The Supremacy of God

Excerpt from The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink...

The "god" of this twentieth century no more resembles the Supreme Sovereign of Holy Writ than does the dim flickering of a candle the glory of the midday sun. The "god" who is now talked about in the average pulpit, spoken of in the ordinary Sunday school, mentioned in much of the religious literature of the day, and preached in most of the so-called Bible Conferences is the figment of human imagination, an invention of maudlin sentimentality. The heathen outside of the pale of Christendom form "gods" out of wood and stone, while the millions of heathen inside Christendom manufacture a "god" out of their own carnal mind. In reality, they are but atheists, for there is no other possible alternative between an absolutely supreme God, and no God at all. A "god" whose will is resisted, whose designs are frustrated, whose purpose is checkmated, possesses no title to Deity, and so far from being a fit object of worship, merits nought but contempt.

The supremacy of the true and living God might well be argued from the infinite distance which separates the mightiest creatures from the almighty Creator. He is the Potter, they are but the clay in his hands, to be molded into vessels of honor, or to be dashed into pieces (Ps. 2:9) as he pleases. Were all the denizens of heaven and all the inhabitants of the earth to combine in revolt against him, it would occasion him no uneasiness, and would have less effect upon his eternal and unassailable throne than has the spray of Mediterranean's waves upon the towering rocks of Gibraltar. So puerile and powerless is the creature to affect the Most High, Scripture itself tells us that when the Gentile heads unite with apostate Israel to defy Jehovah and his Christ, "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh" (Ps. 2:4).

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I'll try not to spend too many words or too much time on this, since I honestly don't think the topic deserves as much attention as it gets. However, some decisions I've heard recently sincerely trouble my heart to the point that I feel I must speak. I realize that in writing this, I will be challenging the positions held by some close friends who will likely read this, so please know two things before proceeding.

1. I fully respect your convictions, and if your decision is a matter of conscience such that you feel it would be violating God's command in Scripture to do otherwise, then I am definitely not telling you to violate your conscience.
2. As I analyze the choices available, please understand that I am not mocking or belittling anyone for the positions they hold. I simply desire to show logically where such decisions will lead.

Those points stated, the subject at hand is politics, specifically an analysis of the effects of voting for a candidate outside of the mainstream (Republican or Democratic) parties.

To anyone in the primary audience of this letter, I applaud your involvement in the political process. I am quite confident that you did not come to the decision to support an independent just because you woke up one morning and picked the first yard sign you passed. Rather, you are probably where you are because you have researched the options and feel deeply that the popular choices are no longer acceptable or in alignment with your beliefs. For taking a stand on your convictions, I salute you. At the same time, I also know that elections are strategic -- candidates cater to their constituents and others they hope to sway, and supporters do their best to appeal to people's hearts in order to get their man or woman in office. And they do all of this because they endeavor to make a difference in this country. I believe you wish to do the same thing.

That is where the quote, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", enters. At the end of the day on November 4th, 2008, only the two mainstream presidential parties will have a chance at the White House -- the Republicans or the Democrats. Trust me, I am the utmost of romantics and idealists, but I am also a rationalist and a strategist and the reality is that those parties are effectively the only two options. Before you dismiss me, though, let me be quick to say that your vote for an independent party will make a difference. You'll most likely build up those you most oppose.

How, you ask? I'll tell you. Let's take the Libertarian party for example. People voting for the Libertarian candidate most likely would align closest to the Democratic party in regards to values and positions. If only the Democrats and Republicans were allowed to run for office, then those voting Libertarian would (begrudgingly, perhaps) vote as a Democrat. To make this clear, let's say that the election is somewhat close but that mainstream polls project that the voters will split 53% Democratic / 47% Republican. What happens if the Libertarian party garners an 8% vote, though? The election changes from a Democratic win to a Republican win, because the results change to 45% Democratic / 47% Republican / 8% Libertarian. Notice that the Libertarians didn't win and that those they strongly disagree with actually won. The same scenario applies conversely to the Republican alternatives.

