I appreciate that there are many who see today as a national day of mourning. I am certainly not doing any cartwheels myself. But I did see a few bright spots in the Inauguration ceremony today.
First, I am grateful and surprised that we live in a country in which the Word of God is still a prominent part of the biggest political event in the land. The name of Jesus was boldly proclaimed, and prayers were made in His name. The beatitudes were spoken over a nation who needs to hear them: Blessed are the poor in Spirit. Blessed are those who mourn. Blessed are those who are meek, merciful, and pure of heart. And perhaps most timely of all, blessed are the peacemakers. My favorite non-scriptural quote came from Rabbi Marvin Hier, who said that a nation's wealth is measured by its values, not its vaults. This after repeated promises by our new President to bring back America's wealth. Well said, Rabbi.
Second, no matter what you think of President Obama, you had to respect his dignity today. You know this was hard, brutally hard, for him. He and his wife would probably much rather poke Donald Trump with a sharp stick than embrace and applaud him, but they did so graciously. After a searing speech in which the new President pinned all of the nation's woes on his back, Mr. Obama smiled warmly, extended his hand, and said, "Good job." I completely disagree with his politics, but I respect and appreciate his maturity, his poise, his faithfulness as a husband and father, and the dignity he brought to the presidency.
And finally, no matter how many times you witness it, you can never stop marveling at the peaceful, honorable transfer of power that we Americans are privileged to enjoy. Yes, the election was ugly and nothing to be proud of. But today? Today was America at its best. Political rivals sat side by side and accepted a new person with radically different ideas and policies. No wars broke out. No one was assassinated. Some boycotters boycotted and some protesters protested, but even that is evidence of a privileged America. Can we ever grasp how radical--maybe even miraculous--our Constitution is? And that generation after generation submit to it, abide by it, and carry it out? Like clockwork, the 45th President was sworn in at 12:00 on January 20, no matter the outcry that preceded it. Remarkable.
And now, Inauguration Day winding down, we do what God's people do every day. We pray for wisdom for our leaders, and we rejoice that there is only one King, and that He never changes.
Friday, January 20, 2017
Friday, January 6, 2017
A New Thing
How many times in the past week did you hear this verse of Scripture?
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19
As the new year approached, everywhere I turned, it seemed I was bumping up against that verse. But this year I heard it differently than I have in the past. This year I can actually see the new thing God is doing for me. And, here we go again, it involves the new dog.
We live on 3.5 acres. Most of that consists of a sticker-and-weeds-filled field some distance from our house. My husband turned it into a small track for his dirt bike, and the kids sometimes ride the ATV around it. Prior to November, I had been out there only a handful of times in four years. Then the puppy arrived. His level of fatigue directly corresponds to our level of peace and enjoyment. We started taking him to the "track" to run out his energy. There are neighboring houses in the distance and a major road some 40 yards away, separated from our field by a stickery slope and a barbed-wire fence. But Oakley is codependent in the healthiest of ways and sticks pretty close. The traffic roars by, unseen but definitely heard, and creates a nice white-noise effect. I feel like I'm the only person in the world out there.
As crazy as it sounds, it has become my holy place. My "new thing."
I've always been more of an outside pray-er than an inside one. Truth be told, I'm not a great pray-er, period. I can study the Bible for days on end, but prayer has been a harder spiritual discipline to cultivate in my life. There have been times, lots of them, actually, when I've felt strongly the presence of the Holy Spirit, when it seemed like the veil between me and the throne of God was more transparent. But for the most part, prayer is more a discipline for me than a joy. This has been my story for 46 years. And then we got the dog.
I don't know what it is. The going around in circles? The traffic noise? The privacy? The goofy joy I find in watching my spastic and frolicking puppy? A friend wondered if it's the containment, not only of the dog and me, but also of my mind. Unlike a neighborhood walk, there are no houses to look at. No other pets to avoid. No cars or people. It's just me, Oakley, a dirt track, and the unexpected presence of God.
