“… This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord…” Ezekiel 1:28
Whatever you may think you know about our Heavenly Father, no matter how deeply you have studied and pondered, my friend, even if you have spent years uncovering the riches of His Word (we don’t take away, but celebrate your devotion to the Word), all you or I can know only amounts to a small snapshot.
All the knowledge that has been acquired is only a drop in the ocean of the vastness of who He is. All that one could think or envision of our great God still can only be qualified as indescribable.
Ezekiel, a man privileged to see the things of heaven that we could only possibly dream about, still could not properly articulate the true glory of God. His description was basic compared to what his eyes really saw because God’s glory cannot be defined, described, or fully understood with our human scope of perception.
All one can do is live this life with a holy expectation. Live so that you may see beyond the human descriptions. Live in a way that your own eyes can behold His infinitely royal beauty, take in His true wonder, and view the fullness of His majesty for yourself.
One day, all the layers of living in this world that blur our clear vision of God will be pulled back. One day, we will no longer wonder. We will see God face-to-face for ourselves. Oh, what a day that will be when we experience the full revelation of our God!
“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” 1 Corinthians 13:12
“And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.” Revelation 22:4
Details. You either love them or hate them. When it comes to daily tasks, details can be a bit overwhelming when you are trying to figure out the minutest specifics of all that needs to be done.
Yet, when it comes to our future, especially regarding its outcome, details can be beneficial in planning and preparing. Our hopes are to receive a favorable ending to our story. And while details help us along toward specific goals in the natural world, when it comes to our spiritual walk, specific details of every move we make or every journey we walk through aren’t often given to us.
Take the story of Joseph, for instance. He was next to the next-to-youngest of twelve exceptional boys born to Jacob. Exceptional because they would become known later as the twelve tribes of Israel.
Being the firstborn of Rachel (the woman whom Jacob loved and willingly worked for to marry), Joseph received favors and preferential treatment from his father. If the evidence of his being treated favorably wasn’t there before, surely the multi-colored coat given to him signaled it loud and clear.
Joseph was not only unique in being Rachel’s firstborn and Daddy’s favorite. He was also blessed with a special gift revolving around dreams. Unfortunately for him, this gifting led to acquiring ire from his older brothers, who were more than likely already miffed at his exalted treatment.
This, in turn, provoked a plan of deception that would rid them of their problem with this bothersome brother. Deviating from killing him because their hatred so stirred them, they sold him into slavery.
There, his story pans out over several years of slavery, work, favor, and imprisonment. It seemed that when Joseph tried to do right, he was rewarded with lies, accusations, and being forgotten by those he helped. But while he was doing right and being a help to others, God was working behind the scenes to bring his story to a successful conclusion.
God was marching Joseph forward, unknown to himself, to the place of his maximum usefulness for that era. Whether it is readily apparent or not, God was with him even in a place where he may have felt alone, forgotten, and abandoned.
The details we see before us are obvious. They are obvious because they are visible. But like Joseph, our stories have more layers to them than just what the eye can see or human reasoning can understand.
In Genesis 39:2, we read, “And the Lord was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.”
In Genesis 39:21, it tells us, “But the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.”
And in the New Testament we are told, “And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him” (Acts 7:9).
Joseph lived his life in an honorable manner. He did not have the benefit of Scripture that would let him know that everything was going to work out in his favor; that the LORD was with him in the unseen details.
But He was. And God is with us also. Numerous times Scripture reminds us of this beautiful fact:
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee…” Isaiah 43:2
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God…” Isaiah 41:10
“… I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:20
“… the upright shall dwell in thy presence.” Psalm 140:13
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16, and so many more.
In the extraordinary moves of life, we may readily point out, “God is with me!” But what His word assures us of is that in those moments where we cannot easily feel Him or understand the hardness of the situation we are dealing with, He is there.
Joseph’s story shares this truth with us, as well as Job’s, and many others who endured hardship, suffered trials, fought battles, and more.
But even when you can’t see how God is working things out behind the scenes, know that He is. What may not be apparent in details to others or even to you is clear before God, who knows the beginning from the end.
