALL, my king and my God. 4 How blessed are those who live in your temple and praise you continually!  (Ps. 84:2-4 NET)

There we remember his blessings and the wonders he has done. We reflect on salvation, and on his ongoing outreach past all the barriers people around the world have put in place. We rejoice when we hear about those who have been going through trouble but continue to flourish and bear fruit—like when a global worker (missionary) shares how the Lord has been at work in a tough place.

For you, O LORD, have made me happy by your work. I will sing for joy because of what you have done. (Ps. 92:4 NET)

Even when we have not yet seen the answer to our prayers and our community includes those who oppose our Lord, who turn against us, we can go with the psalmist to petition God for the blessing of joy: he is our source of real joy:

Vindicate me, O God! Fight for me against an ungodly nation! Deliver me from deceitful and evil men! 2 For you are the God who shelters me. Why do you reject me? Why must I walk around mourning because my enemies oppress me? 3 Reveal your light and your faithfulness! They will lead me, they will escort me back to your holy hill, and to the place where you live. 4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to the God who gives me ecstatic joy, so that I express my thanks to you, O God, my God, with a harp. 5 Why are you depressed, O my soul? Why are you upset? Wait for God! For I will again give thanks to my God for his saving intervention. (Ps. 43:1-5 NET)

At times what is needed is to confess our sin, every failing. Repentance brings us into God’s presence with confidence in forgiveness, and then joy erupts in praise:

By David; a well-written song.  How blessed is the one whose rebellious acts are forgiven, whose sin is pardoned! 2 How blessed is the one whose wrongdoing the LORD does not punish, in whose spirit there is no deceit. 3 When I refused to confess my sin, my whole body wasted away, while I groaned in pain all day long. . . . 5 Then I confessed my sin; I no longer covered up my wrongdoing. I said, “I will confess my rebellious acts to the LORD.” And then you forgave my sins . . . 10 An evil person suffers much pain, but the LORD’s faithfulness overwhelms the one who trusts in him. 11 Rejoice in the LORD and be happy, you who are godly! Shout for joy, all you who are morally upright! (Ps. 32:1-3,5,10-11 NET)

Jesus himself underlined this to his disciples: obedience to his commands results in joy. This is not temporary joy, but joy that accompanies our ongoing deep fellowship with him as we live in his love and live out his love. What an amazing gift that is, joy that does not depend on a circumstance or a momentary emotion but on union with him that expresses itself in genuine self-giving love!

9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. 10 If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. 12 My commandment is this– to love one another just as I have loved you. 1 (Jn. 15:9-12 NET)

Yes, those moments of exultant joy are genuine results of worship and thanksgiving. Yet there is also a continuous joy embedded in our souls when we remain linked to our Lord, filled with his love and living it out in our relationships. That is “complete” joy that is not dependent on circumstances but on union with him. It does not only pulse within in us for a moment, but is living there inside us when we are truly attached to him. When we obey his commands, walk by faith and trust in him, we cling to his loving character as our never-ending assurance. It is that complete joy. What a gift!

Do not be agitated by evildoers; do not envy those who do wrong. 2 For they wither quickly like grass and wilt like tender green plants. 3 Trust in the LORD and do what is good; dwell in the land and live securely. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart’s desires. (Ps. 37:1-4 CSB)

Let’s desire joy!

Psalm on Divine Paradox

rock solid you are

no end or beginning

sea caverns beneath

sky  spaces above

all of these speak you

to me

your love is movement

like shimmering aspens

wind wafting grass

splashing white water

freely crashing

healing

sealing each rupture

with fire and kindness

in the stillness

glory shouts

you are here

present

everywhere around

and deep inside

my yearning soul

paradox abounds

and I cry

holy

The majesty of God and the imagery he uses in Scripture to help us understand him leaves me lost in wonder. So I have collected some verses to use in praise of his amazing greatness—join me in contemplation and worship:

ESV Isaiah 26:4 Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

ESV Psalm 31:3 For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me . . .

