Yo Pienso

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed His people and raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David….Because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” -Luke 1

Job has always been one of my main heroes in Scripture, even though he is such a picture of depression.  Some friends and family might suggest this reflects my cynical personality…but I want to paint different picture.  

Job endured more pain than I ever will, but he never took his face from God.  Yes, he complained and questioned God…but always with an air of hope.  He called for a Mediator, an Interpreter, a Redeemer, a Judge, and and Advocate to stand between him and God to reconcile the injustice he knew all too well.  I think Job gets it more than the rest of us….he knows that what he had experienced was absolutely miserable and broken, but yet in the midst of it all he looks to his Redeemer who lives….”and after my skin has thus been destroyed…I shall see God.”  He knows the Hope that is in “the true Mediator between God and man.”  So in my opinion…the character of Job is that of an optimistic realist…that’s really not cynical at all.  

“How happy would you be if your hearts were but persuaded to close with Jesus Christ!  Then you would be out of all danger: whatever storms and tempests were without, you might rest securely within; you might hear the rushing of the wind, and the thunder roar abroad, while you are safe in this hiding-place.  O be persuaded to hide yourself in Christ Jesus!  He has undertaken to defend and save you…if you will but make your flight there, his life shall be for yours…you shall have nothing to do but rest quietly in Him”  

-Jonathan Edwards

I have been considering how I can keep up my blog in a more frequent manner, and I think I have decided to at least share a quote or two per week from something I’ve read, some might be deep, and others could be shallow…  I’m hoping this will encourage me to write something of my own more often, since I would very much like to do that someday.  

Thomas Vincent shared these wonderful words about our need for Jesus, words I really need to hear…it helps remind me that I am and always will exist in desperate dependance on Him, whether I face it, or not..

    “They(the true christian) have need of Christ when they are dark—to enlighten them; when they are dead—to quicken them; when they are straitened—to enlarge them; when they are weak—to strengthen them; when they are sad—to comfort them; when they are tempted—to support them; when they are fallen—to raise them; when they are in doubts—to resolve them; when they are under fears—to encourage them; when they stagger—to establish them; when they wander—to restore them!  None but Christ can do all this, and more than this for them.”

There is definitely a mood of reflection in my reading and thinking tonight.  I just looked at some past pictures of road trips, beach days, Indonesia, family trip the most eclectic and romantic metropolis in this young country…NYC of course.  All these pictures confirm this reflective idea that I am blessed beyond measure.  There is simply no doubt that I have seen and experienced more grace and beauty from my friends and family, than many people do in their entire lives.  It truly is a sobering reflection.  This sobriety carries thoughts of remorse, responsibility…and much more, but one simple mystery I cannot step away from.  The very reason those near to me are so loving, the true immeasurable greatness of all blessing, and why greater things are in store for all wrapped within: the mystery of Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Do you ever feel as though you’re stepping to someone else’s drum?  Constantly parading though the cattle rungs of life’s airport security, willfully and quietly submitting to these entrapping rules meant to make one feel safe…why do I have to take my shoes off, what difference does it make if my toothpast is 3.5ml instead of 3.3?  

I suddenly have the urge to pick up my dull black roller bag and heave it straight through this bureaucraticly smudged window standing in front of me.  I dream deep emotional…even spiritual fulfilment in that specific moment…smelling the distant ocean air, as I sprint down the gusty runway.  Would these hopeful thoughts reach true fruition or would my granite skull go crashing into Trumen’s painted wall, corralling me back down this giant container, until I find myself awake in this very line, obeying each arbitrary command, as I wait for my chance to beat out that same rhythm, recite that same rhyme…….

I was always the kid that had to know why a rule was in place before I followed it.  This curiosity and desire to understand has really benefited me in some great ways in life, but at others I’m not so sure.  Aren’t there those times that we wish we could just turn that off, and embrace the rules that we know will help us, and move past into the new reality where that rule is just accepted?  Just accept that you can only take the slope of a straight line…even though that turns out to be false in the end.  who knows. 

Ps. 34:5  ”those who look to Him(the Lord) are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.”  

This verse has been good to me over the last few weeks.  I have been going through Acts for a class I’m in at Church and the story Stephen really made an impact with this verse in mind.  Stephen is facing those who are spreading rumors and lies that are meant to shame him away from the Gospel he is declaring.  These people are even using these lies to stone him and yet: “his face was like the face of an angel.” (Acts 6:15)  A true picture of one who is looking to the Lord with a radiant face, and he carried no shame as the Lord stood to welcome him home.  

Jay: “where was your dad during all this?” 

Luke: ” He was right behind her…” 

haha