•Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Last night, we had a beautiful sunset.
Grabbing my jacket, I seated myself on my front porch with my laptop, hoping to draw from the depths of inspiration that displayed itself so richly before my eyes. The sky was painted in elaborate hues of coral pink and dusky purple, as the last golden rays feathered lightly over the clouds and gently faded into the pastel display.
Several minutes passed, and my fingers didn’t move a muscle from the keyboard. Eventually, I just closed my laptop.
One of the most frustrating things to a writer is when we discover that words just aren’t enough. This is the hardest part when it comes to writing about God. What can I do to make these feeble words describe His power? His sovereignty? His majesty? His glory?
Nothing. Zilch. Nada.
It’s something that I can’t even fully grasp in my mind, much less write about.
How can I put into words the feelings of awe that come when I look out over majestic mountain ranges, feel the mist of a mighty ocean on my face, or watch a thunderstorm roll in? How can I do justice to His sovereignty, as I look back and see how He has written every single chapter of life so perfectly? What human words can express a Father’s love for his child, the wisdom of His ways, or the depths of His thoughts?
Although I continue to write, it is with the knowledge that the words that are penned here will never be enough to fully and adequately give Him the glory that He deserves.
But His words are.
So, take a moment and rest your thoughts on these words. Read them out loud, even. Truly, it doesn’t get any better than from the mouth of God Himself.
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
Go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
Lift up your voice with a shout,
Lift it up, do not be afraid;
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
And His arm rules for Him.
See, His reward is with Him,
And His recompense accompanies Him.
He tends His flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in His arms
And carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those that have young.
Grabbing my jacket, I seated myself on my front porch with my laptop, hoping to draw from the depths of inspiration that displayed itself so richly before my eyes. The sky was painted in elaborate hues of coral pink and dusky purple, as the last golden rays feathered lightly over the clouds and gently faded into the pastel display.
Several minutes passed, and my fingers didn’t move a muscle from the keyboard. Eventually, I just closed my laptop.
One of the most frustrating things to a writer is when we discover that words just aren’t enough. This is the hardest part when it comes to writing about God. What can I do to make these feeble words describe His power? His sovereignty? His majesty? His glory?
Nothing. Zilch. Nada.
It’s something that I can’t even fully grasp in my mind, much less write about.
How can I put into words the feelings of awe that come when I look out over majestic mountain ranges, feel the mist of a mighty ocean on my face, or watch a thunderstorm roll in? How can I do justice to His sovereignty, as I look back and see how He has written every single chapter of life so perfectly? What human words can express a Father’s love for his child, the wisdom of His ways, or the depths of His thoughts?
Although I continue to write, it is with the knowledge that the words that are penned here will never be enough to fully and adequately give Him the glory that He deserves.
But His words are.
So, take a moment and rest your thoughts on these words. Read them out loud, even. Truly, it doesn’t get any better than from the mouth of God Himself.
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
Go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
Lift up your voice with a shout,
Lift it up, do not be afraid;
Say to the towns of Judah,
“Here is your God!”
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
And His arm rules for Him.
See, His reward is with Him,
And His recompense accompanies Him.
He tends His flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in His arms
And carries them close to His heart;
He gently leads those that have young.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
Or with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
Or weighed the mountains on the scales
And the hills in a balance?
Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
Or instructed Him as His counselor?
Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten Him,
And who taught Him the right way?
Who was it that taught Him knowledge
Or showed Him the path of understanding?
Or with the breadth of His hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
Or weighed the mountains on the scales
And the hills in a balance?
Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
Or instructed Him as His counselor?
Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten Him,
And who taught Him the right way?
Who was it that taught Him knowledge
Or showed Him the path of understanding?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
And its peoples are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
And spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
And reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
And its peoples are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
And spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
And reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
“To whom will you compare Me?
Or who is My equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
And calls them each by name.
Because of His great power and mighty strength,
Not one of them is missing.
Or who is My equal?” says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
And calls them each by name.
Because of His great power and mighty strength,
Not one of them is missing.
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
And His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
And increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
And young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the LORD
Will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not faint.
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
The Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
And His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
And increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
And young men stumble and fall;
But those who hope in the LORD
Will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
They will run and not grow weary,
They will walk and not faint.
~Excerpts from Isaiah 40~
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Picture 1: Mount Hood, Oregon - October, 2008
Picture 2 - Arabian Sea/Indian Ocean, India - June, 2009
Picture 3 - Indianapolis, Indiana in the fall- October, 2007
Picture 4 - Somewhere between Crawford and Dallas, Texas - June, 2008
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