He has a plan for you (Jeremiah 29:11). Just keep living honorably and in faith. Grab hold of the truth of Scripture laden with the promise of His presence, and believe, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).
In the end, Joseph, who was sold, accused, and forgotten, was elevated to the second-highest position in the land. I can’t promise your story will end with such exaltation. But what I can tell you is that no matter how your story unfolds, keep your faith in God, not in the details you can see, and know that in the end, God can make it work for good (Romans 8:28).
Your behind-the-scenes success is in God. Trust Him even when the details aren’t apparent.
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6
I have opened many beautiful invitations throughout the years. But none so beautiful as the call from heaven that says, “Come.” – “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Our Savior has always been a welcoming Savior. Never a standoffish Lord. People clamored to be near, knowing that where He is, there is help and healing. People drew near to hear His words and wisdom. But people also desired to be near because His very presence welcomed them.
What is stopping you from coming? Do you feel unworthy? Come, for none are worthy. Do you not know how? Come, for it is not the articulation of your words the Lord is seeking. It’s you. For the LORD says, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
God, the Father, welcomes you to come and lay it all down: “Let your requests be made known unto God.”
Our gracious and kind God is not to be treated like a fictitious genie in a bottle. But as our Heavenly Father, He wants you to know that He is concerned about every part of your life. There is no prayer or problem, too big or too small.
What is the container of your heart holding today? At the throne of grace, there is power to release and free it.
What troubling thought is anxiously weighing you down? The Word confidently invites us to “Be careful for nothing.”
But that can only happen when we allow the faith we have in God override our natural human propensity to take on the world and try to solve it all on our own.
Faith is the key, my friend, that unlocks this door. For even when we can’t see it, we believe that as our prayers leave our hearts and our lips, God hears every one. And as He hears, we believe in our Heavenly Father to do what He sees best for His children.
There are days of general prayers. However, there are times when it is necessary to be very specific: “Let your requests be made known unto God.”
For this, we do not need a prayer plan or formula. We just need a heart of faith, no matter how small (Matthew 17:20; Mark 9:24), to come. A heart that will seek to speak with our Heavenly Father and ask for His help.
It’s not complicated. Nor was it ever meant to be. A good and loving father will always keep a door open for his children to come and talk, if need be.
Dear one, you are God’s child. Go to the prayer door of “Abba, Father,” and make your requests known.
It is true, He knows all things of whatsoever you could think to bring. But will you allow your faith, no matter how humble, to propel you forward, and come and make known those requests? The Word reminds us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
Despite what our eyes see and the words others may say, Father God knows it all; He knows what’s best, and He is awaiting your coming.
Lord, I bring it to You…
Every concern about my family. Every concern about my ministry. Every unknown that is before me. My life is in Your hands. You, who are the Creator of the ends of the earth and beyond, hold my very days, life, and times in the palms of Your strength and power. You know the beginning from the end of it all. And, You know the future you have in store for me.
So, I pray today, casting all my cares upon You, in trust and belief that all things will work together for good.
I bring You my heart. Even though I sometimes have words and thoughts that I can’t properly articulate, I come. I lay them all at the foot of Your throne of grace, where You welcome me to draw near to obtain help.
Oh, God, I need You in everything. You are my Praise, my Comfort, and my Rock. You are the reason we sing and dare to have hope. You are the Light that shows us the way, and I pray today for Your holy direction.
I need You as I lie down and as I rise in the morning. I need You in every breath I take and every move I make. I need You all day long, without exception to time, space, and subject.
There is none like You. Not in all the heavens or in all the earth. Thank You for making room for us to come and lay it all down. Thank You for Your daily, loving compassion and tender mercies; for being our very present help in the time of trouble.
Oh, dear ones, creation has a story to tell. It tells the story of God (of what He wants disclosed), and it gives one ample grounds to believe.
From the beginning of time, people have tried, and are still trying to explain away the creation story. With everything from unproven theories to speculative claims, they lead many on a lost road of unbelief, erasing God from the picture altogether.
