Psalm 45

In the quiet hours of the morning, the Lord led me to Psalm Forty-Five. This psalm is so beautiful. It’s a Wedding Song.  A prophetic word from God given to the Sons of Korah who were set-apart, anointed prophetic singers in the Tabernacle of David. As I was reading and meditating upon the words, I asked the Holy Spirit to speak to me. I asked Him to reveal and captivate me with the Lord’s heart, and to help me understand what it was and is that the Father is really saying. And O is He faithful to do what my heart desires, because surely He put it there! So, here is a portion of what He’s shown me – for some things I will leave unspoken because the secrets of His heart are precious and not to be thrown out for all to see. So, if you so desire to know what is on His heart, you will ask Him and He will show you.

Verse 1 – “My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the King; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.”  The Father is speaking about His Son Jesus, The King. The Father has been planning a Wedding from the very beginning of the beginning. It has always been the Father’s desire to give the hearts of men to His Beloved Son forever! The Father is the author of Life – He has a plan, and though sin entered into the world, He still knew exactly how He would write His theme of Love through human history, so that every generation might be saved and call upon the Name of Jesus.  

Verse 2 – “You are the most excellent of men and Your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed You forever.” Again the Father is talking about His Son Jesus. He is giving us a picture, a glimpse of who Jesus is. Many at the start of their relationship with Jesus ask the question: “What is He like?” We are called to love this Man. How can I love someone whom I know nothing about? Well, the Father tells us,”…He is the most excellent of men…” this says lots about Jesus. For example, let’s think about all of the different noble and excellent men and women throughout history. To name a few: Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Harriet Tubman, William Wilberforce, Abraham Lincoln. We know their stories, we admire their work, we love their character, and we are thankful for their positive impact upon the world. But Jesus – this man surpasses them all! Even all of them combined! Whoever your hero or heroine may be, they pale in comparison to who Jesus is and what He has done! The Father, however, does not stop there in description of His Son. He goes on to say, “…Your lips have been anointed with grace, since God has blessed You forever!” So, what is grace exactly? Why does grace matter? Grace can be easily understood as a gift given to you in which you do not deserve. God says His lips are worthy and full of grace, dripping with grace, eagerly ready to give humanity the fullness of who He is (Savior, Judge, King, and Bridegroom) forever! We are impacted by His grace and we share in the blessing and inheritance given to Jesus because we are His Beloved Bride.

Verse 3 – “Gird Your sword upon Your side, O mighty One; clothe Yourself with splendor and majesty.” Since Jesus ascended into Heaven, He has been interceeding for His bride. For 2,000 years He has been praying and waiting until the Father says it is time to return to the earth and take His bride with Him. Jesus is watchful and ready. Again, …”Splendor and Majesty…” describe who He is and what He looks like. He is beautiful! There is no shadow of turning within Him – no darkness, not even a hint! He is excellent and pure.

Verses 4- 7 “In Your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility, and righteousness; let Your right hand display awesome deeds. Let Your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the King’s enemies; let the nations fall beneath Your feet. Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of Your Kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has set You above Your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” Jesus is coming back to the earth as a bold and victorious warrior! This is a picture that we have a hard time seeing and understanding because we are so familiar with Jesus as the humble, suffering servant. But He is both. When Jesus came to earth the first time we are told in Phil. 2 that though He was God (all powerful and all knowing), He humbled Himself, served, suffered, and died on a cross to redeem man from his sins. He was still very much a ”Braveheart” at that time, but He did not unveil it because it was not the right timing. But there is a time coming when He will come to earth as a man victorious in battle, killing His enemies – all those who refuse to trust in Him and receive His love. Now I know at first this sounds offensive to our hearts….Jesus (fully God, fully man) will be on the earth, literally killing people (His enemies)! We might question and say, “How could a loving God do such a thing?” I mean this is Jesus we are talking about….”The most excellent!” But we must reconsider how unloving it would be for God to let evil continue on. Besides, how often do we blame God for allowing bad things to happen in our lives? The Spirit is saying, “Look at My Word! In My justice, in My mercy, in My love and compassion, I am bringing an end to all of the bad!” And all of those who refuse to receive the freedom from sin through Jesus and who refuse to love Him, they are evil and will continue to do evil things, so they must be destroyed! We must remember that His judgements are simply removing everything that hinders true love. The tragedy is not that men will physically die, it’s that they refuse to love the One who created and loved them first; they condemn themselves, and they will forever be departed from Him because they said no. Then the Word goes on to say that the Lord’s throne will last for ever and ever and Jesus will be filled with unending joy because He will be united with us, His bride, and nothing will separate us from His love!

Verses 8-9  “All Your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; from palaces adorned with ivory the music of the strings makes You glad. Daughters of kings are among Your honored women; at Your right hand is the royal bride in gold of Ophir.”  The battle is now over. King Jesus has destroyed the works of the devil and all of his followers. The Wedding of the Lamb has come! He is clothed in fine garments, which are fragrant with good smells. He hears the music playing – like the prelude that is played before the bride walks down the aisle. This is the fulfillment of His promise! Can’t you see Him standing there glowing with joy and with a smile on His face?!

Verse 10-12 “Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: forget your people and your father’s house. The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor Him for He is your Lord. A Tyrian robe is among the gifts, men of wealth will seek your favor.” This is a reminder of what it means to marry Jesus. To take on His name we are saying no to all others. For we all know what it is like to be pursued by the loves of this world and how easy it can be to say yes to the whims of our carnal flesh. This is a serious commitment, a sacred holy covenant that we are entering into. We are forsaking all other lovers and clinging to Him alone. Its as if there were to be any settle hesitation within our hearts that He then reassures us of His love and says that He is captivated by our beauty! And the Spirit gives us confidence reminding us that Jesus is our Lord and we are to cherish Him. And we do because He is our First Love and our lives have reflected that by His grace. 

Verses 13-15 “All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold. In embroidered garments she is led to the King; her virgin companions follow her and are brought to You. They are led in with joy and gladness; they enter the palace of the King.” Can’t you picture it?  Jesus’ bride, the church, beautifully dressed. People from every nation, tribe and tongue. They are pure, spotless, clean, and ready to marry their Bridegroom of Blood! Joy and Gladness lead them into His presence and there He stands – the most excellent One, the King of all kings, the Savior of the world, Lover of mankind, the Eternal Bridegroom! He stands there with joy radiating through Him! It sounds like a fairy tale, but it’s a true reality. We should be excited!

Verses 16-17 “Your sons will take the place of your fathers; you will make them princes throughout the land. I will perpetuate Your memory through all generations; therefore the nations will praise you for ever and ever.” Here God is saying that all who are saved are called sons of God. They are adopted and grafted into God’s family (both Jews and Gentiles who call upon the Name of Jesus). These will take the place of all those who only trusted in their geneology – or who believed that they would be saved because they were descendants of Abraham. Those who trusted in their Lord Jesus and who also lived lives worthy of the calling they had received will be made princes throughout the land (the new earth). And God will cause the reality of all that Jesus has done to remain in the minds of all the peoples of the earth as they live for ever with Him. He will be praised forever and ever because He alone is worthy! Amen.

God-Bearing Fruit

Spring every year seems so new. The winter months make us forget what warm fresh air smells like, how beautiful the morning birds sing, and how appealing bright green grass is to the eye. There is something about Spring that makes us feel so alive and renewed! It’s refreshing and brings a sense of relief to us when the sun stays out longer, when we see lots of people out and about enjoying the nice weather, and when we no longer feel smothered or restricted by so many layers of clothing! Spring makes a lot of people happy, myself included! But it’s not just the warm weather or the flowers and green grass that fill me with contentment; the thing I like most about Spring is the expression of God’s beauty and glory that is displayed in it. Every intricate detail from clouds, to flowers, to blades of grass, to trees, to wild-life and beyond is a glimpse, a picture of our Creator. Who is like Him? The uncreated, uncontainable, unfathomable, God – the Three in One: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And here am I….His beloved. I know who I am because I know who He is. That is the fruit of a God-bearing life – that I be more like Christ in all that I think, in all that I say, in all that I feel, and in all that I do, producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. For against these there is no law (Galatians 5:22-23). My prayer is that God would teach and grow me more in such living as I discover and enjoy Him in this season. While I am very grateful for these beautiful days, it is good to know that I have a greater hope and assurance in Christ than I do for a next Spring.

