This morning we begin Exodus. The words of 1:8 loom large: Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph (ESV). This sets the stage for the pain and heartache that the Israelites (the descendants of Jacob) will endure and experience. The oppression of God’s people is significant. From slavery and hard labor to murder of baby boys. We meet Moses, and then at the end of chapter 2 we read these words:

23 Years passed, and the king of Egypt died. But the Israelites continued to groan under their burden of slavery. They cried out for help, and their cry rose up to God. 24 God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 He looked down on the people of Israel and knew it was time to act (NLT).

The people of Israel were tired. They were burdened and groaning under all their were experiencing. But these words bring a glorious ray of hope.

God remembered - this is not stating that God finally recalled what he has previously done or said, but it carries with it the idea that God will no act to fulfill his promises. If we look back at Genesis 15:13,14 we read these words: 13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. 14 But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions (ESV). The Exodus will fulfill that promise (though there is still much to happen).

Verse 25: 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew (ESV). You notice that the NLT adds “it was time to act.” Though that is true, the word “knew” here emphasizes something very important, and that is that God is not removed, distant, or aloof from his people. He knows them. He knows the labor and hardship and pain they are enduring. He hears their groans.

This is great news for all believers. God knows you. He hears your pain and groaning. It may be long-lasting, but he is not unaware and he is certainly our refuge. We see that most clearly in our Savior, who brought us out of much more than slavery to a foreign land, but rather slavery to sin.

This song by Anne Steele, redone by Sandra McCracken and Indelible Grace, is a wonderful summary of the comfort we have for our often weary souls.

1. Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief,
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel

2. But oh! When gloomy doubts prevail,
I fear to call Thee mine
The springs of comfort seem to fail,
And all my hopes decline
Yet gracious God, where shall I flee?
Thou art my only trust
And still my soul would cleave to Thee
Though prostrate in the dust

3. Hast Thou not bid me seek Thy face,
And shall I seek in vain?
And can the ear of sovereign grace,
Be deaf when I complain?
No still the ear of sovereign grace,
Attends the mourner's prayer
Oh may I ever find access,
To breathe my sorrows there

4. Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet,
Thy mercy seat is open still,
Here let my soul retreat
With humble hope attend Thy will,
And wait beneath Thy feet

Ok - don’t get used to this again, but in my prayer time this morning I was directed to sing the song “Jesus I My Cross Have Taken” as I read and prayed through a chapter in the book Prone to Wander. I’m going to put down all the lyrics because it’s a beautiful song. This has been a hard year, and it may still get more difficult as we head into the fall and winter. I love the line in the third stanza: “Life with trials hard may press me; Heaven will bring me sweeter rest.” Then turn to all of stanza 5…just take in the truth of this great song. There is sweet rest with Jesus. May you and I rest in that each and every day!

1. Jesus, I my cross have taken, 
All to leave and follow Thee. 
Destitute, despised, forsaken, 
Thou from hence my all shall be. 
Perish every fond ambition, 
All I’ve sought or hoped or known. 
Yet how rich is my condition! 
God and heaven are still my own.

2. Let the world despise and leave me, 
They have left my Savior, too. 
Human hearts and looks deceive me; 
Thou art not, like them, untrue. 
O while Thou dost smile upon me, 
God of wisdom, love, and might, 
Foes may hate and friends disown me, 
Show Thy face and all is bright.

3. Man may trouble and distress me, 
’Twill but drive me to Thy breast. 
Life with trials hard may press me; 
Heaven will bring me sweeter rest. 
Oh, ’tis not in grief to harm me 
While Thy love is left to me; 
Oh, ’twere not in joy to charm me, 
Were that joy unmixed with Thee.

4. Go, then, earthly fame and treasure, 
Come disaster, scorn and pain 
In Thy service, pain is pleasure, 
With Thy favor, loss is gain 
I have called Thee Abba Father, 
I have stayed my heart on Thee 
Storms may howl, and clouds may gather; 
All must work for good to me.

5. Soul, then know thy full salvation 
Rise o’er sin and fear and care 
Joy to find in every station, 
Something still to do or bear. 
Think what Spirit dwells within thee, 
Think what Father’s smiles are thine, 
Think that Jesus died to win thee, 
Child of heaven, canst thou repine.

6. Haste thee on from grace to glory, 
Armed by faith, and winged by prayer. 
Heaven’s eternal days before thee, 
God’s own hand shall guide us there. 
Soon shall close thy earthly mission, 
Soon shall pass thy pilgrim days, 
Hope shall change to glad fruition, 
Faith to sight, and prayer to praise.

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Co 1:4–9)

Provided to YouTube by TuneCore Jesus I My Cross Have Taken [Andrew Osenga] · Indelible Grace Music Pilgrim Days: Indelible Grace II ℗ 2008 Indelible Grace M...

In retelling some of the story from the book of Isaiah, Sally Lloyd-Jones writes some of the more memorable lines in the Jesus Storybook Bible. She calls the chapter “Operation ‘No More Tears!’” and it lays out the heart of God to rescue his people. She writes of the baby to be born. He is a Royal Son who will come to the rescue. He will be a King. He will be a Hero. He will make the blind see and the lame walk…but people will hate him and kill him. She writes;

“He will be like a Lamb - he will suffer and die…But he won’t stay dead - I will make him alive again. And, one day, when he comes back to rule forever, the mountains and trees will dance and sing for joy! The earth will shout out loud! His fame will fill the whole earth - as the waters cover the sea! Everything sad will come untrue. Even death is going to die! And he will wipe away every tear from every eye.”

If you’ve been around me at all you’ve heard me quote that line…”Everything sad will come untrue.” God has promised to make all things new (cf. Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; Revelation 21:1-7). To take away our reproach…our pain…our tears. We live in a fallen world, but he will renew it. The resurrection of Christ is that visible guarantee that the Lord will do what he has promised. Come to him all you weary. Come to the heart of our Savior (Matthew 11:28-30).

This morning here is a beautiful song by Andrew Peterson called “All Things New.”

Come broken and weary
Come battered and bruised
My Jesus makes all things new
All things new

Come lost and abandoned
Come blown by the wind
He’ll bring you back home again
Home again

Rise up, O you sleeper, awake
The light of the dawn is upon you
Rise up, O you sleeper, awake
He makes all things new
All things new

Come burning with shame
Come frozen with guilt
My Jesus, he loves you still
Loves you still

Rise up, O you sleeper, awake
The light of the dawn is upon you
Rise up, O you sleeper, awake
He makes all things new
He makes all things new

The world was good
The world is fallen
The world will be redeemed

So hold on to the promise
The stories are true
That Jesus makes all things new
(The dawn is upon you)

Apparently you can download for free here.

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group All Things New · Andrew Peterson Resurrection Letters Volume 2 ℗ 2008 Andrew Peterson Released on: 2010-01-01 Pr...

As I have been thinking a good bit lately about who Jesus is - about his character and his heart - this song has been one that I have discovered again. It is a beautiful song about, quite simply, the goodness of Jesus. As with many good songs, there are numerous references to Scripture passages (Matthew 11:28-30; Psalm 90:14; John 7:37-39, etc…). Hear these words; find the Scripture references; meditate on the goodness of Jesus. Our Savior, our God, is more amazing than we know or understand. And we have the privilege of discovering that heart more and more each and every day. Enjoy his goodness!

Come you weary heart now to Jesus
Come you anxious soul now and see
There is perfect love and comfort in your tears
Rest here in His wondrous peace

Oh the Goodness, the Goodness of Jesus
Satisfied he is all that I need
May it be, come what may, that I rest all my days
In the Goodness of Jesus

Come find what this world cannot offer
Come and find your joy here complete
Taste the living water, never thirst again
Rest here in His wondrous peace

Oh the Goodness, the Goodness of Jesus
Satisfied he is all that I need
May it be, come what may, that I rest all my days
In the Goodness of Jesus

Come and find your hope now in Jesus
He is all he said he would be
Grace is overflowing from the Saviour’s heart
Rest here in His wondrous peace

Oh the Goodness, the Goodness of Jesus
Satisfied he is all that I need
May it be, come what may, that I rest all my days
In the Goodness of Jesus
May it be, come what may, that I rest all my days 
In the Goodness of Jesus

'The Goodness of Jesus' recorded live at St Paul's Castle Hill Words & music by Fiona Aghajanian, Harrison Druery, Michael Farren, Jaywan Maxwell, Jonny Robi...