Thus, in this election, all parties are facing off as "enemies". Republican vs. Democratic vs. Libertarian vs. Constitution vs.... Strategically, though, who are the allies in that list? Oddly enough, the Republicans actually hope that the Libertarians succeed some, while the Democrats are pulling for a "strong" Constitution party. Why? Because those who vote Constitution reduce the Republican (conservative) vote, and those who vote Libertarian undermine the Democratic (liberal) vote.

So the real question this election day, regardless of whether you go mainstream or stay independent is: Will you further the conservative or liberal cause? You will support one, but will it be the one you think you're voting for?

Empty But Able

Hey guys,

This is a call to anyone reading this who is empty but able -- busy with all the things in this life (work, school, etc), but willing by the grace of God to summon one more ounce of energy to do something of eternal value. We all dream of things we wish we were, wish we'd done, or wish we could do someday -- can we put those creative energies to a Kingdom purpose? Sometimes we get those sparks that want to ignite a mission larger than us, for God's glory, but I know for my part that the fire quickly fades because it's hard to do something alone, particularly when so much in life is going on. Perhaps that's why Christ created His church as a body. Feet get us places, but without eyes to give vision, the feet run without direction. Ears hear and discern, but without mouths, the ears cannot relay the message.

I'm not trying to be superspiritual in this pursuit of something "great". I read what Christians past and present thought and did, though, and know that all of us can do the same. Our sleep is precious, but do we treasure it more than time in God's Word? Those before us didn't, and we have testimonies of lives that shone brightly for God because of that.

Maybe this will fade like a word spoken into the wind, or maybe it will echo and resonate with someone. For the latter, is there anyone who wants to get together (online or off) and brainstorm on eternal ideas and then figure out how to make them reality? We all have different talents, but we have the same mind of Christ. So even if our ideas span the spectrum of fields or topics, we can encourage each other and constructively analyze the ideas discerningly and practically. Some thoughts along the pray-give-go framework (which applies to more than just missions)...

1. Pray

• Develop a daily prayer list, updated on a weekly basis. I don't know about everyone else, but for me the lists of requests that we receive from many places can be overwhelming and seem daunting and insurmountable. If a group could get together weekly (say a Saturday morning), combine lists, divide it by days and even by persons (depending on the number of requests), and then send it out to anyone who wants to join in, it could make a big difference on the number of people praying.
• Create a website with up-to-date requests organized by category. When requests have been answered, they could be updated and categorized accordingly to show a history of God's faithfulness. One more website might not get much traffic, but with some RSS feeds, it could be integrated into Firefox and other browsers and even Facebook for easy access.

2. Give ($$)

• Personally, those who wanted to work on this could get together and in an accountability-format, think through our own finances and see if we might be able to manage them differently to be able to dedicate more to ministries and missions. A Compassion child only costs $32 a month, so if a group of 4 people could find a way to save $8 a month each (i.e. cut out two Starbucks drinks), they could sponsor another child. The same applies to church and missionary support. Even carpooling to church could save $5 a week with gas prices these days.
• Brainstorm on ways to generate side income that could be dedicated wholly to a ministry or ministries. A couple computer guys could do some PC support on the side and send all the income to a missionary. Or a creative techie person could design websites or graphics and contribute to the new children's building fund. College or high school tutoring? I bet most of us could help out in one subject area or another. Babysitting? I'm sure there are other ideas -- but that's where other people come into play :).

