23
May '23
Let Me Be Frank… desert places
23
May '23
The desert and the parched land will be glad;
the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Isaiah 35:1
While I was studying, I came across this verse in Isaiah. When I looked at it in three different translations the heading for the chapter was different in each one. Three headings, same chapter. Three ideas, one article. Here we go.
Joy of the Redeemed
I know a teacher who greets her students with a hug or a high-five… they get to choose. She can also say “good job” in a sing-song-y voice and the entire class will start singing right along with her. Joy is contagious and, sometimes, joy is hard to come by. Long nights grading, lesson plans, new mandates from the state… it seems like a mountain of work for little to no recognition. But all the teachers I know don’t do it for the recognition.
There is something that happens in a heart when joy is sparked. A desert full of insecurity and apprehension can melt away. Strategies for learning weave in and out of “you can do this” and “let’s try again.” Even a desert can blossom. The joy of the redeemed reaches out and says, “keep going.”
The Ransomed Shall Return
Mother’s Day should be a celebration, but sometimes it’s a reminder. For six years my mom probably waited for me to call or send a card. Her prayer for repentance continued but sometimes, in the wilderness, it’s hard to keep praying.
Mothers give their heart away knowing it could be broken. They do it because of their love for their children. The ransomed in Christ shall return. If they were His, they are still His. Moms – never stop praying for your kids. The desert and parched land will be glad you lifted your hearts to the Lord.
Hope for Restoration
It’s hard to keep things alive in the desert. There are certain plants that work well in this area and some that don’t stand a chance unless you have millions of dollars for a water bill. We have two red yuccas in our front yard. They’ve sprouted minimal new blossoms the last few years and we were worried they were on their last leg. Someone told us to clip down the dead stalks before the spring.
Did you know that overwatering a red yucca can be fatal to the plant. Their root will rot, and they will die. We want the Lord to take us away from the desert. Stop the struggle and heartache. But, just like this red yucca, the desert teaches us that all we need is a steady supply of Living Water and our dead stalks pruned. We can’t grow if we keep feeding the dead things in our lives.
There is Hope for restoration in Christ. No one or no thing is too far gone for God to restore. The ransomed shall return. Isaiah is a book of new beginnings and Jesus Christ specializes in them. He is making all things new. There is joy for the redeemed. Joy doesn’t come from your current situation. Joy is knowing that the One who created you also purchased you with the blood of Jesus. Rejoice and blossom today, friends. You are created to make a difference wherever you are… even if it’s in the desert.
May hope abound today.
Soli Deo Gloria!
F –
14
Sep '20
Something Don’d On Me! (rejoice)
14
Sep '20
“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Luke 15:7 (NLT)
Way back…a long time ago…before COVID…I went to concerts! I LOVE live music! I’ve gone to a lot of Rock, Country, Jazz and Christian Concerts over the years. Whether it was at a classic theater, a giant sports arena, an outdoor amphitheater, or a county fair, the concert atmosphere is usually the same. It’s exciting! People have often driven for miles! Fans often buy T-shirts and “represent”! The excitement continues to build until the lights go out and that first drum beat pounds through your chest! The curtain drops and the crowd erupts – cheering, jumping, clapping, screaming…I love that moment!
Now…imagine a scene that is similar, but instead of an amphitheater & a band, it’s the “Streets of Gold” and a huge crowd of ANGELS! They are cheering and screaming-loud whistles and “woo hoots” fill the air! But instead of chanting for the Band or singing the lyrics of the opening song…they are cheering, screams from full lungs and clapping…for you!
That’s what Scripture says happens when ONE SINNER changes their ways! One sinner repenting creates more racket than ALL the Classic Rock bands on tour every summer!!
Luke 15 opens with some of the Parables of Jesus. He starts a story of a man that has 100 sheep, loses 1, and He leaves the 99 to go after the ONE. That one sheep was so precious to Him, that He REFUSES to leave him behind! Instead of accepting that loss and abandoning that sheep to the elements, the Shepherd goes after him! And when He finds that sheep, He invites His friends and neighbors to party, to celebrate and to CHEER with Him!
Friends…YOU are that one! You are the one He is looking for! Leaving 99 to find one doesn’t make ANY sense…until that one is YOU! YOU are so valuable to our Father, that He will NOT abandon you! Someone needs to hear that today! You may FEEL like you are lost and no one sees your struggle. Your Heavenly Father is searching for you! And He will not leave you to be eaten by the world! You ARE cherished by Him. He will NOT leave you in your sinfulness and your brokenness.
And when you SEE Him…that cheering is what is happening in heaven…FOR YOU!When you surrender those fears, burdens, and shame, all the throng of Heaven is celebrating! They are wearing YOUR T-shirt! They are singing songs…ABOUT YOU! And the noise…wow, I can only imagine that!
Today…take a breath…and picture that scene! Think about the cheering of angels and the roar of THAT crowd! Ponder the celebration we will have! And let the GRACE OF GOD wash over you! He forgives! He searches for you! And YOU ARE PRECIOUS to Him! Now THAT…is a concert I can’t WAIT to see!
Almighty God…thank You for Your Mercy! May we be reminded today of how You search for us! Help me show your forgiveness to others today! And may truly SEE You and SHOW You this week! In Jesus Name, Amen
May Peace and Celebration Be YOUR Concert Today!
Don