Many of us have sung the words: “As the deer pants for the water so my song longs after You. You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.” It sounds really sweet, but the situation of the psalmist in Psalms 42 & 43 (almost certainly one psalm) is anything but sweet. This picture of the deer panting for water - it is desperation. There is no water in sight. The psalmist uses that to describe his longing; and it is a longing that can only be satisfied with the presence of God.

And it is this image that the psalmist uses to express his longing for God. He is away from the presence of God. He has been mocked by foes (42:3, 10). HIs heart breaks at the thought of what he no longer enjoys. And it leads to the refrain we come to three times in these verses:

5 Why are you cast down, O my soul, 

and why are you in turmoil within me? 

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, 

my salvation 6 and my God. (cf. 42:11; 43:5) 

But that refrain is not one of total despair; it is the psalmist talking to himself and encouraging his own soul to hope in God. These words show us that the psalmist is not actually far from God - or more truly - God is not far from him. God is his salvation and his God. God will not leave his children (John 10:28,29; Hebrews 13:5).

Yet in verse 6 we see those feelings turn from this hope again. His soul is cast down. But he remembers God is his rock (42:9), his only refuge. Even in that language we see hope. Then we come to verse 8:

8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, 

and at night his song is with me, 

a prayer to the God of my life.

The Lord directs, sends out his steadfast love and his song is with the psalmist. That may well be that because the psalmist remembers God’s steadfast love he sings, or it could well be that the song of the Lord (God’s singing) is with him. What a thought! God singing over his children and showing forth his steadfast love! Oh to hear that song!

Then in the next stanza (Psalm 43) the psalmist prays. He is not just remembering his circumstances and God, but he prays to his rock.

3 Send out your light and your truth; 

let them lead me; 

let them bring me to your holy hill 

and to your dwelling! 

4 Then I will go to the altar of God, 

to God my exceeding joy, 

and I will praise you with the lyre, 

O God, my God. 

The psalmist needed the light and truth of God to lead him to the dwelling of God - to the Temple. But the Temple was just a shadow of the true presence of God. Now, in Christ Jesus, who is the only way to the Father, we have been brought into the presence of God (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:19; 1 Peter 3:18). God has sent out his light and his truth in Christ.

No matter our circumstance…God is always with us. We need reminded of that, because it doesn’t always seem to be the case. Thankfully we have his truth before us in his holy Word. Let that Word, the Word of Christ, lead us daily into the presence of the God who sings and rejoices over his children! Be not cast down O my soul.

Provided to YouTube by TuneCore Send out Your Light (Psalm 43) · Sandra McCracken Psalms ℗ 2015 Towhee Records Released on: 2015-04-14 Auto-generated by YouT...

As you can probably tell from reading these posts…I really like music. Songs have an uncanny ability to tell a story and to reach the heart of the listener. CityAlight is a fairly recent discovery for me, and I’m glad I have discovered them. They have put out some great music that is theologically rich as well as quite well done. This is a new song that has recently been released called “Your Will Be Done.”

I would encourage you to go through this whole song and follow the biblical references and let it refresh your heart. And I want to point something from the second stanza where it says: “How in the Garden he persisted I may never fully know. The fearful weight of true obedience it was held by him alone.” I have been reading a book called "Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortlund (I would highly recommend it so far) and he put me on to this quote by C.S. Lewis about Christ resisting temptation:

“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it: and Christ, because He was the only man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only man who knows to the full what temptation means — the only complete realist.”

The incredible weight that Jesus bore in the incarnation - he knew the power of sin. He never gave in. He always fully did the will of the Father. And he knows what temptation is like…better than you or I ever could. We have a phenomenal Savior who can sympathize with our weakness, and he can give help (see Hebrews 4:14-16). He helps those who are in union with him - that is those who by faith and repentance believe. What a tremendous grace and privilege! Praise God.

