Good morning. It’s Sunday, July 29, 2012. I’ve been up for a couple (actually three) hours, now, and we’ve already been up to the school where The Exchange meets, to set the stage back up again. I’m back home, now, and have a short time to get my devotional in this morning. Today is “National Lasagna Day.” I’m cool with that.
On this date in 1958, NASA was created. That’s depressing. I didn’t know I was older than NASA. On this date in 1848, the Tipperary Revolt was crushed by government police. I don’t have to time to explain it. It’s a long way to Tipperary. On this date in 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana were married. And on this date in 2000, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were married. The moral of this story is…don’t get married on July 29. On this date in 1967, The Doors had their first #1 hit with “Light My Fire.”
We have an interesting day planned. After church, we’re having lunch with our lifehouse group. Then, this evening, we’re going to Frisco. I was given some tickets to see the Rough Riders this evening, and with those tickets, comes access to the JCP club, which allegedly includes a buffet. Sounds like fun. So we’re going, and taking Stephanie’s boyfriend, Scottie.
Father, I pray for a glimpse of your face this morning, and I also pray that you prepare my heart for the worship celebration today.
Today, I’m reading Psalm 59. In this Psalm, David again prays for deliverance from his enemies. I am drawn, however, to the last two verses.
But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.
My Utmost For His Highest
Behold, he is coming with the clouds. Revelation 1:7
Clouds always seem to be connected with God. Clouds tend to be identified with sorrows our trials, things which, on the surface, “seem to dispute the rule of God.” But, it is through those clouds that the Spirit teaches us to walk by faith. “If there were no clouds, we should have no faith.” Clouds are the dust of his feet. (Nahum 1:3) I actually posted an entry back in September that featured that verse, along with a video of a song from the album, At the Foot of the Cross. You can see that HERE, if you are so inclined. “What a revelation to know that sorrow and bereavement and suffering are the clouds that come along with God!”
Chambers says that it is not necessarily true that God wants to teach us something with every trial. Rather, “He wants us to unlearn something. His purpose in the clouds is to simplify our belief until our relationship to Him is exactly that of a child – God and my own soul, other people are shadows.”
We must learn to “interpret the mysteries of life in the light of our knowledge of God.” Can we look at the darkest, blackest facts of life full on without damaging God’s character? If not, we don’t truly know him. Is there anyone but Jesus in our clouds? It will only get darker if there is anything else in my clouds.
This all sounds rather complicated. I don’t know if I can simplify it or not. The point is, I think, that, without the clouds, which signify struggles in our lives, we would certainly have no need for faith. One of the purposes of these “clouds” is that we manage to “unlearn” things that we have incorrectly believed about God, throughout our lives. I would not say that God does not want to teach us things through the trials, for when we “unlearn” one thing, we certainly learn another thing. However, simplification of the relationship between self and God is certainly a goal. We tend to make things much more complicated than they truly are. It’s kind of like the readings on obedience. Our obedience is the goal, not the place we think that obedience will take us. In my case, God’s purpose, the NOW that he has me in, is intercessory prayer. My obedience is the goal. I am not looking for the great blessing that I think I will receive because I have obeyed. The obedience IS the blessing. The fact that I am serving God by doing what he wants me to do is the blessing. I need nothing else. As have worked on learning this, which requires “unlearning” things that were not correct, there have been “clouds.” This has increased faith. So I will not despair if more clouds come. I will look for that which needs to be unlearned, and seek to be obedient.
Continuing in Life Together, Bonhoeffer reminds us again that this idea of community is not an ideal to be realized.
Just as Christians should not be constantly feeling the pulse of their spiritual life, so too the Christian community has not been given to us by God for us to be continually taking its temperature. The more thankfully we daily receive what is given to us, the more assuredly and consistently will community increase and grow from day to day as God pleases.
Christian community is not an ideal we have to realize, but rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate.
(p. 38 )
It occurs to me that if I am constantly “feeling the pulse” of my spiritual life, then I am concentrating more on ME than on Christ and others. This is one thing that is desperately wrong with today’s church. There are too many “self-help” books, especially in the realm of Christianity. “Self” doesn’t need any help. It is strong enough. What needs help is the spirit, concentrating on the one who has put us into community with each other. I need to be focusing on Christ, and then praying for others. If I am doing those two things successfully, then I will not need to take my own spiritual pulse. It will be just fine.
Father, I pray that I will not look at me as much as I look at you. Give me the grace to live each day looking to your face, to live in the light of your glory. I realize that I do spend a bit of time each morning, praying for myself. However, these are prayers that I might work into my life what you are teaching me during these morning devotions. Hopefully, I am spending more time during the rest of the day thinking and praying about others, which is your desire for my life at this point. Let me not worry about my own pulse; likewise, let us not be concerned about the pulse of our community groups. Let us focus on you and your people, praying as we are led, and looking to your face for wisdom.
When clouds come into my life, for they will, I pray that I will see only you in them. Let me not look to others for guidance; let me not seek human wisdom in my clouds. Let all others be but shadows. You are the shining light in my clouds, Father. You are my rock and my fortress.
I pray for this day. I pray for our worship celebration this morning. May we worship you this morning, shedding all distractions as we enter the place of worship. I pray (as I have already prayed) for those who will be leading us this morning. Open their hearts to your Spirit today, that they may effectively lead us before your throne, into your presence. I life up Jacob Seay, who will be bringing your word to us this morning. Open our ears as you open his mouth. May he speak only what you have given him and may we hear only what you are speaking.
Your grace is sufficient.
There will be clouds. That is unavoidable. There will be rain. If there were no rain, there would be no flowers. If there were no clouds, there would be no faith. Praise him for the clouds.
Grace and peace, friends.
Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy 