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The Glory of the Lord

As Christians, we sometimes wonder what it was like to witness the glory of the Lord filling the temple.  It first happened in the wilderness to a structure covered with badger skins (Exodus 34: 33, 34).  It says that Moses finished the work and then the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  Reflect on that for a moment.  On the exterior, that tabernacle looked like nothing special.  However, those badger skins covered a magnificent interior, and those simple badger skins may have protected what was inside, both from the elements and perhaps from people who would have attacked in order to steal its valuables.

2 Corinthians 3:7 – 9 asks us a question.  It says that if we think the wilderness temple was glorious, then wouldn’t the temple of the spirit be so much more glorious?  I don’t know about you, but I can’t even imagine what it was like to experience seeing the sight of God’s glory filling up that simple-looking (from the exterior) structure in the wilderness.

So, if that was so glorious, what about the temple of the Holy Spirit?  Verse 18 in the same chapter tells us that when we look at Jesus with a clear conscience, we are changed into the same image bit by bit, by the Spirit of the Lord.  Imagine that.

That describes life in such beautiful terms.  Life throws at us all kinds of difficult circumstances.  We all have them.  The difficulty of our particular circumstances is unique to each of us.  At first we wonder, why has God allowed this to happen to me? But when we look at it from God’s perspective (God loves me, so what is this situation doing to help me be more like Him?), then somehow He works it out for us and a little bit more of His life enters in, step by step, from glory to glory.

Life is so beautiful.  God is so amazingly kind to want us to get closer to Him.  The image of being covered by badger skins definitely fits the bodies we are clothed with in this life.  We look like nothing special too.  Incredibly, we are God’s children.  1 Corinthians 6:19 says that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Wow.  Inside this badger skin that we call our bodies, there is something glorious that becomes more glorious as we live and learn about living for God in this crazy world.  Our badger skin exterior protects God’s precious life in us.

The Bible, with its Ten Commandments, the ups and downs of all the lives in the Old Testament, the commandments of Jesus, and the instructions of the New Testament, is our instruction booklet on how to be changed from glory to glory.  Will we recognize it?  What a beautiful and divine privilege God has given us through Jesus Christ!  Let’s not waste it!

Scriptures:

So Moses finished the work.  Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.  And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Exodus 40:33 b – 35 (KJV)

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV)

Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!

2 Corinthians 3:7 – 9 (NIV)

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Isaiah 40:5

Enjoy the Brussels Choral Society singing Handel’s And the Glory of the Lord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuog35ZBBfM&list=RDxuog35ZBBfM&start_radio=1

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Is Perfect Peace Achievable?

Take a quiet moment to read this beautiful and thoughtful short passage from a James Allen essay called “The Realization of Perfect Peace” and let its meaning sink in:

In the external universe there is ceaseless turmoil, change, and unrest; at the heart of all things there is undisturbed repose; in this deep silence dwelleth the Eternal.

Man partakes of this duality, and both the surface change and disquietude, and the deep-seated eternal abode of Peace, are contained within him.

As there are silent depths in the ocean which the fiercest storm cannot reach, so there are silent, holy depths in the heart of man which the storms of sin and sorrow can never disturb. To reach this silence and to live consciously in it is peace.

Imagine being in the deepest parts of the ocean. The creatures there are swimming lazily about as if nothing is awry. Far above them, a hurricane churns the waters. The winds and waves lash any boat in their way. Our cities, and our lives, are often like those hurricanes whipping our emotions into a frenzy. Mr. Allen describes our current state of affairs: “ceaseless turmoil, change, and unrest.” Wow, in my city, the ceaseless turmoil just seems to increase exponentially each year. Cars zooming and running red lights, sirens screeching, people impatient and angry. Of course some people try hard to do and be the opposite, but it’s not easy in this loud and wild atmosphere.

But God has a way to help us find that state of quiet peace.

Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

This is not an easy task when we are living in ceaseless turmoil, but we can make a start. A little each day builds up into so much more. God is so loving and kind. He can add to our efforts and give us little hints when we slip into panic or turmoil. When turmoil builds up in our emotions, we can remind ourselves of that hurricane up on the surface, and yet the quiet peacefulness of the deep sea.

Keep your mind stayed on God. Watch the things that you think about. When those thoughts turn dark and negative, turn them around. Think of something positive. How would Jesus feel about that?

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Can you think of anything that is true? Have you had an experience with someone who was honest with you? Any lovely things in your life? Any situation that ended justly? These are all positive things. God is a very positive being. When we think on positive things, we are thinking on God our Father. We can talk to Him and confide in Him. He has thoughts and plans for us, and they are eternally good.

P.S. I wrote this draft a few weeks ago, and the weeks since then have been like a total manifestation of the turbulent hurricane on the surface of the ocean. I can’t say that I experienced anything that resembled the quiet depths of the ocean while all of that was going on even though I started out right each day, reading and reflecting on the Scriptures before the chaos of the day. Now, when I reread the words of James Allen today, I am inspired again to tap into that perfect peace, keeping my mind on God and on His Scriptures. I hope it inspires you as well. Maybe if we all keep trying day by day, it will come to pass. Jesus did it, and he asks us to be like him.

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What makes a nation great?

Righteousness exalts a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 14:34

Wow, let that sink in.  Righteousness exalts a nation. Other translations of the same verse:

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.

Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.

There are different ways to say the same thing.  Reading different versions, it’s clearly the same message.

We should ask ourselves some questions right now.  Has our nation been exalted or called great in the past?  Even with all of its past faults, it had character and some righteousness. Has it lost some of that luster?  Why?  How can we restore righteousness to our nation?  Not self-righteousness.  True righteousness.  Keeping the Ten Commandments.  Loving truth.  Loving our brothers and sisters.

To each person to answer those questions. One caveat: we should not equate “exalts” or “makes a nation great” with being the most powerful with the biggest army and the most bombs. That is not being exalted.

According to http://www.biblestudytools.com, the Hebrew word that is most often translated as “exalt,” or “exalted,” is a word that means: “to lift up,” “to be or become high.” It is used with reference to both God and man. It is clear that exalted in this context means lifted up high in God’s sight.

We can only demand that our elected officials be righteous if we ourselves have already become so. Therefore, our righteousness creates righteous officials, which in turn creates a situation wherein we and our country are exalted, or lifted up.

Micah 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (King James Version)

Micah 6:8 He has made clear to you, O man, what is good; and what is desired from you by the Lord; only doing what is right, and loving mercy, and walking without pride before your God. (The Bible in Basic English.)

Let’s go for it!

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A unique view on life via Victor Hugo

Recently, I found a most wonderful book among my husband’s possessions.  It was given to him by his literature-loving and poetry-writing grandmother before she passed away in the 1970’s.  It is called Elbert Hubbard’s Scrap Book, printed in 1923.  It is a collection of stories and poems that Mr. Hubbard had collected throughout his life.  Today I discovered this sweet, amazing, and inspiring story which was written by Victor Hugo.  From this story alone, we can see that he had an unusual view on life.  From everyday events, he saw something higher, something to be learned.  Perhaps he saw life as a love letter of messages from God our Father.  I hope that you enjoy it.

Providence – An Apologue

By Victor Hugo

The other evening I was a little late in going down to dinner, and this was the reason: I noticed a number of dead bees lying on the floor of the lookout where I am accustomed to work – a sight that I encounter every spring.  The poor things had come in through the open window.  When the windows were closed they found themselves prisoners.  Unable to see the transparent obstacle, they had hurled themselves against the glass panes on all sides, east, north, south and west, until at last they fell to the floor exhausted, and died.  But, yesterday, I noticed among the bees, a great drone, much stronger than the bees, who was far from being dead, who, in fact, was very much alive and was dashing himself against the panes with all his might, like the great beast that he was.  “Ah! My fine friend,” said I, “it would have been an evil day for you had I not come to the rescue.  You would have been done for, my fine fellow; before nightfall you would be lying dead, and on coming up-stairs, in the evening with my lamp, I would have found your poor little corpse among those of the other bees.”  Come, now, like the Emperor Titus I shall mark the day by a good deed: let us save the insect’s life.  Perhaps in the eyes of God a drone is as valuable as a man, and without any doubt it is more valuable than a prince.

