Holy God,
You are majestic beyond wonder, loving beyond compare, powerful beyond imagination. Your voice speaks in the beginning, and it holds creative power within it. The earth trembles at the sound, and life springs forth because you called it into being. You are truth and love, beauty and grace, and every living thing shall bow before your throne.
You speak, Lord, and worlds begin. May my life be an offering of gratitude to you. May my heart beat only for you and your grace. May my days be filled with songs of praise to you. You are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and I am blessed to know you as Savior. May my words and deeds proclaim my gratitude and love to you.
Amen
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Psalm 21
Psalm 21
Buds. There are countless buds, tiny magnificent points of wonder that carpet my beautiful rosebush. Perhaps it is the rain that has summoned them forth, or perhaps merely it is the time for them to appear and bless this garden with their presence. They are far from prepared to show their colors to the world, and yet I stand ready, willing them to grow and flourish in this garden, begging them to immerse me in their beauty. I am humbled by their presence, for it is no work of my hands that has brought them about; rather the work of my Lord signifies that I am truly blessed in this garden. I have been weeding and working far from these roses, and yet here they bud, a witness to God’s abundant beauty and grace.
When they bloom, they will cover the bush with a unified display of glory. Until that point I can only dream, waiting for God to reveal the wonder held within each bush. Slowly they will begin to wink, one bud at a time, until each one has reached its potential. At that point I will rejoice; now I stand in nervous waiting, hoping not to disturb their presence until they are ready to burst forth. I tremble at the thought of destroying their peaceful growth, of upsetting the soil or pruning too boldly. I wonder if the rains will destroy their innocent youth, and then I remember that God has designed these bushes to bloom here.
God knows their enemies, just as God knows mine, and in due time he will destroy them. In the meantime, only God will sustain my existence, just as God will sustain these buds. They are resilient in their delicacy, steadfast in their progress, working towards their full potential, just as I toil away to aid this garden in its growth. While I can do much to create a healthy environment, only God can turn the garden into a place of wonder and beauty. Only God can convert my humble efforts into something remarkable.
Until that day comes, when enemies are destroyed, when hope and light have defeated fear and darkness, when beauty carpets the world, I will toil in song. I will keep my eye on these buds, knowing that they are signs of what is to come, pointers towards a glory more wonderful than I can imagine. I will keep my mind upon the Lord who makes heaven and earth and paints with a brush filled with beauty. I will praise my God who turns buds into blooms.
Buds. There are countless buds, tiny magnificent points of wonder that carpet my beautiful rosebush. Perhaps it is the rain that has summoned them forth, or perhaps merely it is the time for them to appear and bless this garden with their presence. They are far from prepared to show their colors to the world, and yet I stand ready, willing them to grow and flourish in this garden, begging them to immerse me in their beauty. I am humbled by their presence, for it is no work of my hands that has brought them about; rather the work of my Lord signifies that I am truly blessed in this garden. I have been weeding and working far from these roses, and yet here they bud, a witness to God’s abundant beauty and grace.
When they bloom, they will cover the bush with a unified display of glory. Until that point I can only dream, waiting for God to reveal the wonder held within each bush. Slowly they will begin to wink, one bud at a time, until each one has reached its potential. At that point I will rejoice; now I stand in nervous waiting, hoping not to disturb their presence until they are ready to burst forth. I tremble at the thought of destroying their peaceful growth, of upsetting the soil or pruning too boldly. I wonder if the rains will destroy their innocent youth, and then I remember that God has designed these bushes to bloom here.
God knows their enemies, just as God knows mine, and in due time he will destroy them. In the meantime, only God will sustain my existence, just as God will sustain these buds. They are resilient in their delicacy, steadfast in their progress, working towards their full potential, just as I toil away to aid this garden in its growth. While I can do much to create a healthy environment, only God can turn the garden into a place of wonder and beauty. Only God can convert my humble efforts into something remarkable.
Until that day comes, when enemies are destroyed, when hope and light have defeated fear and darkness, when beauty carpets the world, I will toil in song. I will keep my eye on these buds, knowing that they are signs of what is to come, pointers towards a glory more wonderful than I can imagine. I will keep my mind upon the Lord who makes heaven and earth and paints with a brush filled with beauty. I will praise my God who turns buds into blooms.
Despicable Me
Despicable Me is the story of Gru, an aging villain with grand plans and a few triumphs to show (He has the Times Square Jumbotron, the Statue of Liberty (from Las Vegas) and the Eiffel Tower (also from Vegas). Having been upstaged by a new, young rival, who stole the Great Pyramid from Giza, he's hatched a new plan--to shrink and steal the moon!
His new, young rival, Vector, foils his plan and steals the shrink-ray first, and Gru is unable to steal it back until a diabolical plot is hatched--Gru adopts three young cookie-selling girls in the hopes that through their cookies he will be granted access to Vector's home and thus, the shrink ray.
Two quick points: Gru's minions are hilarious, and there is a good chance you, too, will want a big, furry unicorn after the movie.
I have to use a word I'm not particularly fond of to describe this movie--it's really very cute. Heartwarming, too. It's the story of how these three girls change Gru, despite the fact that Gru's intentions are nothing but selfish from the onset. This movie reminds me of how often God takes me selfishness and pride and still manages to wrangle something good out of them.
We read that 'all things work together for good for those who love God' (Romans 8:28). This often happens despite our amazing abilities to mess things up--God does a work in us and through us, and God's love shines through. Martin Luther said the only thing we add to salvation is sin and resistance--this movie illustrates how God works to soften our hearts, to change us, even when we don't cooperate.
To no one's surprise, the airplane cabin seemed to get a bit dusty at the end of the movie, and somehow it got into my eyes... stories of redemption do that to me, not only out of joy at the redemption, but because it gives me to cause to remember my own redemption, and the hope I have in Christ.
Wednesday Morning
Dear Lord,
This morning I popped the first bubble on my bubble-wrap Advent calendar. I have begun the countdown to Christmas, to the birth of the Christ child, to the greatest renewal in all of time. It is as though the first hints of dawn are slowly amassing at the horizon, and I can just begin to make out the rays of light you will pour forth with power and majesty.
Teach me what it means to prepare. Be at work in my heart, in my life, that I might know how to renew my mind and my life and offer it all to you. In Christ your love became flesh, took on form and walked among us. Show me those footsteps, that my own stride may stretch to follow.
In the manger I see all things being made new. I see grace and peace and love and mercy--but I'm not there yet. Keep me from rushing ahead, that here, in this moment, I might cherish the chance to prepare, to wait, to wonder at what lies ahead, and rejoice in the simply pleasure of knowing that you are faithful to your promises and will keep us all safely guarded in your hand.
Amen
This morning I popped the first bubble on my bubble-wrap Advent calendar. I have begun the countdown to Christmas, to the birth of the Christ child, to the greatest renewal in all of time. It is as though the first hints of dawn are slowly amassing at the horizon, and I can just begin to make out the rays of light you will pour forth with power and majesty.
Teach me what it means to prepare. Be at work in my heart, in my life, that I might know how to renew my mind and my life and offer it all to you. In Christ your love became flesh, took on form and walked among us. Show me those footsteps, that my own stride may stretch to follow.
In the manger I see all things being made new. I see grace and peace and love and mercy--but I'm not there yet. Keep me from rushing ahead, that here, in this moment, I might cherish the chance to prepare, to wait, to wonder at what lies ahead, and rejoice in the simply pleasure of knowing that you are faithful to your promises and will keep us all safely guarded in your hand.
Amen
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