ESV 1 Samuel 2:2 “There is none holy like the LORD: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.

ESV Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made . . .

ESV Job 11:7 “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?

NIV Job 9:8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.

ESV Psalm 93:4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!

ESV Psalm 148:4 Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

ESV Psalm 76:4 Glorious are you [LORD}, more majestic than the mountains full of prey.

ESV Isaiah 30:30 And the LORD will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and storm and hailstones.

ESV Malachi 4:2 But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

ESV Psalm 19:1  The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

ESV Psalm 103:11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

ESV Revelation 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

ESV Psalm 99:2,3 The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!

My Tent of Meeting

This is my “tent of meeting”

where you, Lord, meet with me,

no pillar of cloud necessary

because you live in me.

This tent is a protected space

where I pour out my heart

and listen as you respond.

It’s portable, moving with us

no matter where we go.

Sometimes the tent is high

 up in the sky like a plane flying

to yet another destination.

The ride might become rough,

stormy turbulence blown in.

We bounce, but I can always

see you there. You care.

You tenderly strengthen my soul,

your presence making me whole.

Moses needed time with you

before beginning your work.

Joshua stood there listening,

meditating in solitude,

preparation in process.

May I find moments like that!

Like Moses may I be refueled,

made ready for what lies ahead

here in my tent of meeting.

I’m writing  while in a hospital waiting room, waiting for my husband to wake up after surgery (the doctor says it went well). So this is my current “tent of meeting!” We had to be here at 5 a.m. so I brought my Bible, in my phone, my notebook and computer. People bustle and talk, but the Lord has been meeting with me. (And Glenn’s surgery went well!)

We just rode across the United States in an airplane a couple of days ago, and once again I had time to sit in silence, contemplating and listening to the Voice. All through life I’ve found him always there, when I am aware and focused.

You probably have key stories to share too, those times when life seemed to take over but you could still interact with our God. Just like the Israelites wandering through the desert for 40 years, their tent of meeting carried along with them, we always have ours at hand. We just need to turn our hearts toward that place and enter it, worshiping him, sharing concerns and listening to him!

Peace Inside the Noise

Peace seems so elusive

in this fractious neighborhood

where you have placed me—

that is, when I contemplate

the dirt and hurts and screams

of metal and motors and crowds.

But when I turn my heart

east to the Rising Son

and fix my inner eyes

on light and rainbows,

my inner ears on the birds

singing pulsing praise psalms,

then I find that peace that is

way beyond our understanding.

Your promises stand solid

in the crunch of shifting values

and political confusion.

Your presence fills the universe,

grieving at the fractures and the pain,

applauding when your children

push aside the darkness and live love,

making them the actors in your plan

to change the world, to bring the nations

into your new creation

where health and truth and beauty

will replace this sick morass.

I choose to turn to you, today

and every day, my hand in yours,

your Spirit the fresh air I breathe,

your heart my hope and treasure

while I walk on ahead, sidestepping

garbage and letting your song

speak peace inside the noise.

When we were living in Ferke, Côte d’Ivoire, huge trucks, carrying loads north to Mali or Burkina Faso or south from those countries to Abidjan, would park along the wall that encircled our courtyard (see the photo above). We would hear music blasting, motors starting, people noise–especially in that big city space (all dust) where merchants would promote their wares at high volume, or political events would draw crowds. It was noisy, evening and morning. I would try to have quiet moments with my Lord but found it hard to block out all the distractions.

The Lord taught me to choose to focus on him, to find peace even in the middle of all that. We were blessed with many trees–mango, lime, golden rain, frangi pani. I could look at his creation and soak in beauty. Birds formed a morning chorale. The Word of God was open before me. I could turn the eyes of my heart to the Creator, the Light of the World, the One who loves me and watches over me–the One who is always teaching me. He showed me how to find his unmatchable peace within the noise.