3. Go

• Serve in local ministries: volunteering at homeless shelters like Union Gospel Mission in Dallas; answering phones and sharing the Gospel at Need Him (888-NEED-HIM), children's ministries at church, etc. Even if we can only serve sporadically in one of those places, we can encourage one another, share our experiences, and pull each other along when we need that boost to keep going.
• Step out in short-term missions: We all take a two week vacation from time to time (maybe every summer) -- could the next one be to Costa Rica or Germany or East Asia? No doubt, it's a big step into the "uncomfortable zone", but it's amazing to see what the Lord does when you follow His lead there. And you can serve in a variety of ways on a short-term trip. Vacation Bible School with kids, construction on a church building, door-to-door evangelism, teaching English or another skill and answering the "why are you here?" question as it comes up -- so many ways!
• And of course, long-term missions or ministry work: This takes us back to the Pray and Give sections. Those serving locally full-time can be involved in all of these with us, but those who serve in distant places need our prayer and financial support.

I realize that's a lot to ponder, but isn't it possible? Can't we gather like the early church and dedicate ourselves to the service of the Lord, even while work, school, and the rest of this world tries to sap all of our time from us? We can't do it alone, but we have a great God and He's given us each other to "encourage one another more and more as [we] see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:24-25). So if anyone wants to commit to something like this, let me know.

~Chris

Stronger Against The Wind

What is this fire that grows stronger against the wind?

What kind of flame can this be?

There is no greater love than this

There is no greater gift that can ever be given

To be willing to die so another might live

There is no greater love than this

That love is the love that God has given us through Christ Jesus, and it is a love I have undeservedly experienced in the weeks since my last entry. The Lord is most overtly powerful in our lives when we are openly weak. October and the end of September have been one unending sprint of class projects, work emergencies, and the blessed straw on top of it all of petitioning the body of Christ for support on my upcoming mission trip to India (78 days from now). And I didn't misuse "sprint", though I spoke of more than three weeks -- God's grace has sustained me through very little sleep and the stresses of group projects, etc. It's all been Him, because I've been here before and fallen flat on my face by self-reliance.

This month has seen many manifestations of God working, but four specifically that I'll mention here. First, this trip to India is a totally new and challenging experience for me. By nature, I am independent and happy to feel depended upon and to support others, but I shy away from having to depend myself on other people. Of course that's not at all the model God set forth in the church, but that's my fleshly default. "Sending" has been a safe haven of that independency (new word), but "going" will have nothing of it. I have been humbled by the way the Lord has crossed my path with others, some I didn't even know were believers (at work). And the readiness with which He has stirred up hearts in prayer and giving sweeps the footing out from under my pride and independence. Of course, as another missionary currently in field told me today in an e-mail, God doesn't need me to go in order to accomplish His will and purpose, but He graciously chooses to involve me in the generation of His glory, for which I am eternally grateful.

Second, last Friday night, I was working late and took a break to run and grab some take-out from Panda Express. When I arrived, they were out of Orange Chicken, so I stepped aside to wait the obligatory eight minutes for it to cook. A few minutes into that queue, a middle-aged African-American guy walks into the restaurant. He looked pretty poor, such that I wasn't sure whether he was homeless or something close. Anyways, he was having trouble understanding what he was allowed to get in a 2-Entree dinner and I overheard him ask what he could get for six dollars, because that was all he had. The problem with "six dollars" is that a 2-Entree dinner costs $6.22 with tax. So I pulled a dollar out and walked up to him to explain that it would cost more than what he had to get a decent meal and handed him the dollar. Being a veteran Panda Express patron, I also let him know what he could get in the dinner, since he was getting frustrated trying to figure it out. Long story short, the Lord opened up a solid ten minute conversation about the reason for helping him out, etc. Pope (the man's name) claimed to be a Christian and had pretty good grasp on the Scriptures, so hopefully he is a brother as he claimed. Otherwise, I pray the Lord would continue to work in his life to save him. Nothing happens without God's orchestration and this was simply another unexpected example of His hand moving.

