Are you familiar with the three images in Old Testament about God: wind, fire and earthquake.
In 1 Kings 19 Elijah was exhausted and afraid of the threats of Jezebel and had fled to the wilderness. Eventually, after an angel had fed him twice, he traveled forty days and nights into the wilderness of Mt Horeb. He slept in a cave and then the LORD God came to Him and told him to go outside, as follows,
He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ 1 Kings 19:11-13
There have been many songs written about this incident and how the LORD calls us to listen to His still, small voice. The one below was written by and sung by Audrey Assad. Lyrics below are slightly different from recording, but you will get the idea. Recorded and released on a Chris Tomlin Christmas CD entitled Abide. Snow is unusual in Bethlehem, but not unheard of. We have had a few light snows in our area lately. This song always returns me to listening for that still small voice in my heart.
Could’ve come like a mighty storm With all the strength of a hurricane You could’ve come like a forest fire With the power of heaven in your flame
[Chorus] But you came like a winter snow Quiet and soft and slow Falling from the sky in the night To the earth below
[Bridge] Ooh no, your voice wasn’t in a bush burning No, your voice wasn’t in a rushing wind It was still, it was small, it was hidden
[Chorus] You came like a winter snow Quiet and soft and slow Falling from the sky in the night To the earth below
[Outro] Falling, oh yeah, to the earth below You came falling from the sky in the night To the earth below
Listen for that tender voice as we celebrate Advent and await His coming again.
Seems like a long post to me, or perhaps it was just difficult for me to write? WordPress estimates it as about 4 minutes reading time?
The drawing below is me, yielded to Immanuel. It is an attempt to illustrate the poem.
Sometime in the 1990s I wrote this and it still expresses my heart today. I especially recall this poem in the Advent season as we await the celebration of the birth and coming again of our King.
So what does that have to do with the Hebrew word Hineni? First I am learning to pronounce it correctly.
I had heard this word before in a sermon some place and then was reintroduced to it in the book series Sensible Shoes. The character was learning to pronounce it regardless of what life sent her way. Eventually I realized, “Wait! I have a series of short poems that begin with ‘Here am I.” Well, duh, Molly.
The declaration “Here am I” or ‘Hineni’ is more than telling God your geographic location. It is a powerful declaration of surrender and complete availability to God. We are saying we will do whatever the LORD asks, not even knowing in advance what that might entail. Reworded from https://firmisrael.org/learn/here-am-i-the-hebrew-meaning-of-hineni/
Examples are given of Abraham, Moses and Samuel all saying “hineni” to God, with readiness to pay attention or follow instructions. God can make this declaration, too!
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness[a] will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.” Isaiah 58:6-9 NIV
The declaration that “God with us” is a name for Jesus, Immanuel or Emmanuel, is huge. The fact that Jesus is both man and God should make us consider what that entails. I think I could ponder the impact of that declaration the rest of my days here on earth and not get to the end of the meaning.
What does it mean to you that the Word declares that Jesus is said to be God with us? What does it mean that the same God wants to dwell within you? Can you capture that meaning in a few sentences? I have not been able to do it.
Immanuel is a masculine Hebrew name meaning “God with us” or “God is with us.” The name Immanuel appears in the Bible three times, twice in the Old Testament book of Isaiah (7:14 and 8:8), and once in the Gospel of Matthew (1:23).
An alternate spelling of the name Immanuel is Emmanuel, which comes from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Immanuel, spelled with an I, is the translation of the original Hebrew name into English, whereas Emmanuel, spelled with an E, is a translation of a translation (from Hebrew to Greek to English).https://www.gotquestions.org/what-does-Immanuel-mean.html
Greek, Hebrew, does it really matter? Can you embrace the meaning?!? Embrace the spelling that speaks to you heart. Can you allow this God to dwell with you and in you? Could this be a Christmas where you make the celebration all about the Mysterious Trinity come to dwell in you?
I was trying to listen to a song by Leonard Cohen called “You Want it Darker” and found it very disturbing, even though it has Hineni in the lyrics. Then I found this commentary from a Rabbi on that very song and the music of Leonard. If you have the time, I think you will find it VERY enlightening as to how the Jewish people embrace Hineni. (Maybe I need to get this tattooed on my arm. Even after taking notes and then writing this blog I STILL do not know how to spell it on my own!)
Perhaps in the opening photo you noticed the hand on my dashboard? I cannot remember if I posted this story previously or not. If I did you still might want to read this as I finally located the complete story online.
When our kids were young teenagers I bought a dismembered hand at a Halloween store for my own object lesson. The hand I bought then was very flexible. I cut the “blood” off the cuff and placed it on the dashboard to remind me to hold the children loosely. They thought it was hilarious as every time we hit a bump the fingers would vibrate and bounce. No idea where that hand is today, but I needed another one this autumn.