Last week a tornado passed through this Detroit area. Fortunately it did not hit our neighborhood, but it ripped up trees in the beautiful Belle Isle park in the middle of the Detroit River. I went there on Labor Day with a friend, hoping to find a picnic table somewhere near the water in spite of the downed trees and crowds there for the holiday. We finally did find one by Lake Muskoday on the northwest side of the island, no one nearby at all! We sat down to enjoy the peace, only to find out that motorcycles and cars passing by on the road behind us were celebrating with noise: roaring motors and blasting music. Conversation had to pause every now and then and wait for quiet. But our eyes were focused toward the lake with its quiet waters and lily pads, then two canoes paddling by. We delved into the Word and prayed. It was truly “peace within the noise.”

Whatever noise, sorrow, chaos or bad news is deflecting your vision from the Son, ask him to give your heart-eyes focus on him. He is everywhere, even in the middle of the storm that tears down ancient trees or people noise that hurts your ears. He is the Prince of Peace who gave himself for you, who is always accompanying you. Turn to him and acknowledge his presence:

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. (Ps. 73:23 NIV)

Remember, Jesus himself promised peace, even when trouble is all around. This is not just quiet. It is inner calm that comes from him:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (Jn. 14:27 NIV)

Let’s find that peace inside the noise!

New Housekeeping

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Sweeping and dusting will never be enough.

Redecorating schemes are all disasters:

mock renewals, clever coverups.

I need an undivided heart:

no padlocked chambers set aside

for resident anger,

no halls of hard-core selfishness,

no darkened corners for illicit pleasures.

Instead, give me one room,

round and filled with light,

walls scrubbed crystal clean,

wholly devoted to harboring love

and nurturing goodness,

teeming with reminders

of key events and precious people,

places we have been and revelations of truth.

Then, dear heart, open the skylight

and let the light pour in

to grow luxuriant hanging gardens.

Let the music of singing stars

and healed cripples

ripple the atmosphere, as they dance

with strong straight limbs

around the gifts of grace

and souvenirs of rescue.

Feel health pulse through the silken breeze:

the breath of God renewing my true self.

Smell the fragrant winsomeness

of fresh-baked bread:

bread of the Presence, sustenance.

Unlock the doors and let the music out,

hand out thick slices of warm bread

to every hungry passerby.

Leave tantalizing traces,

the aroma of delights,

along each path I take.

Let love lights leap from windows

into the shadowed world,

clear evidence of

the radical new me.

Last month my coworker in Côte d’Ivoire and I began drafting the translation of Ezekiel into Nyarafolo. I am struck daily by the deep teaching in this book that often gets passed over due to the complicated visions. Chapter 14 reminded me of our responsibility to keep our hearts completely clean, not soiled in any way by allegiances contrary to our Lord’s requirements of his people.

Ezekiel, in exile in Babylon, is visited by a group of Israelite elders also in exile. They want to know what is going to be happening. Then Lord Yahweh explains to him what is actually going on in the hidden interiors of the elders: they have come to get consoling words from the prophet, but their hearts are full of idols, other entities they worship. They have idolatry hidden in their hearts, and they think Yahweh is ignorant of their unfaithfulness to him. The message given the prophet Ezekiel is far from comforting. Yahweh knows what they think is hidden. They need to realize that unless they get rid of all interior obstacles to following him, they will indeed hear from him, but it will be condemnation rather than consolation. Yahweh says:

5 I will do this in order to capture the hearts of the house of Israel, who have alienated themselves from me on account of all their idols.’ 6 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign LORD says: Return! Turn from your idols, and turn your faces away from your abominations. 7 For when anyone from the house of Israel, or the foreigner who lives in Israel, separates himself from me and erects his idols in his heart and sets the obstacle leading to his iniquity before his face, and then consults a prophet to seek something from me, I the LORD am determined to answer him personally. 8 I will set my face against that person and will make him an object lesson and a byword and will cut him off from among my people. Then you will know that I am the LORD.  (Ezek. 14:5-8 NET)

We cannot hide anything from God. No coverups are possible. Those of us who have entered into relationship with him are accountable to him!