Awakened

“The Lamp of the Lord searches the spirit of a man; it searches out his inmost being.” Proverbs 20:27 

Jesus, You see every part of me – even my inmost being! Though I am dark, You say that I am beautiful! Nothing is hidden from Your eyes; You search the heart of man and know his thoughts. In Your loving kindness You have not destroyed us as our sins deserve! You have been patient and tender, caring for Your creation. Forever and ever I will sing Your praise. I will not be silent!

In the last days You will be proved right – all will see the beauty, the justice, the mercy, the love, the kindness that You have shown toward all men from the very beginning to the very end of the age! Man proved a liar. God exalted on High!

Why O man do you run from God? Why do you live as though you have no Maker? Why do you prance and dance only to advance for a moment?! Haven’t you heard? Haven’t you seen?  Judgment is coming and He will remove everything that hinders love! Who will defend you? Who will plead your case? Repent! And Turn! For there is One who stands at the door and waits. He will not wait forever, but He relents a while for your sake.

Hear what is true! Be alive and awake! I will say it again, this life is but an instant! There is only a small window of time. Don’t foolishly waste your life on what will rot and die!

History’s unfolding – moments are racing by! The earth shakes, the oceans roar, the mountains melt like wax! War is raging, famine is spreading, blood is poured forth. The drama is ever increasing – not just a repeat of ages past – no, this is only the beginning to end the old and start a new thing that will last.

Jesus is faithful – He is a real man, Divine in every way. He is coming! He is radiant and ruddy – fitted with a golden sash. He has defeated sin and death! He gives the gift of a true life to be lived! He is coming! He will kiss me with the kisses of His Word – He will not delay to marry me! He is the One my heart adores; He is everything I want and need! He is coming!

As a bride beautifully dressed for her husband, so we will meet Him. He will bring all things together and make them as one! Heaven and Earth joined forever – the mystery of God’s heart. How good and pleasing is His will to make the two become united. I am resurrected in freedom, created for love, forever married to my bridegroom of blood.

Never looking back – it will never be the same – no more pain or worthless gain – because of Jesus only Faith, Hope, and Love remain!

Grumblings Over Tomato Soup

So, I’m sure all you married people will appreciate this. : ) I shared this story during girls night and they thought it was classic.

Well, it’s toward the end of the month and our kitchen cabinets are getting pretty bare, nothing uncommon and certainly nothing we can’t handle. For we know that in just a few short days, we will receive our paycheck and then we can go to the store and buy more food! Until then, we bear down and eat what we have! 

So, we go exploring into our cabinets and discover that we have a random assortment of things like jiffy mix, bisquick, crackers, hot chocolate, veggie soup, rice, tea, and tomato soup! Now since we have been married, I must say that both of us have become quite creative when it comes to making up a meal! This time around, however, we were pretty positive that jiffy mix and hot chocolate would not make a great mouth-watering pair to dine. So, we went with the simple route – grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. Safe and classic (or so we thought). : )

Well, we grab the two tomato soups that we have stored away in our cabinet and we find that both soups have expired. : ( Campbell’s is about two years over due and the Kroger brand is only a month, so naturally we chose the Kroger brand. Tim did for a split second think that Campbell’s might be the better choice because of the brand, but I just could not bring myself to believe that a two year expired can of soup (no matter how great the brand) could possibly be better than the only one month expired cheap brand! So, we went with the cheap.

Well,  Tim lovingly heats up that soup on the stove and quickly fixes up the yummy grilled cheese sandwiches while I make some lemon cupcakes. And not too long after, we are sitting at the table with our sandwiches and soup, ready to thank the Lord for all that He has faithfully provided us with and ready to eat! We pray and then dig in!

