A Masterpiece

I know several people who are currently expecting babies. Each time I see a young mother, I am reminded of my own pregnancies and the births of my boys. I remember details about each of them and recall the events with joy. While they were in my womb, I was constantly amazed at the little life that was growing inside. But, boy, when they were born, all I could think is "WHAT A MIRACLE!" There is no question that as I examined tiny fingers and toes, that we had a true masterpiece.

It's easy to think about the miracle of our own children. But I wonder, is it harder to think about the miracle that we were to someone else? Is it harder to imagine that just like I believe that God created four beautiful human beings for my DH and I to love and raise, that the same was true for ME? And YOU, too?? Every human being is a masterpiece.

The next verses in Psalm 139 make it very clear that God has his hand on each and every little person that is created:

13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully
made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was
not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven
together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed
body. All the days ordained for me were written in your
book before one of them came to be.

Here's the deal: God knows us intimately. He made us. And, while I think most of us "could" accept that, I'm not sure we REALLY handle verse 14 as well. "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

When I read this, I am led to ask: "Do I really praise God because I am God's handiwork?" I think many people have trouble really saying, "Yeah...every nook...every cranny was created by God. Nothing was hidden from him." AND, in verse 16, the Psalmist reminds us that he ordains our days and he knew what each day would bring before "one of them came to be".

Are you getting it? He KNEW us before he made us. He MADE us. We are HIS handiwork. He KNOWS exactly everything about us. Rather than ask ourselves if he really means us....we should give him praise for we are fearfully and wonderfully made! Do you know it fully?

Hey you...reading this and thinking, "Yeah but I've done _____________ or said ___________." STOP! You ARE a masterpiece made by the hand of God too! There's no where you can go and nothing you can do to keep him from loving you right where you are and who you are today.

That, my friends, is simply AMAZING!

The LIGHT that is in Psalm 139

The next part of this Psalm made me think of the little children's song, "This Little Light of Mine":

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night
around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night
will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

In the second verse of "This Little Light of Mine" we sing, "Hide it under a bushel, NO! I'm gonna' let it shine." Then we sing, "Won't let Satan blow it out...I'm gonna' let it shine." I know this is based on the words of Jesus when he talks about our light and the city on a hill and such.

Jesus is the light of the world. Sometimes we try to hide in the darkness. We make decisions that are against our beliefs and we seek out sin. I know there are times when it'd just be "easier" to throw caution to the wind and forget my relationship with Jesus and let the "light become night around me."

That's where this Psalm hits me between the eyes. You see, when I want to "turn out the light" and hide in the darkness...God is even there. He doesn't see the darkness. Because the darkness is as light to him.

Isn't it amazing that God can see right through our "stuff" right down to the person HE created and loves? He sees our LIGHT and our potential and a different person than we see when we look in a mirror.

I am sure there are scholars out there that would disagree with my interpretation. But that's what it means to me this week. And I'm clinging to it. If you're like me...it's time to shed any darkness left and step into His amazing light...cause that's what He sees anyway!

And the blessing of Psalm 139 continues.... One sermon I found online said this about this Psalm: "It’s the ultimate feel-good Psalm, the equivalent of five self-help books, or a long, hot bubble bath with candles and chocolate. It has the power to soothe, comfort, ground you and inspire you, if allowed." I agree....let's lean further into the words:

7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Up to this point (in verses 1-6 below), it feels to me like the author has been talking in terms of God taking the actions. He knows our thoughts. He searches us. He hears our words before we speak them. He goes before us and he follows us.



Suddenly, in these verses, it's the author who is taking the action and asking the questions. He asks, "Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" I saw one commentary that said, "Why would someone want to flee God?" I think we flee those situations that make us a bit squirmy, uncomfortable, and vulnerable.

When I reflected deeply on these verses, and searched some of the commentaries, this is what came to my mind:


If I head to the most spiritual of places, God is there. If I choose to go to a dark place filled with the most negative of influences, God is there. If I am in Heaven or Hell, he is there.

In vs. 9, the writer notes "If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea." I wondered about this. What does it really mean? Again, turning to the commentaries, one thought was "the sun rises in the east (dawn) and settles in the west". In the area where the Psalmist was writing, "the far side of the sea" was the west. The commentator suggested that this is almost like the thought, "as far as the east is from the west"...forever...everywhere. It covers every inch of every place on earth. Even there...every place I could possibly go....up, down and side-to-side, God's hand will guide me.

And I love the last words here..."your right hand will hold me fast." He's not letting go! God's hand holds each of us whether we want it or not. And he will NEVER. LET. GO. He's holding fast...tight...with a firm grip.

Can you picture it? It's like the child who finally decides he doesn't need to hold the parent's hand in the parking lot full of cars. Yet, the parent holds on. The parent KNOWS that the child needs the guidance of that hand. And no matter how squirmy or fussy the child becomes, the grip remains.

Can you think of a better place to be? Even when I'm squirmy and fussy, I can't.

May we all find ourselves firmly and securely in God's grip today!

More of Psalm 139

The next part of Psalm 139 is

4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

"Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely..." He knows exactly what we're going to say before we do! Very few of us really measure our words and "think before we talk"...in fact they are almost simultaneous events. I've heard many people talk as though they are thinking out loud. Sometimes it's helpful and other times, it's not.


