I don't know if you read the headlines-but this week a comet made news. Scientists were able to discover sound from a comet...wow...and it was beautiful!
Birds sing.
Cattle bellow.
Cats meow.
Dogs bark.
Bugs...make bug noises...
Wolves howl.
Leaves rustle.
Brooks bubble.
Rain patters.
Lightning.
Thunder.
Wind whistles.
Waves crash.
All of the sounds in nature sing.
They sing about the One that created them.
I wonder if we had ears to hear...what would they be saying?
NOWHERE ON GOD'S PLANET IS THERE
A PLACE WHERE GOD'S VOICE
IS NOT HEARD.
HIS CREATION SHOUTS HIS PRAISES
AND GOD THE CREATOR OF THIS VAST UNIVERSE DESERVES OUR WORSHIP.
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" The heavens declare the glory of God' and the firmament sheweth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." ~Psalm 19:1-3
Keri and I went shopping the other day. On our way home a storm was gathering in the east... which is SO not typical-usually it comes from the west.
The sun was just right and the colors became like fire against the dark sky...
And it hit me.
These trees are dying.
D.y.i.n.g.
Dead.
Each one is giving off a different color.
But the changes reflect the fact that they are dying.
And all I can think about is the study that I am in right now.
"Stuck" by Jennie Allen
The whole entire study is about learning to
D.I.E.
to my MYSELF
ONLY GOD CAN MAKE DEATH A BEAUTIFUL THING.
I marvel at the autumn leaves...
I enjoy the changing of the seasons...
I celebrate the harvest
But do I strive to willingly lay myself at the Cross and marvel at the new creation
that God wants me to be?
...or do I hold on to all of my baggage thinking it keeps me safe?
Do I joyfully die to the things that are holding me back in my walk with Christ?
...or do I assume that God is trying to steal my joy by telling me to let it go?
Do I embrace the pruning in my life so God can
bring about a bountiful harvest?
...or do I resist change and become bitter ?
ONLY GOD CAN MAKE DEATH A BEAUTIFUL THING.
ONLY GOD CAN MAKE DEATH A BEAUTIFUL THING.
ONLY GOD CAN MAKE DEATH A BEAUTIFUL THING.
That phrase kept fading in and out of my head as we drove home from shopping that day.
And then it began to rain...
and God in His matchless Grace
Showed me in living color-
the beauty of dying.
When He sees
His Beloved Daughter
crying out
from the depth of strongholds
to be delivered...
when she puts her trust in Christ
to be delivered...
when she dies so that she can live...
What does God see??
He sees His Beautiful Bride!
-ALIVE. VIBRANT-
not because of anything she has done.
but because of
WHAT THE CROSS OF CHRIST
ACCOMPLISHED IN HER.
THE DEATH OF HIS SON--
WOULD MAKE THESE DEAD BONES LIVE.
and make this wayward
child-
a beloved daughter.
I AM IN CHRIST!
HE SHOWS ME THAT HIS PROMISE
IS SURE. STEADFAST.
I am in CHRIST.
how. can. i. hold. back. from.
so. great. a. love??
In the process of change...the process of dying... He makes Himself more beautiful.
And in dying, I learn to live in Him.
So-today-I pick up my cross-and I lay myself at His feet
and learn how to die.
...how to die to myself
...beautifully.
(thanks to a very sweet girl for letting me use her pic from Golls woods!)
God give me the wisdom to extend grace to others who are dying all around me.God give me the eyes to not judge what beautiful work you are doing in them.God give each one of us a heart to embrace the beauty of living for you and dying to ourselves.Jesus, help me to walk this road of dying to myself so that you can live fully in me.Forgive me for fighting the changes that will bring me freedom. Help me to honor you by laying my will aside so that You alone are made glorious.You are beautiful to me.Amen.