Third and less certain, I tried to go to Dunkin Donuts last night on the way home from class, because on Mondays this month, they are giving away a free medium coffee. I'd gone to this particular Dunkin Donuts at 11pm before and saw that it was open 24 hours, so I didn't think anything of going at 10pm. When I pulled up to the driveway, no one answered immediately so I perused the menu. Then I heard a knocking on car hood and looked up to see a man standing there. My first reaction was to lock the doors, because I wasn't exactly in a safe spot and no one was around. The man went to my passenger window and pleaded for a few dollars to buy a gas can [reason/story omitted]. I think I had seen him on his cell phone walking around the Jack-In-The-Box parking lot next door, but I was skeptical -- how could I know whether it was a scam? But I gave him what he asked for anyways. Unfortunately I wasn't prepared as I should have been and Lord-willing will be next time, so all I was able to tell him was that I was a Christian. He replied that he was, too (again, God knows...), but perhaps even if it was a scam, the Lord will use what to me was a wrong place, wrong time situation for His glory. After the man left, I pulled around to drive-thru window to read that the hours were now 5am to 10pm (it was 10:05pm), so the only transaction that occurred was between me and that man. Lord, please use it for Your glory.

Fourth and most simply, today was simply beautiful. I was off from work in order to do class project work, so I was able to drive around and bask in the Lord's creation. How marvelous is His work! "The heavens declare the glory of God..." (Psalm 19).

All of this has been written to exalt God. If any of it pointed to me (as I'm afraid my feeble words may have), then I failed, because it was all Him. Only His love "grows stronger against the wind".

(Lead italics and concluding quote from Steven Curtis Chapman's "No Greater Love")

Declaration of Dependence

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding.

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

~Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

Lord, I am but a youth, and I am weak and tired. Without You, I will fall in exhaustion. Help me to trust in You with all that I am, holding nothing back, that I might find Your strength. Your power is perfected in weakness; let me accept that I am weak and cannot bring You glory on my own. Then, Lord, let me run hard for You and not grow weary on the journey. Let me walk patiently where You lead and not grow faint. You are trustworthy, Father, and You are good. Even when You lay down crimson dots for me to follow where I have not been before, still I know You are sovereign and You will not fail to make Your Name known among the nations.

My heart is restless as I wander through this jungle

The trees above refuse to let the sunlight through

And somewhere deep inside I hear the whispered longings

That tell me I was made for more than this

A blinding flash of light falls down into the darkness

Slowly I notice strange new markings on the trail

The crimson drops are calling out to me, "Come and follow"

"I am the God who made you, let Me show you how to live"

And I cry...

I want to be a God follower / I want to go wherever He leads

I want to be a God follower / I want to walk the trail He's marked for me

And be a God follower (1)

"Wherever He leads..." Those are serious words. They mean that I am surrendering control (which I never really had) and that I am confessing and acknowledging that You alone, Lord, are setting the course of my life. You may send me across the world in a few months. You may intend for me to die for Your Name's sake. Or You may have me live out a long life as a perpetual offering to You. All are heavy callings. But by Your strength, I can overcome.

Chorus: Bring it on / Let the lightning flash, let the thunder roll, let the storm winds blow

Bring it on / Let the trouble come, let the hard rain fall, let it make me strong / Bring it on

Now, maybe you’re thinkin’ I’m crazy / And maybe I need to explain some things

‘Cause I know I’ve got an enemy waiting / Who wants to bring me pain

But what he never seems to remember / What he means for evil God works for good

So I will not retreat or surrender (chorus)

Now, I don’t want to sound like some hero / ‘Cause it’s God alone that my hope is in

But I’m not gonna run from the very things / That would drive me closer to Him

So bring it on (2)

At the end of it all, my longing is to know Christ, to love Him as He deserves, and to make Him known. I have always wanted a higher purpose, a cause to fight for and change the world. Yet I have realized that nothing temporal will ever satisfy this longing. It is chasing down the wind. Still You are patient and You do not fail to draw me back to You time and again.