Think about it, if God knows completely the words that we are going speak, then He knows the impact those words will have on those who hear them. He knows all of our words, whether they are blessings or cursings, encouraging or discouraging.


The Psalm continues with an interesting word picture: "You hem me in--behind and before." The New Living Translation says it this way: "5 You go before me and follow me." Think about that. God, in his infinite wisdom and awesome power, will be somewhere before we get there AND he will follow us at the same time.


When I was about 4 years old, my Mom and I were heading out somewhere on a day when there was ice and snow on the porch. She said to me, "Stay here. Let me go first. I will come back and get you." She walked down the steps to the car. I guess I've always been an "I can do it myself" kind of girl...so I took the first step and did not listen to her words.


I slipped. I fell. I cracked my head open. I needed stitches. It probably wasn't seconds before my Mother was there behind me scooping me up and taking me to get my wound stitched up.


This is the picture I get when I think about God, our heavenly parent, going before us AND following us at the same time. He goes before and guides us "in the paths of righteousness". BUT when we get the "I can do it myself" or "I don't need God" attitude, he's there too...following us. And whether he's before us or following us, the Psalmist reminds that his "hand is upon us". I love that!


The next verse sums up the magnitude of these realities of God: "6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!" To that, I say a resounding AMEN!


Are you getting the picture?


Here's SUSAN'S version of these first six verses: "He has investigated your heart and soul as well as mine (v. 1). He KNOWS you and me quite intimately--the good, the bad, and the ugly. He knows us when we are working or resting. He knows our every thought. He knows which thoughts will make their way across our lips. He walks with us WHEREVER we go...whether it's on the path of obedience or it's completely astray. There's no where on this earth that we could be where God is not. No nook. No cranny. No fortress. No where.

Isn't that AMAZING? It's almost too much to comprehend!"

The Desert

Ever feel like you're in the desert? Some days I do. It is dry. Parched. Lonely. Quiet.

I've recently had a few desert days. And while I prefer to be in a place that is more lush and green...and full of life...I'm thankful for these times too. For it's in these times when I am able to once again, figure out who I am. It's also a place where I am more aware of God and his mercy.

I love the desert pictures we get from scripture:

The burning bush was in the desert. God's people wandered in the desert, but he was there with them even when they were grumbling and complaining. Jesus prayed in the desert. He spent 40 days there fasting and endured temptation there.

In Psalm 63 David said, "1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."

So, while my spirit is a bit dry right now. I TRUST that there are streams of living water that come to the dry land. I KNOW that it's here that I can leave more "old stuff" and put on the "new". It's in these dry times I realize just how much I thirst for God's mercy and grace. And I lean in to him a little more than usual...I quit trusting ME and start trusting HIM. In essence, I surrender.

We have choices here in the desert....shrivel up? Dry up? OR Press on? Seek water? Find the stream?

I choose to run to the stream....

What about you?

Come Visit Me...

I'm posting over at The Internet Cafe today. Come join me!!




Happy Friday to all!

A New Word for a New Year....

Last year, my SIL Heather decided that rather than get into the whole resolution thing, that she would do as her friend Amy suggested and ask God to give her a word. Amy got this idea from her friend Marilyn Griffith. Don't you just love the "trickle-down effect" of blogging????

I participated in this in 2006...and really felt the word PROMISE impressed on my heart. It truly was a year of "Standing on the Promises" not only for me, but for my family and friends as well. When I reflect, I can see time and time again when I needed to rest in those promises and/or encourage others to do so. It was neat.

I decided that I wanted to do this again this year. So, I've been praying for a special word that I needed to focus on in 2007. Lo and behold I realized that the word that I needed to "hear" was not one word, but a simple phrase "MOLD ME".

The picture of God being the Potter--the Master Craftsman---and me being a lump of clay completely yielded to Him and waiting to be molded is so beautiful to me. I love the idea that even when we try to "mold ourselves", that He is there ready to reshape us into what He wants us to be! I need to learn to BE the clay and not try to take the work of the craftsman into my own hands!

So, this year, I am going to make that my focus....MOLD ME, Lord!

And, again, I am reminded of a great hymn Have Thine Own Way

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now,
As in Thy presence humbly I bow.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Thine!
Touch me and heal me, Savior divine.

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with Thy Spirit ’till all shall see
Christ only, always, living in me.

Moving On

Last night I heard the Rascal Flats song "I'm Moving On" for the first time. It was accompanied by a little devotional type book with many thought-provoking passages in it. One I was especially moved by is letting the past be in the past, giving (and asking for) forgiveness and moving on!!

It's hard, isn't it? The author points out that it's easier for us to ASK for forgiveness and say we're sorry than it is for us to offer forgiveness to those who have wronged us. We hold grudges. We have memories that won't let go. OUCH!! That stuff hurts.

I asked the Lord today to help me clean out my grudge closet. I want Him to help me see those people that I have hurt or caused to stumble. I hope that they can forgive me.

But I also want to be sure and not hold grudges for those people that I think should be asking ME for forgiveness. You know, the ones that OWE me an apology. They don't owe me anything, really. I, however, owe them love, non-judgement, and compassion.

May it be so today....Lord!!