https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-xb24n-16c01ca

His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,

and clouds are the dust of his feet ~ Nahum 1:3b

The closest thing to God’s fury that I can think of is weather related. I’ve experienced some harrowing weather events in my lifetime, events that made me reflect on how I was in control of very little, if anything at all.

Those are great equalizer moments. In those moments we realize just how weak and small we are. In fact I don’t know of anyone who enjoys those kinds of situations. In general, we strive to be in control at all time, that’s our happy place. So when the world starts to spin out of control we’re uneasy and uncomfortable.

In Nahum 1:3 we read,

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power;

the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished.

His way is in the whirlwind and the storm,

and clouds are the dust of his feet

The Lord is slow to anger but great in power (this was revealed to Moses; in Exodus 34). We’re told the Lord will not stand by and let wickedness destroy his planet.

His generosity and forgiveness are staggering, but for the non-repentant there will be judgement. Well, I don’t want any part of that! I do however, want to linger in his staggering generosity and forgiveness.

In our world of questionable behavior; in our world of lost and angry souls; in our world of darkness induced blindness; let us as Nahum did, shine a light; a light of comfort; and a light of hope, through the love of LORD.

Pray on…

Song: Divine Nature

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-i5vu3-16c01c5

hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea ~ Micah 7:19

My daughter once lost a teething ring in a swampy bit of water in St. Augustine Florida. What compounded the retrieval of the ring was that it settled onto the snout of a rather large alligator. Just relocating where the ring was a miraculous achievement on my part as I realized after the fact that it was gone, but the sight of this rainbow colored ring on an alligator’s snout was not one that would ever be forgotten. Now to be clear, we were guests at an alligator farm so this wasn’t a wild and dangerous setting, and the walkway that we were traveling on made it impossible for me, dad, to do anything stupid, as in trying to retrieve the ring, but the hurling of the teething ring into the swampy water was the end of it. It was gone and after a short period of time very rarely ever thought of.

Micah 7:19 says of God, he hurls all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

Corrie ten Boom (Dutch Resistance Hero) says,

“When God buries our sins in the deepest sea,

he then post’s a sign that says, no fishing allowed.”

There is no need for us to return to the scene of the crime, to continue to replay the act, or to cry over the broken moment.

God pardons, …shows compassion, …triumphs over his peoples’ sins, …and seals those sins away. By his unfailing love, God continues to offer hope to those who trust in him.

Lord, help us to live for today’s opportunities, and to remember your pardons, your compassion, and your unfailing love.

Pray on…

Song: Relentless Love

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-7ya9a-16c01c0

He will stand and shepherd his flock ~ Micah 5:4

There are countless stories where love lies bleeding. Where the love for another is the driving force for sacrifice that sometimes leads to death. Have you witnessed this kind of love in your life time?

Seven hundred years before the gospel, in Micah 5, we read about a deliverer that is foreseen. The character of the deliverer will be that of a shepherd. He’ll be wanting to feed and nourish his people. This is in direct contrast to others who’ll be oppressive dictators. This deliverer will bring peace. He’ll be the source of peace. The prince of Peace.

Skip’s Heitzig said, “One of the most beautiful descriptions of Jesus is when he said,

‘ I am the good shepherd.’”

But between the first coming and the second coming, is a cross where the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. His unmatched love will lead to him sacrificing his life …for all mankind.

He will stand and shepherd his flock ~ Micah 5:4

O’ that we’d recognize and embrace the great sacrifice of the good shepherd.

Today …and everyday.

Pray on…

Song: Through His Life

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-pks4q-16c01b2

and peoples will flow to it ~ Micah 4:1

Have you ever been caught up in a moment when time didn’t exist? A moment when your mind was so occupied that the passing of time was oblivious to you. That’s to say at some point you stopped to realized a large portion of it had passed without your recognition. That’s being in the flow.

As a musician I get to experience (flow) it in those special improvisational instances, the ones that we can’t really explain, but that inspire us and make us want to return again and again.

Here in Micah 4 we read that the people will flow to it, it being Mt Zion; to the house of the Lord, to worship …and here let me share that I’ve also experience the flow in worship. What a glorious experience to get lost so in worship that time doesn’t exist; that seconds, minutes, and hours can pass without notice.

Both Isaiah and Micah echo this piece of scripture. I’d like to believe that the Holy Spirit thought it was that important, that it needed to be mentioned twice. As they use it, it means spontaneous movement; you’re not compelled to do it, but you want to do it.

Skip Heitzig shares that, “There’s coming a day when the nations of the world will want to go to flow to Jerusalem. Because the Messiah will reign and rule from there for a thousand years, and the world will be at peace.”

What a prayer for our world, that all nations would flow to the house of the Lord …to worship him.

Pray on…

Song: In the House of the Lord