I started by shopping at the original shop where I had bought it. No such thing. The one they asked to be sent from the downtown location was not right and too bloody. Shop keeper assured me they could sell it.
Finally found something similar on Amazon and had it sent to the house. Cut the blood off the cuff. It is not as bouncy but still holds the same message.
Recently I was in anguish seeking wisdom from the Lord. On the way to our trysting location I heard I should try Chuck Swindoll. Originally I had read the object lesson in a book of daily devotions compiled from his teachings. Have absolutely no idea what that book was called. Sure enough the example was available online. I do not think I ever read his entire telling of it.
Here goes: Shortly before her death, Corrie ten Boom attended our church in Southern California. Following the worship service, I met briefly with her, anxious to express my wife’s and my love and respect for her faithful example. She inquired about my family . . . how many children, their ages—that sort of thing. She detected my great love for each one and very tenderly admonished me to be careful not to hold on to them too tightly. Cupping her wrinkled hands in front of me, she passed on a statement of advice I’ll never forget. I can still recall that strong Dutch accent: “Pastor Swindoll, you must learn to hold everything loosely … everything. Even your dear family. Why? Because the Father may wish to take one of them back to Himself, and when He does, it will hurt you if He must pry your fingers loose.” And then, having tightened her hands together while saying all that, she slowly opened them and smiled so kindly as she added, “Remember … hold everything loosely … everything” In the back of my mind I can still hear her words.
I retained “Hold everything loosely, because the Father may wish to change things and it will hurt you if He must pry your fingers loose. Hold everything loosely … everything.”
I cannot remember how many times I have shared that lesson. Just this morning I learned that my dear friend from childhood had a terrible report from her husband’s MRI. “It showed metastases to the spine, pelvis and lymph nodes. He has been under the care of a team – urology, oncologist and radiation oncologist for prostate cancer. They were pretty certain it had spread to the bones somewhere but not certain where. Until now it had not shown up on any scans.” On her behalf I am holding her husband loosely as I pray for them as a couple walking through this.
Since my husband almost died in 2018 I have rejoiced in every day that I still have with him. I cannot say I have practiced holding him loosely. As the Father has allowed things to change with one family member I have remembered the pain of having my fingers pried loose.
In most circles this is called non-attachment. I find it especially difficult to do in regards to family members and those we love dearly.
So the hand remains on my dashboard. I pray that you, too, will able to open your hands and hold all things loosely. Corrie ten Boom was a woman of intense wisdom learned through unbelievable suffering and cruelty in the concentration camp in Germany. If you have not read her biography, “The Hiding Place” I encourage you to get it and brace yourself for a telling of the comfort and power of God. It is in print, was made into a movie, and also a play.
One thing that is difficult for me to do is to maintain quietness in my heart and mind. My “life verse” Isaiah 30:15 helps me with this, WHEN I remember it!
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” Isaiah 30:15
In the Book of Common Prayer I am often frustrated because the scriptures used are not given a cross reference. I delighted when I came across this prayer in the Book of Common Prayer on Page 832. For this prayer, I already knew the Scripture!
O God of peace, who hast taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be our strength: By the might of thy Spirit lift us, we pray thee, to thy presence, where we may be still and know that thou art God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
When Bob and Jeff were both confirmed in the Episcopal Church we stayed in that community for many years. When the choir director set up every song during worship in Latin, I was furious, declaring “If we are going to sing in Latin I think we ought to sing in tongues with or without interpretation!” Irish German temper showing there! We then migrated from the Episcopal church to the Vineyard.
When we worshiped at the Vineyard at the time they were on the cutting edge of contemporary worship music. Many scriptures were incorporated into lyrics. One of the best ways to learn scripture is to sing it! And we sang, learned and the Word of God went into our hearts. This is one of those songs from long ago. The lyrics for the song are below. Hear it as the Trinity singing to you.
Song for the Bride, written by Brian Doerksen
I have longed to hold you in my arms And take all of your fear away I will take your filthy rags And make them clean
If you receive my love If you will receive my love Return to me And hear my spirit say
In repentance and rest Is your salvation In quietness and trust Is your strength
Return to me Return to me And hear my spirit say
Return to me Says the Lord Let me love you once again
In repentance and rest Is your salvation In quietness and trust Is your strength
I hope you will sit with the song, listen to it more than once and open your heart and mind to God’s love for you, His Bride. Can you envision yourself as the Bride of Christ? He longs for our fellowship with Him. If you wonder about the image of a Bride consider reviewing these verses.
The Trinity desires intimacy with us just as a bride and groom are intimate with each other. Jesus literally wants to ‘walk with us and talk with us’ as we journey through this life. Preparations are being made to take us to His side in the next.
