I read the Old Testament and find myself.
All my unredeemed qualities surface in the lives of the individuals
recorded throughout the scriptures:
The agony, the fear...the arrogance... the complaints...
the anger...the questioning....
I would like to be able to say:
...that they had it easier:
They saw burning bushes, pillars of fire...clouds and thundering on mountains,
manna each morning...quail in the evening...plagues and seas parting...
they HEARD his voice...they saw his glory shining on Moses' face....
how could they NOT believe...how could they be so faithless?????
But...I...a grafted in, New Testament follower....disciple...Christian...
I have the Holy Spirit..DWELLING WITHIN..revealing God...undertaking His work..AND I have Jesus INTERCEDING at the right hand of God....
I have the bible in many versions...on bookshelves, in my coffee table...
...by my bedside, on my desk...on my computer...on cd's
Ummmm....
I am steeped in my culture like Israel was steeped in Egyptian culture.
Idolatry is rampant.
I can see in the mirror.
I have need of His Law of Love.
All my heart.All my mind.All my strength.
All my heart.All my mind.All my strength.
I have need of repetition.
I.HAVE.NEED.OF.REPETITION.
I HAVE NEED OF REPETITION
I.HAVE.NEED.OF.REPETITION.
I HAVE NEED OF REPETITION
I need to assure myself of his character over and over again.
ARE YOU SURE?
ARE YOU SURE?
I need my landscape redefined...and replaced.
He will bring me out.
He will make me his own.
He will sever all ties and command all my affections.
I know this because ultimately I know him to be true.
He knows best.
I need him. He is all that satisfies.
He knows that...I just need to get with the program.
He knows that...I just need to get with the program.
He must train my ear to hear his voice and to trust Him alone.
Will I learn...anywhere but the back side of the desert?
I used to trust..mostly when there was no other way..
when all other avenues of self help were explored...
I was pretty good at helping myself.
when all other avenues of self help were explored...
I was pretty good at helping myself.
When I finally figured out that everything about my day required trust
if it was going to have any lasting purpose....
If I was going to bear fruit...and fruit that remained.
I began to awaken to the fact that:
if it was going to have any lasting purpose....
If I was going to bear fruit...and fruit that remained.
I began to awaken to the fact that:
Safety and security and guarantees... these were my idols.
At times....I am that stiff-necked people.
I throw gold into the fire and look what jumps out?
Surprise????
ya think?
No..I fashion my idols with care.
I cultivate.
It's an art form.
A product of my culture...
It's influences...
It sounds so right...
Safety...Security...Guarantees...
No wonder He lays down the law...
Now we have grace...and atonement through Jesus...
The Law of Love...saves...and sanctifies...
Love was present in the desert too...
He got His people out of Egypt...
Now it was time to get Egypt out of them.
I throw gold into the fire and look what jumps out?
Surprise????
ya think?
No..I fashion my idols with care.
I cultivate.
It's an art form.
A product of my culture...
It's influences...
It sounds so right...
Safety...Security...Guarantees...
No wonder He lays down the law...
Now we have grace...and atonement through Jesus...
The Law of Love...saves...and sanctifies...
Love was present in the desert too...
He got His people out of Egypt...
Now it was time to get Egypt out of them.
.... in this do I hope....
I am His...and He is mine!
He promised.
He made me. He knows what he is doing.
Where he leads....I will follow....