Your will be done, my God and Father 
As in heaven, so on earth 
My heart is drawn to self-exalting 
Help me seek Your kingdom first 
As Jesus walked, so I shall walk 
Held by Your same unchanging love 
Be still my soul, O lift your voice and pray: 
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done.’ 

How in that Garden he persisted 
I may never fully know 
The fearful weight of true obedience 
It was held by him alone 
What wondrous faith, to bear that cross! 
To bear my sin, what wondrous love! 
My hope was sure, when there my Saviour prayed: 
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done.’ 

When I am lost, when I am broken 
In the night of fear and doubt 
Still I will trust in my good Father 
Yes, to one great King I bow! 
As Jesus rose, so I shall rise 
In ransomed glory at the throne 
My heart restored 
With all your saints I sing: 
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done!’ 

As we go forth, our God and Father 
Lead us daily in the fight 
That all the world might see Your glory 
And Your Name be lifted high 
And in this Name we overcome 
For You shall see us safely home 
Now as your church, we lift our voice and pray:  
‘Father, not my will but Yours be done!’ 

Dear World, We write to you from the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. We are at a loss in so many ways, unsure of what to do, unsure of what to say, and unsur...

“It is the spirit of a truly godly [person], to prefer God before all other things, either in heaven or on earth.”

What does that mean for us? How is it that Edwards (this is a continuation from the previous two days) draws the above conclusion?

I think of Colossian 3:1-4: 1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 

Our life is Christ. Apart from his we have no real life. And we, as we grow in understanding the nature of God, will long for heaven above everything else - and what we long for is to be with God. Edwards brings out Hebrews 11:13-16 where the saints died in faith longing for heaven; longing for a better home.

The main reason why though is because God is there. Heaven “is the place where God is gloriously present, where his love is gloriously manifested, where the godly may be with him, see him as he is, and love, serve, praise, and enjoy him perfectly.” That sounds phenomenal! The heart of the believer is in heaven, because he knows that is where his treasure (God himself) resides.

Edwards goes on to then state that the saint will prefer God above all things on earth. We’ve looked before at Psalm 27:4. There is great longing, but also action of seeking after God. It flows out of a heart that has seen the glory of God and longs for his presence.

1 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; 

my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, 

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. 

2 So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, 

beholding your power and glory.  (Psalm 63:1,2)

We could turn to the New Testament and Paul’s letter to the Philippian church: 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Phil. 3:7-11)

The longing in those verses is palpable. Paul’s desire is to know and gain Christ. Now here is the reality though - we don’t all feel like this. As Edwards wrote: “The saints are not always in the lively exercise of grace, but such a spirit they have, and sometimes have the sensible exercise of it.” What I believe Edwards was seeking to communicate is that though this is not always felt (or seen) to be the case in us, it truly is the spirit of the saint to prefer God above everything else.

Why is this so important? Well, particularly in this time, when so much has been ripped away, the saint has a solid hope. Edwards wrote: “…whatever changes a godly man passes through, he is happy; because God, who is unchangeable, is his chosen portion…on which he builds as his main foundation for happiness…” The believer can be content in this time of discontent of the world, because our hope has not shifted, has not failed, has not changed…and never will. Our hope and our joy is in the eternal, unchangeable God who sent his only Son for us to redeem us from our sin.  

Here’s a song by Sandra McCracken that, in some sense, calls on our own souls to recognize the goodness and beauty of God.

Call Him Good (Psalm 104) Written by Sandra McCracken, Don Chaffer, Derek Webb From the album "God's Highway" by Sandra McCracken © 2016 Same Old Dress Music...

I want to continue a bit more on what I wrote about yesterday. This is a theme that has been continually coming up in what I have been reading and studying. It all tends to relate back to the presence of God in the life of the believer. I decided to reread an old sermon by Jonathan Edwards called: “God the Best Portion.” Edwards’ message is a deep reflection on Psalm 73:25, yet it also reminded me of Isaiah 26:3.

3 You keep him in perfect peace 

whose mind is stayed on you, 

because he trusts in you. 

This verse is a great promise of God, and we likely think about it in relation to the benefit we receive as believers - kept in perfect peace. However, I think the point is that the believer is looking to and trusting God alone. The believer is longing for God and his presence. Just a few verses later in that chapter we read:

8 In the path of your judgments, 

O LORD, we wait for you; 

your name and remembrance 

are the desire of our soul. 