Well, the grilled cheese was great, but the soup…. was absolutely disgusting – the worst tomato soup I’ve ever had! I look over and well Tim, bless his heart, is thoroughly enjoying his tomato soup. He looks at me and sees that I am not pleased at all and says, “Honey, aren’t you going to eat your soup?” I say, “No, eww. It tastes bad! And it leaves an after-taste of tin can!” He insists, “No it doesn’t! It tastes fine! You’re just concerned because it’s expired!” By this point I am getting a little irritated and say, “I am not eating that soup! Can you seriously not taste the tin can?! You can eat it. That is fine, but I refuse.” Now a little offended and sad Tim says, “But I made it for you and you don’t like it…” I interrupt and say, “You didn’t make it! You just heated it up on the stove and I can’t believe that you are so offended over this! It’s just tomato soup!” Well, that ended the argument. So, we sat in silence and I scooted my bowl over to Tim ( just in case he wanted to eat the rest of mine) and I finished my grilled cheese sandwich.

Well, once dinner is over, I start putting  the dishes in the sink. Tim, being the humble man that he is and the better half in this marriage, apologizes and of course I apologize too. We begin to laugh at how silly we were to fight over old, expired tomato soup and we proceed into our living room to spend some more time together.

Well, not five minutes later, Tim has this disgusted look on his face and asks me if we have any mints around. I smile and ask, “Why honey, what’s wrong?” And not to my surprise he shrieks, “I have a horrible tin can after-taste in my mouth and it’s awful! Quick! Get me a mint!”  So, I got him a mint and we laughed pretty hard again about that old gross soup. : )

Morals to be learned: 1. Don’t eat expired tomato soup. 2. Give thanks to God in all circumstances. 3. Learn to love, laugh, and live.

Beautiful God

“Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you.” – Isaiah 46:4

Oh how I hold on to Your promises! They give me so much hope even when I feel discouraged. Lord, I know you value old age and understand the heartache that follows sin and death. It is certainly not what you intended for us! Pain and death were not in Your perfect plan, but even so, You made a way through Your precious Son to save our souls from eternal darkness, and for those who trust in Your Son Jesus will be with You forever! So, as I still mourn over my grandmother, whom I know is with You, I am comforted by the works You have already done. My grandpa was on Omaha Beach on D-day and it was only by Your love and mercy that he made it safely back home to his best friend and wife, Peggy. They lived a full and wonderful life of love together and You, O God, wrote their story! Jesus, You made their lives so beautiful! They had four amazing boys and from one of those boys I came to be. It was all in Your plan! And I can honestly say that I have seen so many changed by the legacy that You have left through them. You are a beautiful God!

Beloved

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death…” – Song of Songs 8:6

Mark me as Your own dear Lover of my soul! Never let me wonder away from what is good. Keep me near Your heart, and hold me forever in Your warm embrace! This I know – that no matter what comes my way – that though I am weak, You are always strong.

Oh but how I dislike my unyielding and rebellious heart – the thoughts it ponders to have its own selfish way! Will it ever be satisfied? Can I ever convince it to settle and commit for good?! Let me tell you O man what is true: The battle is raging; it’s on the inside where my thoughts and meditations lie. Who can see it? Who can perceive it from afar? Who can know it?! Who can really know my heart?

Only You O God can know the true lay and beat of my drum. My soul – sometimes it lies and makes me feel numb. So I say to the Lord, “Search me and know me….reveal any hidden way!” But I have to wonder, “What does a Holy God do with such an unholy mess? Is it worth the clean up? Is it worth the process, or is it altogether too late?”

Not long after, I hear that small still voice…His lips He will open and from His heart He will say, “This is the day Your Lord has made! You are my darling, you are full of worth and I am the Great I AM who is worthy enough to make a way and set it all straight.”

And so what is there left to question? I have to trust You. I know I want You. Therefore, I linger in Your everlasting Love – I’m caught in Your gaze again and that’s where I’m changed – it’s where I’m transformed. My heart takes a new shape and it beats for only Your way. I am my Lovers and He is mine.

It’s simple… God is Love. And as for Love… it wins again and again beating sin and death to the very end!