Is it scary to realize that God knows everything we think, every sinful behavior we have convinced ourselves is all right, every loyalty to something that conflicts with him?

Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. (Ps. 139:4 NIV)

Yes, it is scary if we know that we have bad thoughts or intentions and we don’t want to face the consequences, especially if we are not convinced that our God loves us and corrects us for our good.

It is so easy to think that we are fine if we just do what we want to do, setting our hearts on goals that do not please him. He will forgive us, right? What is clear in Ezekiel 14.6 is that complete repentance is necessary for forgiveness: turning away from those wicked “idols” set up in our hearts. Without doing that we will face consequences, correction from him that will shake us up.

Just dusting surfaces in our hearts’ observable “furniture” is not enough. We need complete cleansing. Hearts open wide to our loving Father who is also the Judge of everyone, we must let him reveal what needs removal. His Spirit will convict us and empower us to turn away from attachment to all that is wrong! Just open up to him, respond to his convicting words, and pray like David|:

Have mercy on me, O God, because of your loyal love! Because of your great compassion, wipe away my rebellious acts!) Wash away my wrongdoing! Cleanse me of my sin! (Ps. 51:1-2 NET)

We can indeed trust his unending loyal love and compassion. So let’s turn to him daily for ongoing radical housekeeping as we battle temptations and the enticing invitations of the world and the Enemy. Living in our God’s light and love, not allowing other “idols” to slip into hearts, we can share the joy with others he puts in our path!

Come Away to the Mountain!

“Come away to the mountain!” Yahweh said.

And Abraham did it, feeling deep dread,

hope hanging dark on a covenant thread –

knowing the mount was for sacrifice,

blood thrumming out the desperate price

of coming close to God.

“Come away to the mountain!” It was a call

that brought Moses up high forty long days

to receive the covenant words of the Law,

then a second climb up to ask forgiveness

for the sinful unfaithfulness of his people.

He had come close to God.

“Come away to the mountain for rest and prayer!”

 No wonder the Son took his intimates there

for a quiet retreat where they could prepare

for the horrors to come that would test their faith,

when he’d give up his life on a mount in their place,

and open the way to come close to God.

When I was in my early childhood in Congo, every breakfast included a special routine: Mom would pick up the little box of memory verse cards from the center of the table, read a reference and ask us to say them. One verse in particular grabbed my heart’s attention and took deep root:

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. (James 4:8 KJV)

As I grew up I kept yearning for that sense of “nearness.” How could I actually draw near to God? He showed me along the way that I had to turn my heart’s attention to him: reading his Word and doing what it says, singing praise songs with real focus on him, and listening to his Voice when he would correct me or prompt me to do something.

Then when I had been serving in mission for years I was feeling overwhelmed with demands on my time and energy. We were facing challenges I had never expected. I was worn out, longing for respite. And I heard the Voice nudging me to take a break: practice solitude. I actually began to call it “the solitude of two.” I would seek out a private space where I could retreat with Jesus, and his Spirit would meet me there with peace. Sometimes it was next to a river, sometimes it was inside the thatched gazebo in our yard. Here in the States, it is often at a park, also by a river. Water is refreshing and quiets my soul.

Jesus retreated like that too. After teaching the crowds, dealing with adversaries, healing the sick, he would go off to a mountain to pray and ready himself for the next journey (cf John 8:1). And after sharing deeply with his disciples the evening before he would be sent to his death, he went with them to the Mount of Olives and separated himself to prepare for what was coming, to pray. There had been other moments too. Retreat was and is a healthy spiritual practice.

