Hast Thou Commanded?

"Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place?" (Job 38:12)

To say that Job of old was tested is putting it mildly.  The list of things he withstood is beyond the scope of this writing.  Yet in all of it he "charged God not foolishly", spoke of his knowledge that his redeemer lives and will stand in the latter day, yielded to the testing as of gold by fire.  And so on.  Still, he questioned God and wished he'd never been born. 

God's response, starting in Job 38 is eloquent and thundering in its opening question, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?"  Among the many things God asked Job in order to make it clear Who was Sovereign and who was not, was the question above.  In our language; So, Job, do you command the sun to spring forth each day?  Or you, Brad?  Or you?

Merry Christmas!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
("His Eye is On the Sparrow" -- Charles H. Gabriel)

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?" (Luke 12:6)

Yes, Jesus made a point of telling us that God sees every sparrow that falls and even knows the number of hairs on our heads.  So why should I feel discouraged?  Forgive us (me) for our lack of faith.

Beside Still Waters

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul:" (Ps. 23:2-3)

BFF

"A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."
(Prov. 17:17)

That's the closest passage I could find to capture the current expression "BFF".  (Best Friends Forever, for the uninitiated!)

Road to Where

"And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people..."
(Isaiah 11:16)

Something about highways and railroads intrigues me.  As I cross a road, my mind wanders to its extension beyond the horizon and ultimately its terminus.  When we travel, they represent the way back home--there are even highways in the sky which you can observe if you pay attention to the contrails in your area. 

This verse in Isaiah, as well as Jesus' famous account of the prodigal, makes me thankful that no matter how far we roam in this old world, there's a way back home if we will just turn and head that way.

Skies of Parchment

Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.
"The Love of God" -- F.M. Lehman

What Goes Up

Yes, life has its ups and downs. Paul spoke of being abased and abounding and being content in all thing; certainly not a natural response.  I guess that's why Paul said that he had learned that particular response to life.  And ultimately he gives credit to the source in Phil. 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

And the Apostle John, who felt so close to Jesus that he referred to himself as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" testified, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear."

Into the Sunset

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised. (Ps. 113:3)

Poise

Disclaimer: I'm not at all unbiased here.  But don't you think she seems relaxed and easy in manner?  I think the smile and eye contact reveal awareness of her dad's camera clicking away.  Any other setting might have produced a roll of the eye.  Maybe; just maybe.  Love you Julie!