I pray you will find rest in with the Groom now, in this time and place. I pray you will carry a reminder that you can enter that rest at any time. Choose to stay there. Do not fulfill that last part of Isaiah 30:15 NRSVA “but you refused.”
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience. Hebrews 4:9-11
Somehow we got it in our heads that prayer must be polite. That there are only certain ways we should talk to God. Yet, the Bible is full of people talking to God with lament and anger and frustration and all sorts of things beyond adoration or groveling. (Read Jeremiah 12 for an example.)
The most genuine relationships are those where we can express ourselves openly without fear of censure or judgement. I have learned that my God can handle whatever form of communication I want to use with Him. When I was nine months pregnant with our first baby, my mother died suddenly. It took me ten years to adjust to that loss. When I was in the deepest throes of grief I cried out to God, reminded Him that in the Bible it says He would comfort those who mourn. Matthew 5:4 So where was my comfort? And comfort came. I can get angry at God and He can take it. Even then grace and mercy are not withdrawn from me.
Have you been transparent in your prayers. Are your communications with God authentic? Do you dare let yourself talk or shout at Him like you would a friend? The Scripture says to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 96:9) If you feel free to holler at God you are no less beautiful than one kneeling in silence.
There are so many Americans fearful of what the return of Donald Trump to the Oval Office will usher in. From scientists, to law makers, to immigrants, to those on the fringes of society, fear is rampant and on the minds of many every single day. With each appointment of cabinet members and advisors who seem outlandish to moderate Americans the cries of fear increase.
In 1996 I wrote this and even heard a melody to go with it. I have not pursued getting it published or sung in public. I believe it holds true especially today.
Somewhere in the knowing there is peace,
Right there in the longing is a pull to draw near,
Almost at the brink a hand reaches out to save,
In response to the cry of our soul.
Cry then, soul, out loud!
Feel all your feelings.
Declare to God every single thing.
He's not repelled, He made you and
He loves you.
So speak with Him
Through song or shouts of pain.
Independence is the bane of our lives,
Drawing near the bless`ed, chosen way;
Narrow though it seems,
Eternal vistas open forth,
As we sacrifice with Holy trust and praise.
Chorus
Give Him all your shattered dreams and longings,
Every vain attempt to take control;
He alone is worthy of the powers we desire,
He alone can save and make us whole.
Cry then, soul, out loud!
Feel all your feelings.
Declare to God every single thing.
He's not repelled, He made you and
He loves you.
So speak with Him
Through song or shouts of pain.
I would love for you to try being authentic with the Trinity. Your emotions are not too much for the Mighty One to handle. By being transparent you might actually move into a new dimension of prayer that you have not had before.
Cry the soul, out loud!
Say it like you mean it. Don’t begin with grit or faith. Start with disappointment, naming your pain and need to God. He collects our tears, and we begin by doing up the same, dragging up our painful experiences of his perceived absence, silence, or rejection. Tell God your disappointments in prayer, and don’t water it down. Forget your manners. Tell it like it is. -Tyler Staton from Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools
Faith Prayer and Tract League is a religious organization that focuses on the distribution of religious tracts throughout North America, the Far East, and Europe. The organization was founded with the mission of providing people with religious materials that would help them grow in their faith. The group has been successful in distributing over 60 million religious tracts throughout the world. The organization is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
When you go to “The Tract League” it seems as if most of the activity is now centered in India.
Many years ago it was popular in Ohio to print this poem and attached a few woven threads to it.
The poem The Weaver
My life is but a weaving Between my Lord and me, I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily.
Ofttimes He weaveth sorrow, And I in foolish pride Forget He sees the upper And I, the underside.
Not till the loom is silent And the shuttles cease to fly Shall God unroll the canvas And explain the reason why.
The dark threads are as needful In the Weaver’s skillful hand As the threads of gold and silver In the pattern He has planned. -Grant Colfax Tullar
I think this bears remembering! I often say, “God knows! But He is not telling!” I understand that in the end He will explain everything. Hold to that hope, my friend.
Recently the CALM app offered another half price subscription. I decided to take them up on the deal. I had a subscription during Covid and it really helped me. The bedtime stories for adults can be soothing! They offer all sorts of things for adult centering and prayer.
“Calm is a mental health app that helps you manage stress, sleep better, and live a happier life. It offers guided meditations, sleep stories, soundscapes, and more to support your well being. Calm your mind – change your life. Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn’t need to be. Our app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life. Relax your mind, and wake up as the person you want to be.”
I find that after this election cycle I need to remain calm in so many areas of my life. I have stopped watching the national news. After the last term of Donald Trump was over, I found I had an almost PTSD type reaction to his voice on the television. I do not want to go back to that cringing response.