9 My soul yearns for you in the night; 

my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. 

The soul of the believer yearns for God and his presence - because we know that the presence of the holy, infinite, eternal, unchangeable, gracious, good God is our good. Knowing who God is should draw us to him more and more. I think of our Larger Catechism question 7: “What is God?” The answer is this:

God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. (see also the Confession Chapter 2)

And to be honest, as good as that definition is, it cannot touch the depth and breadth of who God truly is. God is a God worth seeking, worth knowing, worth loving. He is the one for whom our souls should yearn. And as we get to know the God revealed in Scripture and most gloriously manifested to us in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, we cannot help but long for him. This God who gave himself for us to save us from our sins is our only true and lasting satisfaction and portion in all of life. The saint cannot be satisfied with anything less than God. That reminds me of a quote by Burroughs as well as one by Edwards from this message (and I may take another post to reflect a bit more on this message)

“Therefore you will observe, that whatever God may give to a gracious heart, a heart that is godly, unless he gives himself it will not do. A godly heart will not only have the mercy, but the God of that mercy as well; and then a little matter is enough in the world, so be it he has the God of the mercy which he enjoys.” ~ Burroughs

“Offer a saint what you will, [but] if you deny him God, he will esteem himself miserable. God is the center of his desires; and as long as you keep his soul from its proper center, it will not be at rest.“ ~ Edwards

Here is a song about longing for God’s presence by Shane and Shane.

The nearness of God is the greatness goodness we can experience while we reside on the planet earth. We want to not only know about God the Father, Son, and ...

Music is a gift. Music can quite often soothe a troubled spirit (cf. 1 Samuel 16:14-23). There is something about music that eases the heart and mind. I have certain “go to” music when I need a bit of a lift in my own spirit, and perhaps you have the same thing. It can be instrumental masterpieces that pull together an entire orchestra in perfect harmony. Or it can be a simple acoustic song that has lyrics that perfectly fit the moment.

Yesterday I listened again to Sandra McCracken’s The Builder and the Architect album…and it’s wonderful. The second song on that album is called “Grace Upon Grace.”

In every station, new trials and new troubles
Call for more grace than I can afford
Where can I go but to my dear Savior
For mercy that pours from boundless stores.

Grace upon grace, every sin repaired
Every void restored, you will find Him there
In every turning He will prepare you
With grace upon grace.

He made a way for the fallen to rise
Perfect in glory and sacrifice
In sweet communion my need He supplies
He saves and keeps and guards my life

To Thee I run now with great expectation
To honor You with trust like a child
My hopes and desires seek a new destination
and all that You ask Your grace will provide.

The verses that this immediately brings to mind are John 1:14 & 16: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth…For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. We receive from the Lord grace upon grace. He has taken the sin of his people upon himself, but he has done more than that. His grace is abundant beyond any abundance we know - more than the abundance of wheat at the harvest. We have been given so much that it is impossible to comprehend, but absolutely worth giving God praise and it is more than enough to calm our anxious spirits.

[For a little extra this morning - go through the song and find all the Scriptural allusions]

Provided to YouTube by CDBaby Grace Upon Grace · Sandra McCracken The Builder And The Architect ℗ 2005 Same Old Dress Music Released on: 2005-01-01 Auto-gene...

Maybe it’s a little early in our ordeal to turn to this song, but without a sense of hope…of anticipation…things can get really rough. I’m not there, but man is it nice to see the sun. There is something hopeful about the morning. Something invigorating about seeing the sun rise against the darkness and with it comes warmth and light and joy.

Psalm 30:5b: Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Unlike a typical day where we can check our Weather Channel app and find the precise time of the sunrise - we don’t know when the darkness of the pandemic is going to lift. The night of the virus may be long, but the anticipation is of the joy that will come with the morning. And we can rest in this - morning will come. We are all waiting for the change. We are waiting for this storm to blow through…this storm that can be frightening and very unpredictable and unknown.

