Camping out in His holy palace.

God in Zion, we praise You
    and give You what we promised.
Anyone can come to You,
    and You will listen to their prayers.
When our sins become too heavy for us,
    You wipe them away.
Oh, how wonderful it is to be the people you chose
    to come and stay in Your Presence.
And we are so happy to have the wonderful things
    that are in Your Presence, Your holy palace.
God, You answer our prayers and do what is right.
    You do amazing things to save us.
People all over the world know they can trust in You,
    even those who live across the sea. Psalm 65:1-5

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me. O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me. O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant me your peace.

 And sometimes we can feel stuck. Like my friend who thinks that she will never ever be able to get up at five in the morning to exercise. So she is having all of her Facebook friends text her. But yesterday she didn’t get out of bed. And she, like the rest of us, feels stuck.

But He promises otherwise, and when our sins become too heavy for us, when at last we confess our brokenness, He will wipe them all away.

A fresh start. An unwrinkled page.

Anyone can come to Him. And He will listen.

And really my god is too small. Oh me of little faith.

May I have the faith of a small child, uncomplicated by prideful self.

May I have the faith of a Samaritan leper, kneeling in gratitude.

May I have the faith of those who live across the seas, uncomplicated by statistical analysis and historical precedence.

May I rest in His presence today. His promises, His wonderfulness, His blessed happiness.

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant me Your peace.

Of motes and men

Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.  Matthew 7:1-2

This is one of those verses that I am wont to quote.  Actually it first struck my heart and mind ever so many years ago when I was the dorkiest seventh-grader ever memorizing the King James version of Matthew because I was on the Bible Quiz State Team for Tennessee.  

However I have been reflecting, meditating, on it yet again for the past twenty-four hours.  What does this really mean, in the darkest corner of my mind that so longs to label and sort and order and yes, even judge every single other person? So I can find myself in the lineup.  

And I often find this same myself using such a very ugly low bar that no one could possibly crawl under it. So quick to point at the mote in my brother’s eye.  

The example floating around in those days to explain the “For all have sinned” bit was the image of all of humanity standing on the beach in Southern California, and needing to swim to Hawaii.  And the old sickly people would drown first, but eventually even the strong and beautiful would die.  No one would make it on his own.  

I sure get that image.  We are all drowning.  In the swirling nightmare of brokenness of the world–the wars, the famine, the injustices, the hatred–the heartbreak of each soul piled high and crying out, Why, Oh LORD God, Why?” 

Why did You have to plant that stupid old fruit tree in the garden in the first place? Why in a world that You declared, “Good” was there the evil to be known? And while I am asking, “Why,” what about that Law? Does the rhyme and rhythm of it really point to a loving and wise God?  Creator of all the Universe? A deep dark line in the sand dividing Us from You?

But maybe, just maybe, I get an occasional glimpse of What is True.  Not as bright and shining as Lewis’ joy. But a glimpse.  A knowing that is beyond our shattered words, shattered since the tower of Babel when Man first challenged God. 

In the secret hollow of my heart, away from the madding crowd, I know Love.  Experience its clarity, its peace, its grace. And if there is nothing outside of this roiling cosmos, from whence did this Comfort come?  And the scientist within knows that if I measure and pour and observe and measure my test tubes here in front of me, I am discovering principles and laws that can be equally measured elsewhere. Principles and laws that govern this universe and describe the forces holding it together. Thus, it is no hard matter to extrapolate this Love tucked within my depths to For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son.  

Which leads me back to judging and poking at motes. In while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  And destroyed the Law.  And broke the prison of sin, the knowing of good and evil.  And in His presence, with my eyes fixed on Him, and Him alone, the storm calms.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”