He welcomes me in. I can almost feel His pleasure, like an eager host greeting his guest at the door: "Come in! I've been waiting for you!" He writes His words on my heart, and they come pouring out of my lips. Scripture comes readily to my mind and mixes with my words. I speak loudly; there's no one else around. I speak powerfully. The words are Spirit-led, not my own. My own are rambling, repetitive, uninspired, dull, distracted. These words catch me by surprise. They come with force and with conviction that they are pleasing to God, directed by Him. I know that He hears me. I know He always hears me, but this knowing goes beyond faith and belief. I actually feel Him hearing me. I keep walking, all those circles, 5 degrees outside, Oakley good and tired. And yet I can't help but make one more trip around the track.
When you've walked closely with Jesus for 20, 30, or 40 years, you might be tempted to stop looking for the "new thing." Please don't stop. Keep looking. Keep experimenting. If your prayer life seems dull, look for new places to pray. If you've lost interest in reading the Bible, try handwriting or typing it out. Listen to it online. Go to theversesproject.com and soak up scripture put to music and art.
Don't ever stop looking for the new thing God wants to give you.
"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Isaiah 43:19
As the new year approached, everywhere I turned, it seemed I was bumping up against that verse. But this year I heard it differently than I have in the past. This year I can actually see the new thing God is doing for me. And, here we go again, it involves the new dog.
We live on 3.5 acres. Most of that consists of a sticker-and-weeds-filled field some distance from our house. My husband turned it into a small track for his dirt bike, and the kids sometimes ride the ATV around it. Prior to November, I had been out there only a handful of times in four years. Then the puppy arrived. His level of fatigue directly corresponds to our level of peace and enjoyment. We started taking him to the "track" to run out his energy. There are neighboring houses in the distance and a major road some 40 yards away, separated from our field by a stickery slope and a barbed-wire fence. But Oakley is codependent in the healthiest of ways and sticks pretty close. The traffic roars by, unseen but definitely heard, and creates a nice white-noise effect. I feel like I'm the only person in the world out there.
As crazy as it sounds, it has become my holy place. My "new thing."
I've always been more of an outside pray-er than an inside one. Truth be told, I'm not a great pray-er, period. I can study the Bible for days on end, but prayer has been a harder spiritual discipline to cultivate in my life. There have been times, lots of them, actually, when I've felt strongly the presence of the Holy Spirit, when it seemed like the veil between me and the throne of God was more transparent. But for the most part, prayer is more a discipline for me than a joy. This has been my story for 46 years. And then we got the dog.
I don't know what it is. The going around in circles? The traffic noise? The privacy? The goofy joy I find in watching my spastic and frolicking puppy? A friend wondered if it's the containment, not only of the dog and me, but also of my mind. Unlike a neighborhood walk, there are no houses to look at. No other pets to avoid. No cars or people. It's just me, Oakley, a dirt track, and the unexpected presence of God.
He welcomes me in. I can almost feel His pleasure, like an eager host greeting his guest at the door: "Come in! I've been waiting for you!" He writes His words on my heart, and they come pouring out of my lips. Scripture comes readily to my mind and mixes with my words. I speak loudly; there's no one else around. I speak powerfully. The words are Spirit-led, not my own. My own are rambling, repetitive, uninspired, dull, distracted. These words catch me by surprise. They come with force and with conviction that they are pleasing to God, directed by Him. I know that He hears me. I know He always hears me, but this knowing goes beyond faith and belief. I actually feel Him hearing me. I keep walking, all those circles, 5 degrees outside, Oakley good and tired. And yet I can't help but make one more trip around the track.
When you've walked closely with Jesus for 20, 30, or 40 years, you might be tempted to stop looking for the "new thing." Please don't stop. Keep looking. Keep experimenting. If your prayer life seems dull, look for new places to pray. If you've lost interest in reading the Bible, try handwriting or typing it out. Listen to it online. Go to theversesproject.com and soak up scripture put to music and art.
Don't ever stop looking for the new thing God wants to give you.
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