Yet, when we raise our windows and experience that fresh air He produces, there is no man-made scent in the world that can mimic it and give you the same sense of peace and well-being as what He created. All of creation is put together by His intelligent design, and there is not one area that lacks the touch of His wisdom.
Everything from the intricacies of the human body, with all of its systems and how it works right down to the food chain of the world and how every species created is covered. Taking into account that if one link of that chain is missing, the system around it begins to suffer and crumble.
Looking out into our vast universe and even in the realm of our own planet, we see everything aligned perfectly in place to give us what we need to be nurtured and not harmed.
Take into account the Earth’s positioning. It is close enough to the sun that we are cared for in warmth and food and all those other good benefits, but not too close to damage us.
That’s all because God perfectly called these things forth and placed everything in its optimal place of functionality by His divine power and wisdom.
It was Martin Luther who said, “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees, and flowers, and clouds, and stars.” Can you see it?
My friend, everywhere we turn, there is evidence of God moving throughout creation: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse,” (Romans 1:20).
Some may try to attribute what they feel or experience to “being one with the universe” or “mother nature,” or some other misguided belief, but all evidence of creation points to God and God alone.
The world we live in tries to contradict not only the beauty He originally designed in the creation, but it also comes against the idea of God as the author of it all.
The interruption of evil in this world and in the hearts of man may have caused a separation from the divine truth, but because of the evidence that Paul states is “clearly seen,”it leaves all mankind “without excuse.”
God has always been “before all things, and by him all things consist” (Col. 1:17), and it is up to each human heart to accept that truth or not. No exceptions. No excuses.
The very skies, trees, flowers, wind, and weather – and even our own beings- tell creation’s beautiful story. Take a deep breath in. Open your heart and consider. Open your eyes and discern. Look around, and see! The Creator of all of this is awaiting your believing response.
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Psalm 19:1
As I was praying this morning, I was walking back and forth, as I sometimes do, and my eyes settled on a special plate and saucer set mounted on my shelf. It is from the Liberty Blue collection. I acquired these pieces years ago at Goodwill because I loved their aesthetic. Not knowing their value, I only picked up these few pieces and left the others there. And yes, I’m still kicking myself over it today.
I have a fondness for things of the past. If you were to describe the aesthetic of my home, I would call it “cozy vintage.” I love to incorporate things of bygone years into the design of my house. And while my whole home doesn’t emanate this style, there are many pieces that do. They remind me of simpler times. Their beauty, for me, is in the feelings they evoke of a bygone era.
Sadly, all our days of remembering are not filled with such fondness. When we look through our history, there may be experiences and events we wish we could change. Things that we would desire the outcome to be different.
Unfortunately, we cannot undo history. But what we can do is lean into the faithfulness of God and remember how He brought us through.
The Book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah. In it, he expresses his grief and sadness over the now fallen Jerusalem. The people had turned a deaf ear to the warnings of God sent through the mouth of the prophet, and now tragedy has taken hold of the land. Destruction, hurt, and pain are mixed in the rubble of the ruins from the invasion of the enemy. Their future as a nation looks dismal at best.
But then there comes a shift in Jeremiah’s thinking. Something beautiful began to rise in his heart that could not be extinguished by the disaster that surrounded him. And that beautiful uprising is called hope. This prompted him to pen the familiar words of Lamentations 3:21: “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.”
Jeremiah could have continued to wallow in sorrow with the belief that their case was beyond help, without hope. Instead, he chose to lean upon the faithfulness of God, Who always gives us a reason to hope. Rather than letting the feelings of dismay and despair overwhelm him and execute their language into his life – in the middle of this rehearsal of the negative, he chose to rewrite the narrative of how he would personally view this story. He chose to interject a praise of the positive, which was the faithfulness of God (Lam. 3:22, 23).
And we can do the same. While there may be hard parts of the story, there is a wonderful part: God Himself. The daily news may be littered with hopelessness, but our story declares that because of God, we still have hope.
“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope!” Like Jeremiah, we can have a made-up mind to focus on all that God had previously done, remembering how He had moved in times past. Recalling the positives of His faithfulness will help us to store an arsenal of truth for the days ahead.
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