I threw open the window, and, by means of a napkin, began chasing the insect toward it; but the drone persisted in flying in the opposite direction.  I then tried to capture it by throwing the napkin over it.  When the drone saw that I wished to capture it, it lost its head completely; it bounded furiously against the glass panes, as though it would smash them, took a fresh start, and dashed itself again and again against the glass.  Finally it flew the whole length of the apartment, maddened and desperate.  “Ah, you tyrant!” it buzzed, “Despot! You would deprive me of liberty!  Cruel executioner, why do you not leave me alone?  I am happy, and why do you persecute me?”

After trying very hard, I brought it down and, in seizing it with the napkin, I involuntarily hurt it.  Oh, how it tried to avenge itself!  It darted out its sting; its little nervous body, contracted by my fingers, strained itself with all its strength in an attempt to sting me.  But I ignored its protestations, and, stretching my hand out the window, opened the napkin.  For a moment the drone seemed stunned, astonished; then it calmly took flight out into the infinite.

Well, you see how I saved the drone.  I was its Providence.  But (and here is the moral of my story) do we not, stupid drones that we are, conduct ourselves in the same manner toward the providence of God?  We have our petty and absurd projects, our small and narrow views, our rash designs, whose accomplishment is either impossible or injurious to ourselves.  Seeing no farther than our noses and with our eyes fixed on our immediate aim, we plunge ahead in our blind infatuation, like madmen.  We would succeed, we would triumph; that is to say, we would break our heads against an invisible obstacle.

And when God, who sees all and who wishes to save us, upsets our designs, we stupidly complain against Him, we accuse His Providence.  We do not comprehend that in punishing us, in overturning our plans and causing us suffering, He is doing all this to deliver us, to open the Infinite to us.

My comment: Wow.  Amen.  If he can see God’s plan for our lives through an incident with bees, what else is there to see about our life here on Earth?!  Every day is an adventure with God at the helm.  🙂

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So he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

This year, winter in New England was rough. Perhaps a hundred years ago, they would have thought it normal or even mild, but New England has not experienced a cold and snowy winter in several years. Its harshness made me realize that I needed to do something about my roof. So, last week the owner of a roofing company and his crew replaced my complicated roofing project in two days. Their constant energy and work ethic were astonishing. Whack, whack, whack all day long! How can they do that?! All day! The later part of that afternoon and the second day were quieter, just nailing and finishing. They were careful of my plants close to the house (which survived the ordeal unscathed!) and cleaned everything up carefully. It did not surprise me, but I do want to mention that the boss’s crew was completely Hispanic. If you look around, nearly all the roofers, at least in this area, are Hispanic.

And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.  Deuteronomy 10:19 (NIV)

What would we do without them?  Americans who have grown up here do not seem to want to do manual labor-type jobs. 

My job is to teach English to foreigners (ESL), which has been my passion for over forty years.  My students come to my class for the same reason they came to the USA: because they want to improve their lives.  They work nights, weekends, or other odd shifts so that they can go to school.  Besides working in construction, some of them work in warehouses and factories.  Some of them deliver your packages.  Many of the women are CNA’s, which is a physically exhausting and sometimes physically damaging job.   Some of them will never be able to work in their previous profession here (some were lawyers, politicians, or university professors), but they came anyway and got jobs painting houses so that their children would not have to grow up under oppression or out of control crime and corruption.