And on a larger scale, we are waiting for the day of Christ to come. Anticipating the groaning that we feel to be fulfilled when the sons of God will be revealed (see Romans 8). The day when there is no more darkness. The day when there is no more pain or sickness. Lord, hasten that day.

I've been waiting for the sun
To come blazing up out of the night like a bullet from a gun
Till every shadow is scattered, every dragon's on the run
Oh, I believe, I believe that the light is gonna come
And this is the dark, this is the dark before the dawn

I've been waiting for some peace
To come raining down out of the heavens on these war-torn fields
All creation is aching for the sons of God to be revealed
Oh, I believe, I believe that the victory is sealed
The serpent struck but it was crushed beneath His heel

Oh, I know the wind can bring the lightning
Oh, I know the lightning brings the rain
Oh, I know the storm can be so frightening
But that same wind is gonna blow that storm away
Blow that storm away

Lord, I'm waiting for a change
I'm waiting for Your change

So I'm waiting for the King
To come galloping out of the clouds while the angel armies sing
He's gonna gather His people in the shadow of His wings
And I'm gonna raise my voice with the song of the redeemed
'Cause all this darkness is a small and passing thing

This is the storm, this is the storm
The storm before the calm
This is the pain, the pain before the balm
This is the cold, the cold
It's the cold before the warm
These are the tears, the tears before the song
This is the dark
Sometimes all I see is this darkness
Well, can't you feel the darkness
This is the dark before the dawn

I'm just waiting for a change
Change
Lord, I'm waiting for the change

I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
And I could see the fields of glory
I could hear the sower's song
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
And all that rain had washed me clean
All the sorrow was gone
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
And I could finally believe
The king had loved me all along
I had a dream that I was waking
At the burning edge of dawn
I saw the sower in the silver mist
And He was calling me home

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group The Dark Before The Dawn · Andrew Peterson The Burning Edge Of Dawn ℗ 2015 Andrew Peterson, under exclusive lice...

One of the grand beauties of the psalms is that they are realistic. The most common type of psalm is the lament. And right now, for so many, this is a time of lament…at least to a degree. I feel that. How long? How long will this go on? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?…(Ps. 13:1b-2b).

I may not be at that point of feeling sorrow in my heart all the day, but I do ask - how long will I not be able to hug or touch my family? How long will I have to live in the uncertainty of whether I had/have this virus or not? The not knowing is hard…and maybe the Lord is stripping something from me…my need to have to know…my need to feel in control (even though I know very well I’m not).

Things have been stripped away from all of us. What we have been used to is gone, and the uncertainty of when things might return is troubling. Will the economy rebound? What will the death toll from this virus be? Will my friends of family be part of that number?

For me, it makes me long not just for the end of this time, but for the day when all this will be forgotten. When all the sad things will become untrue. The day every tear is wiped from our eyes. The day when I will see my Savior face to face. We can hope in that and let that vision guide our days. Being heavenly minded does not stop us from being earthly good - it actually helps us, because it grounds us in what is good and true and beautiful.

There is a song by Bifrost Arts that captures some of this. I was playing it yesterday on guitar and found it therapeutic.

How long? Will You turn Your face away? 
How long? Do You hear us when we pray? 
On and on, still we walk this pilgrim way - How long? 

How long 'til Your children find their rest? 
How long 'til You draw them to Your breast? 
We go on holding to Your promises - How long? 

'Til You wipe away the tears from ev'ry eye 
'Til we see our home descending from the sky 
Do we wait in vain? 
Jesus, give us hope again! 

How long 'til Your word will still the storm? 
How long 'til You bare Your mighty arm? 
How we groan 'til You snatch us from the thorns - How long? 

How long? Sweet the dawn that ends the race. 
How long? Weak our hearts but strong our legs. 
Looking on - great that cloud of witnesses! How long?

Then hear the last two verses of Psalm 13: But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Last night Erin brought my guitar up to my isolation room (formerly known as our bedroom). I simply needed to be able to play a little bit. I often find myself able to express how I’m feeling or what I’m thinking through music or through the language of the Psalms. There is something about both of those avenues that brings out the metaphors that give words to what we sometimes can’t.

Last night I didn’t need the metaphor as much, what I needed was music, and truth. Through the simple playing of a simple song (as I had to be quiet as kids were already in bed) I heard truth.

