I had an exhausting day yesterday and went to bed quite early, around 8 pm. I awoke around 5 am today, which is also quite early, and figured I may as well start my day which I know will also be, exhausting, by the end of this gift.
Had a number of thoughts on my mind last night, and shortly after awakening today, my thoughts returned to a beautiful video a friend shared with my yesterday. And then, another song came to mind, and I want to pass them on, to whomever might stumble upon this blog entry today or some day…
In the first video, the singer, Ginny Owens, is literally blind. This adds a layer of beauty to this well-known hymn, which is one of my favorites. The second video is a piece which I connect with, also, by Rhiannon Giddens. As I re-listen, the line that “He will see you through” is taking on a new layer when connected with our need of vision, sight and leading by God through this life and world.
The question at times, or often, for many of us is: How can I connect with God in a way in which I experience His eyes, His joy, His presence and His leading?
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I’m thinking about the slow, deep work of both faith and faithfulness, in and to God. Sometimes we cannot see nor perceive growth, change or even God’s presence in and around us.
But our new birth, born from above a second time, in Jesus, puts the seed of His life into us and we become oaks. The DNA of this seed is changeless and charts our destiny both today and forevermore, and, when planted within the receptive, fertile soil of our lives and being, though we may go through all types of seasons, even appearing spiritually dead,
He is faithfully at work in ways we cannot always see.
“A farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil.
It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and
choked the plants.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—
a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Matthew 13:3-9
“That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” – Psalm 1:3
Another question is, if we find ourselves continually unable to steadily grow and change (in the inward ways that really matter and produce fruit), we might ask: What is it about the soil of my heart, mind, soul, emotions and life that is rocky ground? What is it that is choking out the life-giving joy of God?
The most obvious answer and one typically slung at us from pulpits is that we have some sin – obvious or hidden – that is choking out the life of God. But, I want to suggest that it could be other things.
Anything from woundings to worldviews…might be hindering the generous flow of life-giving joy.
And then the question becomes: What can we do about that?
And that is where the difficult process begins…and I am not writing to give any easy answer or platitude such as “let go and let God.”
The painful place of being powerless and unable to “let go and let God” is one that only God can enter and rescue us from.
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The fruits of this Spirit of God – produced in us in ever-increasing ways – are listed in the New Testament, and the theme(s) of these qualities echo throughout the entirety of Scripture and in life and nature, itself.
Lord, give us ears to hear, especially the joy, that is embedded in our inheritance of the eternal life – this beautiful gift of life, that begins today.
God’s words are beautiful to us. When we love someone, their words hold beauty to us – they are a treasure – but we are in love not with words, but with the one that speaks them. The words of God lead us into a relationship with Him – a relationship whose driving force is joy.
“Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who is the author of our faith and the one who brings it to its goal. In view of the joy set before him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of God’s throne.” – Hebrews 12:2 EHV
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“Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” – Psalm 51:12 NIV
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
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“The man who approaches God must have faith in two things, first that God exists and secondly that it is worth a man’s while to try to find God.” – Hebrews 11:6 Phillips Translation
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