This next story is from my first years in ESL, at that time teaching at a vocational high school.  It was the 1980’s, and a young man from Vietnam came to my classroom for instruction.  One day, he told me his story.  He had enjoyed his life in Vietnam after the war was over, but he admitted that he had begun to get into gangs.  One day, his father said to him and his brothers, “Let’s go out fishing.”  So they prepared to go out for a few hours, got into their boat, and went out to sea.  It was just another one of their trips out to get fish.  Once they were out at sea, their father told them that they were never going back.  They left their mother there and went to Thailand and then eventually to the US and ended up in New England.  He never saw his mother again (at least at that time).  It broke my heart.  I have never forgotten him or his raw and tragic story.  I do know that he became a plumber, and I hope he has had a good life.  When I think of him, I pray about that.

So, who is my neighbor?

And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.  Deuteronomy 10:19

Not one of us knows what others have been through.  We do not know their hearts.  How have their hearts been crushed?  How does that affect their current behavior?

When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.

The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

Leviticus 19:33, 34

 

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QUIETNESS

Since my husband’s passing, I have been looking through his bookshelves, partly to see what should be donated, and partly to organize his quite large library.  He was a huge reader (but not such a great organizer).  He had an amazing collection of Bibles and related books.  He also loved to read biographies, mostly of inspirational men.  He read biographies of our great presidents (Washington, Adams, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR), some of them 500 or more pages long, and some he read more than once.  I’m not sure I could stick with a book that long, but he seemed to devour them.  As I was searching for something else, I came across a book called Leaves of Gold.  It’s an anthology of inspirational writings and poetry.  The inscription indicates that he had given it to his beloved Scottish grandmother in 1970.  It must have been returned to him after she passed, but he never mentioned it to me.  I picked it up the other day and have since been delightfully inspired by its beautiful essays, sayings, and poetry.  Here is one poem that I would like to share with you.

Quietness

By Madeleine Kathryn Doran

“Be still and know that I am God,”

That I who made and gave thee life

Will lead thy faltering steps aright;

That I who see each sparrow’s fall

Will hear and heed thy earnest call,

I am God.

“Be still and know that I am God,”

When aching burdens crush thy heart,

Then know I formed thee for thy part

And purpose in the plan I hold.

Thou art the clay that I would mold.

Trust in God.

“Be still and know that I am God,”

Who made the atom’s tiny span

And set it moving to my plan,

That I who guide the stars above

Will guide and keep them in My Love.

Be thou still.

To me, it expresses with such beautiful and exquisite feeling that since God created our universe with complete preciseness from its largest aspects down to the tiniest particles of an atom, He is certainly capable of leading us and caring for us. Again, for me, it does instill such a feeling of peace and quietness. In this world that seems to be spinning out of control, it is easy to give in to modern-day angst, but God is well able. We can let go of our frets and worries. “Be still and know that I am God.”

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Keeping our eyes on the prize

Reading the Bible from start to finish through the year is such a blessing. Have you had the same (or similar) experience? If not, just let your mind wander through the stories of the Old Testament and then the New. As you read through the Old Testament, you see over and over and over that God blesses Israel when they live the truth of God’s commandments and maintain their love for Him. Then when they slip into sin, they experience negative consequences. Then God begs them to turn back to Him. Over and over and over. But does God have a goal through all of this? If He does, what is it? By the time you read through all of that and get to the book of Revelation, it is completely clear that throughout history God, our loving Creator and Father, has always and only had one goal. He wants us to love Him, obey His commandments, and live our lives as the true sons (and daughters) of God that we are. He wants to talk to us, His children, and demonstrate His love for us. Only one goal, and yet so many intermediate dispensations and plans to get us to that point.

This morning, while considering God’s goal, I was thinking about the phrase, “Keep your eyes on the prize.” I always thought that phrase was attributed to Martin Luther King. However, when I looked it up, in fact, it was Pete Seger who used that phrase in a song by the same name. Earlier forms of it were found in lyrics to spiritual songs, especially Gospel Plow which says “Hold on. Keep your hand on the plow.” Regardless of origin, it really relates to us as Christians. We need to keep our eyes on the ultimate goal. What IS our ultimate goal? What is the thing that I/we prize the most? My reputation? My image of myself as a ‘righteous person’, my career, my comfortable life? Or has loving and living in harmony with my God and my Father become my most precious and coveted prize? It’s something that I should examine in my life. One way to know is to search my heart and mind. What takes up the greatest amount of space and time in my heart and mind? Is it God? My family? My career? Hmmm. Good questions.

Let’s keep our eyes on the most precious prize, not just of a lifetime, but of all eternity. God our Father.

Here is Pete Seeger’s short but sweet song, in those days dedicated to a very important social issue. We can understand that in those days (and sadly even sometimes nowadays), our brothers and sisters were not being treated as the beautiful children of God that they are. For all of us, we can also think of it in terms of our greatest eternal prize.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdJh0F_vYs8&list=RDAdJh0F_vYs8&start_radio=1

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A parable of chickens

Can we learn from animals?

I have six chickens and a cat currently. My husband and I started off with seven baby chicks in spring of 2020. Of those first seven, only one is still alive. Then we got three more about three years ago. One of those has already died. Then this last spring we got three more. These last three are doing well and are now great layers. My chickens communicate with me. When they are hungry, they squawk. It sounds like begging. The oldest hen even pulls on my jacket when she wants me to shake the food dispenser so she can get the best nuggets. When they lay an egg, they tell me about what they did with great pride. It sounds like unmitigated excitement. One of the new little ones tells me that she doesn’t know how to get into the nest. I don’t know why she can’t seem to get in, but she sounds desperate. “Please help me. Please, please help me get in. I need to lay an egg!” When I change something a little or something out of the ordinary happens, there will be loud squawking and sometimes scary wing flapping. When I let them out to free range a little, they run joyously to the door. A few of them even fly towards the door in their excitement, and sometimes even dash into it in their haste. Then, when it’s time for them to go back in, I say, “Chickie go home” as I tap my two sticks together and try to guide them back to the entrance. If they feel obedient and satiated with bugs, seeds and grass, they will cooperate, but if they don’t feel like going “home,” they will do everything they can to get out of doing what I want them to do. As you can see, they really are good communicators. They all have their own kind of chicken emotions. Do I sometimes act like a chicken? Similar kinds of fear, excitement, or wanting my own way? Hmmm.

There is one hen who will not let me touch her … ever. We got her as a pullet (a chicken teenager), and I believe that she had never been touched. I tried to get her used to me in the first weeks after she came, but she always ran away and stayed away from me. She still runs away if I ever try to get near her, and if I try to pick her up to see if she is okay, she dashes herself into the wall in her absolute terror. I just want to help her! No amount of calmness or trickery on my part works. Now, that is a bad thing because chickens have needs at times and in order to see what is wrong, we humans have to pick them up. She would sooner die of fright than let me pick her up. She currently has a sore foot, and I have not been able to pick her up to see what is wrong, never mind help her to be healed of it. If it’s an infection and if the infection spreads, she will die.

We are not so different from chickens (in certain ways!). Sometimes we need physical healing, and the doctor has to be able to check us out. We have heard stories of people who were afraid to go to the doctor, or to the dentist. Some people would rather have their teeth rot out of their mouths than go to the dentist! We also need spiritual healing. God our Father is the most wonderful spiritual doctor. He is the best specialist in that area. He has to be able to touch our lives in order for us to know what is wrong and how to overcome the issue. If we do not let our lives be touched in whatever way necessary, we cannot know the problem or the solution. I can see that I am lacking there. We have to, I have to, trust that when God touches our lives in a way that shows us something that we must see about ourselves so that we can change it, we have to believe that He is our divine doctor whose only motive is that he always, always wants the best for us. He wants us to be healed and to overcome so that we can get closer to Him. His single ulterior motive is to have a closer relationship with us. What an amazing Father we have!