Lord, You know how much / I want to know so much

In the way of answers and explanations

I have cried and prayed / And still I seem to stay

In the middle of life’s complications

All this pursuing leaves me feeling / like I’m chasing down the wind

But now it’s brought me back to You / And I can see again

This is everything I want / This is everything I need

I want this to be my one consuming passion

Everything my heart desires, Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus

Be my magnificent obsession

So capture my heart again / Take me to depths I’ve never been

Into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy

Return me to the cross / And let me be completely lost

In the wonder of the love that You’ve shown me

Cut through these chains that tie me down / to so many lesser things

Let all my dreams fall to the ground / Until this one remains (3)

(1) "God Follower", by Steven Curtis Chapman

(2) "Bring It On", by Steven Curtis Chapman

(3) "Magnificent Obsession", by Steven Curtis Chapman

King of Glory

A friend recently wrote of how she is facing opposition at work as she tries to stand for what is right. I'm posting here to say, "you're not alone." While your coworkers may be compromising to the will of the prince of darkness in this world, remember that the King of Glory is by your side. "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) Think about the saints who have gone before us, of Jeremiah who stood alone against Jezebel and the prophets of Ba'al. The Lord was with him and reminded him that even though he felt alone, yet the Lord had reserved seven thousand who had not bowed the knee.

Stand firm, my friend. Though the storms rage, we have a Savior who is Lord over all. He gives rest to His beloved, and He will not abandon you. Furthermore, you have both a heavenly and an earthly "cloud of witnesses" who have traversed the road of righteousness before you and walk beside you now.*

Switching topics but in the same vane, the Lord is truly faithful. His mercies are new at both sunset and sunrise. I cannot see much of the road ahead, but He has given me some checkpoints, glimmering through the fog. Some will definitely challenge me beyond anything I've ever known, but He has brought me too far to turn back. In the words of an old Steven Curtis Chapman song, it's time to "burn the ships". A chapter of my life closed this month and I pray that the Lord will seal it so that I will focus on the pages ahead. Sometimes the title of the book is missing from the top of the page (Mark, act it out for me, will ya? :), but I know the Author and He has a perfect record with ink and pen.

Who is this King of Glory with strength and majesty

And wisdom beyond measure, the gracious King of kings

The Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things

Who is this King of Glory, He's everything to me

~King of Glory by Third Day / Psalm 24 by David

*Listen to Cloud of Witnesses by Mark Schultz -- great song

Break me

Father, I begged You to take my heart, but I didn't realize You would need to break it for that to happen. How it hurts! Yet, dear Father, I would ask that You break it again daily if it is the only way for me to cling desperately to You. I don't know where to turn, but You have shown me glimpses of doors I've overlooked in the past. You've called them to mind, made them as beacons in my mind, leaving me restless until I follow. Lord, be the lamp to my path and the light to my feet -- direct my way, grant me wisdom and understanding that I might worship You with every step. Give me an opportunity to be poured out as a drink offering for You! Let me hold nothing back. Great God and Father, hold me according to Your Word (Psalm 91), make my feet like hinds' feet that I might declare Your Word from high places (Psalm 18), and do not, I pray, give my heart a moment's peace until I surrender to Your call and ignite for Your glory.

Heart & Vow

O God, please take my heart from me! I have tried to lift it up and let it go, but I am too weak and I'm clinging too tightly. God, You know my desires and how I want them to be from pure motives -- Your glory. And I'm crying to You, great Refiner, Knower of every heart, Transformer of my life: take ALL that I am and use me, spend me wholly for You! I can't be who I've been and I don't want to become comfortable again in the life I had. Though the conflict rends me, I want it to last until You change me and give me a purpose worth more than dying for -- worth living and breathing for! Lord, take me to far away place, strip me of all the material that surrounds me, and make me completely dependent on You! My God, please take this vow and never release me from it...

I could make a promise to You,

But that would be too easy to do.

You see I've made them before,

And broken them and they're no good anymore.

So I'll dig a little bit deeper,

Give You something You can keep

I will make a vow to You,

And it will never change no matter what I do.

Right here, right now,

In the midst of the crowd,

I stand alone and make my vow.