This was the song: (And here is a link to various charts if you want to play it)

Through the love of God our Savior, All will be well 
Free and changeless is His favor, All is well 
Precious is the blood that healed us 
Perfect is the grace that sealed us 
Strong the hand stretched forth to shield us 
All must be well

Though we pass through tribulation, All will be well 
Ours is such a full salvation, All is well 
Happy still in God confiding 
Fruitful if in Christ abiding 
Steadfast through the Spirit's guiding 
All must be well

We expect a bright tomorrow; All will be well 
Faith can sing through days of sorrow, All is well 
On our Father's love relying 
Jesus every need supplying 
Yes in living or in dying 
All must be well

Scripture passages this song reminds me of are numerous: Romans 8; 1 Peter 1:18-21; Ephesians 1:13,14; John 15; Philippians 4:19 and so many others. Take some time and meditate on these passages, and try to find others that the song references.

As some of you might be asking - “How are you feeling?” I’m doing better. Been fever free since yesterday morning, and hope that continues. I sure seem to be on the road to recovery. Pray for my amazing wife. She is handling everything in the house while keeping me in quarantine (and not being able to sleep in her own bed), and I know that she’s a bit tired. She’s an amazing woman and we are blessed greatly by her!!

There are certain days where the longing to be with God is stronger. These are those days. I resonate with the struggle of Paul in Philippians 1…and I’ll quote it at length for the context:

Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

You can hear his longing…to be with his Savior. Even though he knows that he is called to something now, his desire is to be with Christ. He is hard pressed. He has seen the glory of the Lord and he longs for that. He longs to be with the One who so deeply loves him…the One who gave Himself for him.

Paul certainly saw the brokenness of the world. He was beaten and persecuted. He saw pain and sickness and death. He felt the darkness all around him. But he also knew the Light of the world (John 8:12). We have all seen the pain and brokenness. It’s all we hear and see on the news. My brother has a friend who is in bad shape from this virus. It’s all hard. And it increases my longing to be with Christ…for the return of our Savior to make all things new (Revelation 21:1-7).

I echo the words of Revelation 22:20,21:

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen. 

Amen - come Lord Jesus!

In light of that, I could think of no better song than “Is He Worthy?” by Andrew Peterson. Enjoy the beauty, goodness, and truth of this song. And I dare say, you may have this on repeat fairly soon.

The official music video for Andrew Peterson's new song Is He Worthy! This video was shot in one continuous take. Directors: Max Hsu, Brian Skinner, and Nath...

Is He Worthy? (Andrew Peterson)

Do you feel the world is broken? (We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
But do you know that all the dark won't stop the light from getting through? (We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)

Is all creation groaning? (It is)
Is a new creation coming? (It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

Is He worthy? Is He worthy
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy of this?
He is

Does the Father truly love us? (He does)
Does the Spirit move among us? (He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah, hold forever those He loves? (He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)

Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David's root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

From every people and tribe (People and tribe)
Every nation and tongue (Every nation and tongue)
He has made us a kingdom and priests to God
To reign with the Son

Is He worthy? Is He worthy
Of all blessing and honor and glory?
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Is He worthy of this?

He is, He is
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
He is, He is
He is worthy, He is worthy
He is

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; 

I have no good apart from you.” 

3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, 

in whom is all my delight. 

4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; 

their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out 

or take their names on my lips. 

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; 

you hold my lot. 

6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; 

indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; 

in the night also my heart instructs me. 

8 I have set the Lord always before me; 

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; 

my flesh also dwells secure. 

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, 

or let your holy one see corruption. 

11 You make known to me the path of life; 

in your presence there is fullness of joy; 

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. 

The heart of the believer is one that recognizes that apart from God, there is no good. No matter what else you may have: perfect health, wealth, a seeming long list of friends - if one does not know God, one does not truly know what is good. But, for those though who know God, no matter what our circumstances we can truly say that in His presence is fullness of joy and at His right hand are pleasures forevermore. We may not experience that right now, or daily, but we will for an eternity in the Lord’s presence know the ultimate good. That is a hope to rest on. That is a refuge in which to run.