Can God speak to us in parables in our daily lives? Yes, truly. He always wants a conversation with us to bring us higher. Is there a parable in your life that can really help you to get closer to Him?

**Postscript on the hen with the sore foot – I prayed for her. That’s all I could do for her. Somehow, she is doing much better now! No longer limping. Thank you, Lord!

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A poem from a time gone by – John Greenleaf Whittier

For those of you who have not read previous posts on this site, my husband passed away this summer.  In going through his things, I have found many bits of paper with little sayings that he loved, parts of his life that he wanted to improve on, or things that he wanted to accomplish in life.  Some of them were just scraps of paper. Others were on sticky notes or in notebooks.  One day I came across a postcard.  He collected postcards so that he could send them to our daughters, but he was using this particular one just as another scrap of paper.  It had my name at the top and he had written just the first verse of this most beautiful poem.  After finding the entire poem, I was stunned by its beauty and truth.  I encourage you to read it.  It is just so beautiful.  Poetry like this has mostly passed out of our experience, but I believe that we would be much enriched to let the words of poets from previous eras drench us with their wisdom.  I have been reading it daily since I found it, and it still touches my heart.  I hope that you can find treasure in it. 

All As God Wills

by John Greenleaf Whittier

All as God wills, who wisely heeds
To give or to withhold,
And knoweth more of all my needs
Than all my prayers have told.

Enough that blessings undeserved
Have marked my erring track;
That, whereso’er my feet have swerved,
His chastening turned me back;

That more and more a providence
Of love is understood,
Making the springs of time and sense
Sweet with eternal good;

That death seems but a covered way
Which opens into light,
Wherein no blinded child can stray
Beyond the Father’s sight.

No longer forward nor behind
I look, in hope or fear;
But, grateful, take the good I find,
The best of now and here.

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Opportunity – our daily bread

My sweet husband passed away two weeks ago.  In going through some papers in his desk, I found various scraps of paper that I had never seen before.  They were just in among his bills and special cards that people had sent to him.  Some of the scraps had notations about people to pray for, donations he wanted to make, and thoughts to himself about something in his life that he wanted to improve on.  Here are some thoughts that he had scribbled on a small notepad nearly six years ago.

Besides time, opportunity may be our great asset in this life.  There are windows of opportunity in almost everything.  To pick my squash, because they are now yellow, or my grapes because they are right at ripeness’ edge, or harvest the hazelnuts now and pick the cherries before they get eaten or die on the branches.  Before the adversaries, the deer, squirrels, moles, or birds take their chance and pre-empt me.

Listen to God’s thoughts and concerns to save others from discouragements and bad situations.  May we be courteous and responsive neighbors.  Everyone is hurting.  It’s a hurting generation.  It causes hopelessness to be left behind.  We may be the last chance to help someone in need.  Endeavor to be sensitive to that.

John wrote them as a memo to himself, and in hindsight, I can see that he truly tried to fulfill this endeavor.  I have to say that as his time here got shorter, he jumped at opportunities.  He started chats with cashiers, waitstaff, or nearly anyone he met.  He never made any kind of big religious proclamation or lecture.  He was just kind and interested in each person.  He made them feel good.  He left them happier after having the chat, and hopefully changed the course of their day.  Who knows how that could have spread out from that person to others along the way.  I like his reference to the perfectly ripe fruits and vegetables.  Each moment is crafted by God and is the perfect moment for us to say something (or sometimes nothing).  To me, this is a very sweet way of bringing a little more God into this earth.  God is kind, and He loves His children.  When we are genuinely interested in people, forgetting ourselves and the problems troubling us, that shows people God’s heart.  Our hurting generation needs healing.  May we bring healing to those we meet along the way.

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Philippians 2:3

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