As mentioned in the poem above, the Lord God, Yahweh, called his servants to the mountains for special times of teaching crucial truths as well. Those were protected private spaces. Like me, perhaps you find it tough to find a “mountain” nearby, but you can find some place in nature where you can flee from distractions, let your heart pour out its questions or needs to God, and then wait for him to respond. I always have my Bible at hand for when he calls a passage to mind and I take a notebook for notes (because I often “hear him” though my pen).

Sometimes he has specific directions to give in answer to a particular dilemma. Sometimes he is teaching, encouraging you or correcting you. Sometimes he just wants you to spend time with him, basking in his loving Presence, resting.  As he said:

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (Mat 11.28)

Listen! Is he saying “Come away to the mountain!” ?

The Challenge of Love and Justice

If his love is as high as the sky and beyond 
and his wisdom deeper than the sea, 
why am I so hesitant to trust him? 
It has to be that I  don’t get it. 
I cannot wrap my mind around infinity. 

Since his love goes on forever, with no end,
always strong, rooted in his greatness,
I know he’ll always welcome me,
faulty and weak as I am.
I can sit by him, forgiven, and pour out my heart.

The biggest challenge for me is this:
If I am to be like him—act justly, love like he does—
what will it take to transform me to that level?
I know it’s only possible since he lives in me.
His Spirit is my strength, my guide, my hope.

Teach me, Lord, to love your love, and live it!

The Scripture verse that incited this poem is Micah 6:8:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Mic. 6:8 NIV)

This is a requirement that dates back centuries, and we humans who know about it have been constantly struggling to fulfill it. Justice, mercy and humility sound fine until you try to apply them yourself in each situation, or even when you try to react appropriately to headline news. And how should they be acted out when Jesus’ followers are supposed to love like he does (cf John 15:12)?

How do justice and mercy work together? If someone has done wrong shouldn’t they pay for it, even be kicked out? These questions require thoughtful answers. What kind of wrong is unforgivable? One of those questionable instances that is being brought up by those concerned with immigration is the “crime” of missing an appointment, or of being brought into this country as a child or birthed here. What is true justice, executed with mercy, in such a case? Or perhaps a friend insults you in a way that is truly out of line. Should they be pushed out of your life, or should you show mercy and work for reconciliation?

When we are unjust and unmerciful, we are touting our own right to judge without reference to our Lord’s standards. We are not at all walking “humbly with our God”! Instead we are relying on ourselves rather than even asking his advice. This self-reliant pride succumbs to the voices around us instead of taking God’s Word seriously, asking him for the wisdom and mercy that we desperately need:

6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  (Isa. 55:6-9 NIV)

So, since he knows what is right and we do not, our one hope of figuring out how we should act is to go to him for guidance, and ask him how to apply justice, mercy and humility in each case before us. Only by turning to him can we expect to live this out, taking his requirements seriously and learning what they mean.

I am constantly amazed at the way the Old Testament documents the multiple times that God’s chosen people turned their backs on him. They thought that they had more wisdom than he has, that they could have more power by acting on their own or devoting themselves to “other gods” who seemed to do magical things for their neighbors. Did God turn away? He did judge them. Often it meant turning them over to their enemies, even exile. But he kept on calling them back, waiting with love for them to recognize their foolish sin and return to him. The prophet Micah also wrote:

Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. 19 You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea. 20 You will be faithful to Jacob, and show love to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our ancestors in days long ago. (Mic. 7:18-20 NIV)

Micah was listening to God and had great faith in him. His world was in chaos and he was well aware of the evil all around. But he urged his people to listen to their God and repent of their willful sins, knowing that the God of love would forgive.

God never changes. He is still our source of wisdom and loving forgiveness when we walk humbly with him. Jesus assured his disciples that those who love him will obey him, and that his Spirit would teach them and empower them. His Spirit is given to those of us who are his disciples in this day and age as well. Let us listen to him and obey what God says—let’s act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God!

23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. 25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  (Jn. 14:23-26 NIV)