A picture of love

I had a picture in my head one day of a little girl dressed in rags, she was running through a rickety metal gate arms wide open to Jesus kneeling down his arms open waiting for her. Inside the gate is beautiful gardens, outside the gate it is dry, the plants are dry and decaying. If I was an artist I would paint the picture, but since I am not I can only paint the picture in words of the beauty of my Savior redeeming his undeserving child.

Wondering and lost
I didn't count the cost
In a world that is bare
No light is there
A land that is waisted
Severely lambasted
No sun shines
Thickets and vines
A vast desert ocean
Void of devotion
No life is found
No taste or sound
Barren and dry
A colorless eye
I wondered away
Why did I stray?
Took every turn
never to learn
Lost in this place
Forgotten his face
Drowning in shame
He speaks my name
A desire awakes
My tender heart aches
My Memory stirred
A voice long not heard
My journey begins
Dragging my sins
I'm coming come
I'll no longer roam
I enter the gates
Smiling he waits
As I pass through the door
Though I've been here before
Everything green
Never been seen
Birds that can sing
Flowers in spring
Gardens displayed
Richly arrayed
A silver glass pool
The water is cool
Touching my feet
Then our eyes meet
He sees in my soul
the depths of Sheol
Every sin long enclosed
It now is exposed
I tore him apart
I've broken his heart
What does he see
That he runs to me
His arms open wide
He takes me inside

Moving and happiness

I was listening to Dr. Dobson's focus on the family radio show, which just happened to be on the subject of woman coping with a move. In the fall of last year my Dad moved my family from our happy home in Maine down to Pennsylvania.
I had and indeed at many times am still having a hard time. I miss what is comfortable, I miss what I know, what I love, what is familiar.
Dr. Dobson was telling the story of his wife when they moved to Colorado. The day she was standing in front of the mirror putting on her make up and the Lord told her "I'm not concerned about your happiness but your being in my will."
It hit close to home. It is something I know in my head but my heart has a hard time connecting with.
It truly is not important to God that I am happy, but instead that I am fulfilling his purpose by being in his will. I cannot think of one example in the Bible where someone lived a wonderful happy life. Instead the story were all plagued by hardship men had to overcome.
I have heard people say of course God wants you to be happy or else he would not have placed that desire in you. That is ridicules. I also continually have the desire to sin, to lose my temper. Does that make it all right, because the Lord has placed this desire in me.
Paul says I must die to myself daily, meaning the things I want, my desires, my selfishness. Is it difficult, yes. We cannot do it on our own, and the Lord means for it to be this way. We must learn to completely depend on him.

Independence Day

Yesterday the greatest question was decided which ever was debated in America, and a greater perhaps never was nor will be decided among men. A resolution was passed without one dissenting colony that these Unites Colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent States......

The second day of July, 1776 will be the most memorable ephoca in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the greatest anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance. By solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to another from this time forward forever.
You will think me transported with enthusiasm but I am not. I am will aware of the blood and treasure that it will cost us to maintain this declaration. Yet through all the gloom I can see ravishing rays of light and glory. I can see that the end is worth all the means, and that posterity will triumph in that says transaction even though we should rue it, which I trust in God we shall not.

Letters of John Adams to Abigail Adams July 2nd and 3rd 1776

Contrary to popular knowledge the Declaration was not signed on July 4th. The first vote was taken on July 1st which did not pass. The final vote was postponed until the next day. Delaware's vote was split and North Carolina unexpectedly changed their vote against independence and Pennsylvania as led by John Dickinson votes against Independence. On July second, John Dickinson and his supporters stayed away so their colony could vote in favor, North Carolina once again changed their vote and voted for independence. Caesar Rodney rode all through the night in rain and thunder, wearied by cancer to make it just in time to change Delawares vote for independence. Thus the vote was unanimous as we became an independent sovereign nation. I love this era of history and the Divine Providence of God in just this vote absolutely fascinates me. On July 3rd Congress debated the wording of the Declaration and on July 4th after revisions approved it. Not until August 2nd did the delegates sign the declaration. However some did not even sign until 1777. when affixing his name to the Declaration John Hancock president of Congress declared. "John Bull can read that signature without spectacles, let him double his reward." Stephen Hopkins the only one to sign the declaration with a trembling hand because of Paralysis declared. "My hand trembles but my heart does not."

God's sovereign Grace

I, even I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. Isaiah 43:25

It is not for my own sake the Lord forgave me, but for his own, as this verse and other such as Ps. 25:7,11. It is not because I deserve it, for I most certainly do not. It is not to give benefits to me, and it is not because of the Lord's vast love somehow requires it. The Lord doesn't have to provide a "choice" for all as many Christians seem to think, no because he did not send his son into the world to die for our sake, but for his own sake.

Someone I recently discussed my views on the doctrines of Grace continued to state that if God did not provide a choice for all mankind that it wasn't fair. Absolutely God is not fair.

As he hath chosen us in him, before the foundations of the world. that we should be holy and without blame before him in love. Who hath predestined us to be adopted through Jesus Christ in himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. To the praise and the glory of his grace, which he hath made freely accepted in his beloved. And hath opened unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he hath purposed in him. In whom also we are chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of him which worketh all thing after the council of his own will. Ephesians 1:4-6,9,11

To those who declare that it is not fair, verse 5 and 6 say it is for the good pleasure of his will, not because he is a fair God. Does God always bestow upon his children or even the infidel what is fair? For the answer we go to scripture. Was it fair what the Lord did to Job. After all in chapter one the Lord declares that there is none like him in all the earth, an upright and just man. On that feareth God and escheweth evil. Then God sends on him such great calamity. He loses his property, all his children die. Is that fair? Did not the Israelites deserve judgment much sooner than Lord gave, continually delaying his wrath. The Lord sent a prophet to Ninevah, to all the people to preach repentance. However to Sodom there was only sent a message to one family. The rest of the people were not given a choice, but destroyed. In Jericho no message of repentance was sent to the people. However through Providence, the one family the Lord had chosen was redeemed through seemingly coincidental circumstances.

For they inherited not the land by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them, but thy right hand and arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou didst favor them. Ps. 44:3

God favors some men, and nations over others. It is not because of their great obedience, or any choice they made. Because more often then not, they made the wrong choices and were disobedient.

Yet I loved Jacob and I hated Esau.
Malachi 1:1-2

What did Esau do that was so terrible, read the story, nothing more significant than his brother. Who's faults are numerous. Yet the Lord chose to love Jacob and hate Esau and build his nation from Jacob.

More to come on this subject.