Whatever it takes I will be faithful

This is my vow.

As the words fall from my lips,

We both know the life I live,

How I stumble and fall,

How many times I land short of the call.

I will confess my inadequacy,

Throw myself into the mystery.

That somehow in the depth of Your love,

You will help me do what I'm not capable of.

Right here, right now,

In the midst of the crowd,

I stand alone and make my vow.

Whatever it takes I will be faithful.

Right here, right now,

Let there be no doubt.

Let every whisper, with every shout,

Let the whole world know I will be faithful,

This is my vow.

"The Vow", by Geoff Moore

Listen To Our Hearts

In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge;

Let me never be ashamed.

In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

Incline Your ear to me and save me.

Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come;

You have given commandment to save me,

For You are my rock and my fortress.

For You are my hope;

O Lord GOD, You are my confidence from my youth.

By You I have been sustained from my birth;

You are He who took me from my mother's womb;

My praise is continually of You.

My mouth is filled with Your praise

And with Your glory all day long.

Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

Do not forsake me when my strength fails.

O God, do not be far from me;

O my God, hasten to my help!

But as for me, I will hope continually,

And will praise You yet more and more.

My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness

And of Your salvation all day long;

For I do not know the sum of them.

I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD;

I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.

O God, You have taught me from my youth,

And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.

And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,

Until I declare Your strength to this generation,

Your power to all who are to come.

For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens,

You who have done great things;

O God, who is like You?

You who have shown me many troubles and distresses

Will revive me again,

And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

I will also praise You with a harp,

Even Your truth, O my God;

To You I will sing praises with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to You;

And my soul, which You have redeemed.

My tongue also will utter Your righteousness all day long;

Psalm 71:1-3,5-6,8-9,12,14-20,22-24 (NASB)

Like a wave tossed by the sea

Though I try not be
A wave tossed by the sea
Yet there go I
To Xanga I fly...

With the discovery of a new and refreshing theme, I'm returning to Xanga to build upon three years of history there. I know, why the flip-flop? Well, I'd forgotten what it was like to put the thoughts of the day into words until a friend of late reminded me. Then the question was, "where?" So I tried here, but have no ties and hence no readers. Since I wish to encourage people, even through recitations of the journeys through which the Lord takes me, this poses a problem. And so I return.

My thoughts are somewhat confused, but I think that's the late hour talking. So I could be back here eventually, but we'll see. Until then, if anyone has happened upon this, find me at www.xanga.com/veritasroad. Thanks.

Friday: S'mores, French Vanilla, and Fun

Fridays have an aura all their own. The day is normal in the sense that, for the most part, a normal day's work is required to go home, and that work can easily entail woes equal to or surpassing other days of the week. Yet as we enter the day (or even approach it on Thursday night), we smile because, after all, it's Friday :). When the bell tolls and the day ends, it does not merely segue into another workday. Instead, it dawns a sort of mini-day that can stretch as long as the night lasts, because Saturday is flexible.

For me, the joy of Friday has its own tradition. It begins with S'mores Pop-tarts, heated in the microwave for a precise 18 seconds (yes, I know they are "toaster pastries", but I like them soft). While those are warming up, my mug docks with the Flavia vestibule and receives a filling of French Vanilla coffee. Together this dynamic duo accompanies me back to my desk where I engage the day, read e-mails, and think of fun, yet productive tasks to accomplish. Are there new technologies that we've been waiting to evaluate but not had time? Friday's the day. How about some workspace restructuring (add a little Feng Shui or maybe take it away)? Yep, we can do that. Any way you cut it, today's a great day.

To anyone reading, I hope yours is, too.

.:Be here now:.

"I lift up my eyes..."

What a glorious morning! Out of such power and destructive force, God shines forth! A mere three days ago Hurricane Gustav made land in Louisiana, unleashing wind, rain and tornadoes. But here I sit, three days past, relishing in a breathtaking sunrise masked by clouds and accompanied, as of a violin with a piano, by a cool and refreshing breeze. The mercury rests at 68 degrees (F), 20 (C), nigh the perfect temperature to me.

