being back

I recently alluded to the fact of my family's summer vacation. One of the things that inevitably happens when we return from such a trip is that we get cranky because we are not still gone! I guess it is typical human behavior to complain along with, or rather than, thanking God for his provision of rest and enjoyment along with other blessings. With this in mind, I thought I'd share the comment made by my wife yesterday morning (our first day back) as we prepared for work:

I need some altitude, but I suspect I'll just have attitude.

indescribable

Last year, while on a camping trip, I did a post entitled "know who did it," speaking of God and His creative genius. During my vacation in Colorado, I have been thinking of His creation again--it is difficult not to as I am surrounded by beauty: Here at Leadville, I am staring out the window of my RV at Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive, Colorado's two tallest peaks, and the hummingbirds are just going nuts around the feeder hanging just outside. Earlier, when we had to refill it, I took it out to hang it back up and a hummingbird flew up and began feeding while I was still holding it!

I have been musing on how awesome God's creation is, and I began thinking of how to express it. Then I began to realize that to call God and His creation awesome, matchless, or for that matter any other description I could come up with is to limit Him to the bounds of the creation within which we live. For to describe something is to bound it, to limit our field of view of it, and God is truly indescribable, as is His creation.

God is infinite in all of His attributes, including His love and faithfulness. Knowing this should bring great comfort and encouragement to us. George Muller put it this way in his autobiography:

Those who trust in the Lord will never be disappointed. ...If we were to lean upon man, we would surely be disappointed; but in leaning upon the living God alone, we are beyond disappointment and beyond being forsaken for any reason.

again I say

I'm reminded of Philippians 3:1, where the apostle Paul writes, "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you." Now, what made me think of this verse is the phrase to write the same things to you again. For today my thoughts return to a topic that I've written about several times before--the stuff of one's relationship with God.

God speaks to us through his word; we speak to God through prayer. This basic expression of the personal relationship with God is easy to state and understand, but for many if not most Christians, it is difficult to practice. I struggle myself with the discipline needed to daily open the word and my mind to it. Prayer can easily decline to a selfish listing of wants rather than intimate communion with a friend. Perhaps that is why I felt compelled to write this short blurb, again, when I saw this statement from Hudson Taylor:

Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.