Last night, I had the blessing of soaking up the prelude to this daybreak as the wind blew and the clouds waved in preparation of the coming day's inaugural. And then the psalmist spoke (Psalm 121):

       I lift up my eyes to the hills--

              where does my help come from?

       My help comes from the LORD,

              the Maker of heaven and earth.

And as I start the car to pull into the parking garage (I just couldn't conceive writing this from within a building), Third Day is playing in the background -- "Yes, our God, He is a consuming fire!"

Crisis Man

One of the guys in my small group tonight shared a quote from Jim Elliot that I hope to adopt as my own. Lord, may we each be crisis men and women...

“Father, make of me a crisis man. Bring those I contact to decision. Let me not be a milepost on a single road; make me a fork, that men must turn one way or another on facing Christ in me.” -Jim Elliot

God of Silence

Is God any less sovereign or intentional in times of silence than when we see His hand actively moving? Or in these moments of solemnity when it seems the heavens merely echo back our prayers is He deliberately waiting or moving unseen for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28)?

I think this attribute of God eludes us sometimes as we try to grasp His will in our finite minds. When we as humans lapse into silence, we rarely do so with exacting motives. Rather, as was the case with my former blog, we let our attention slip and then later remember something desirous of our time. If such were true of God, what a fearful life this would be!

Thanks be God through Christ our Savior that silence is as much or maybe more a precise instrument of His as when He speaks. In Psalm 22, David cries to the Lord, asking Him to break the silence and answer David's ceaseless appeals. Yet in his despair, David recounts God's past faithfulness and states:

For He has not despised or disdained
the suffering of the afflicted one;
He has not hidden His face from him
but has listened to his cry for help. (22:24)

In our weakness, we may doubt the Lord's care, His love, His plan, or His best, but we have this truth -- He has in the past and will in the future listen to our cries for help. Even when injustice seems to prevail and it seems that God has abandoned His people, He says in Isaiah 57:18-19:

"I have seen his ways, but I will heal him;
I will guide him and restore comfort to him,
creating praise on the lips of the mourners in Israel.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,"
says the LORD. "And I will heal them."

Yet our core issue is God's timing. "Why do you hesitate, O God?" or "Will the day ever come?" What we fail to see is that the slowness of God is for our good. Through it, He teaches us patience, reliance on Him, and faith that overcomes. Furthermore, the Lord's mercy is evidenced through His slowness to anger and outpouring of compassion (Exodus 34:6; Psalm 86:16, 103:8, 145:8). Without it, we would be condemned to a fate apart from Him (2 Peter 3:9).

Concluding, slowness and silence may not always be the same, but they are often more closely related than not. In our human strength, we may sustain momentary silence or slow audibility, but to follow the Lord wholeheartedly, thirsting for Him as for water, we must remember that our God is in control in both the music and the rests.

Cafe Blogging

For too long have I been lost in the shallows of social networking, absent of thoughts longer than a status update. Thus, I begin this voyage on a new blog, hopping from my former and ill-abandoned record on Xanga. Friends both past and present live here (at least their words do), so I will join their ranks and hope to encourage anyone who happens by with stories of a fellow sojourner.

Currently I am sitting in the Barnes & Noble Cafe in Southlake, sipping a Yellow & Blue venti hot tea, and typing away. It's my first experience with Yellow & Blue -- an herbal tea of chamomile and lavendar -- and it bears a new aroma for my senses. Hopefully it will accomplish the traditional task of such herbs and settle anxious nerves. I'll return to my faithful standbys of caffeine-laden greens and blacks (teas) soon, but today I'll enjoy the calming laurels of fragrant herbs.

Alright, it's time to take a look at the layout (pardon any aesthetic schizophrenia as I make this homey) and add some friends. 'Be back soon...maybe even today.