The three oldest Dutina siblings asking, “Now what?!?”
There are a few places in Scripture that speak about sleep. I kept sort of remembering a verse and then it would slip my mind. Recently I nailed it down. Psalm 4 is used in Compline. There are only 8 verses in this particular Psalm. I hope you will look it up in your favorite version. The verse to cling to is:
I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety. Psalm 4:8RSV
This Scripture is powerful and even better than the Calm app. I can step out of the room if Bob wants to watch the national news and use the Calm app, or read towards the Zoom study/discussion group. I can mark the printed blog pages to pull out things for a booklet. There are many things I can do besides watch the National news, which usually reports about 95% bad news.
Psalm 127:3c says “The Lord gives to His beloved sleep.” Rest in the mighty Trinity, beloved.
I read this book of conversations between the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu several years ago. It was first published in 2016. Recently a friend asked me to join a zoom discussion group about the book. I began reading it again and have had some difficulty keeping up with the reading assignment as I realize that this time around I want to study the book and apply to myself the wisdom these two men offer about life and emotions. For me these are lessons to be studied and practiced, not breezed through. Guess last time I hurried through them? Or perhaps I only took what I could use at the time and left the remainder to be re-discovered this time. Regardless, I have the book in digital kindle form. Now I think I need it in paperback so I can more easily reference the study notes and practices at the back of the book. For the moment I am flipping back and forth between the text and index.
We create most of our suffering, so it should be logical that we also have the ability to create more joy. When it comes to personal happiness there is a lot that we as individuals can do. Dalai Lama & Archbishop Desmond Tutu
“You show your humanity,” the Archbishop began, “by how you see yourself not as apart from others but from your connection to others. .” They both go on to point out that we need to recognize each other as human. The Dali Lama repeatedly mentioned that there are seven (now eight) billion of us on the earth. “We are each human. We are same human beings. No need for introduction. Same human face, when we see one another we immediately know this is a human brother or sister. Whether you know them or not, you can smile and say hello.”
The book is also a study in how we can learn to tame and train our emotional selves toward more health and stability. Both of these men have suffering greatly during this life and perhaps that is what developed in them such a deep well of joy and laughter.
Though an introvert, with strangers I am usually an “outgoing” person. I have embarrassed all of my family members at one time or another by greeting people whom I have never met. I even strike up conversations with many of them. I make it my business to especially compliment young folks as they are so often unaware that they are lovely or have terrific eyes, or whatever strikes me as useful. In the book they point out how we all too often distance ourselves from others unnecessarily.
I think as the election results are announced later this week these lessons about Joy and Life will be especially useful for me. I pray regardless of who you voted for that there will be some comfort from the Lord showing how to live with the views that may differ from your choice for President.
Each of us is human. We create distance between ourselves by not offering grace, forgiveness, mercy and loving kindness to one another. One commentator mentioned the wisdom they teach in this book, such as fear, anger and hatred, exist internally as well as externally. I have noted that politics does not rule the Kingdom of God. We choose whether we will walk in paths of righteousness and peace with one another.
These men offer great wisdom for how we, as a nation, can go forward after all of this hurtful rhetoric and judgement of one another. Maybe this time we humans can learn a higher way, a better way of living and loving?
Please God keep us from violence toward one another. Rigid opinions sometimes promote us to hatred. Help us to conform to the image of Jesus. The Dalai Lama and the late Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu both knew paths to peace. Help us to choose the same for America.
And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness; it will be for those who walk on that Way. The unclean will not journey on it; wicked fools will not go about on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor any ravenous beast; they will not be found there. But only the redeemed will walk there, 10 and those the Lord has rescued will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10 NIV
When we endlessly ruminate over distant times, we miss extraordinary things in the present moment. These extraordinary things are, in actual fact, all we have: the here and now. Katherine May
Have you done this? Found yourself wandering in the past or future and missing the obvious present? The horse is similar in that it can be distracted by surroundings, spooked by things it does not understand, stressed by unfamiliar sights, and its eyes can be injured. Often, the owners or trainers put blinders or blinkers on a horse.
“The idea of blinders is to reduce the horse’s vision in a way that keeps them relaxed and paying attention to what they need to pay attention to.” online source
Lately I have been praying that the Lord will help me keep my eyes fixed on the Trinity. The stresses of family, politics, current events have the tendency to distract and upset me. In order to serve my Lord well, I must keep my eyes on His goals for me. The here and now is where God wants me. My eyes fixed on the transcendent eternal holiness of this Majestic Presence who cares so much for me.
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1b-3
Throw off the things that hinder this. Cast aside the sin that so easily entangles. Run with perseverance the journey laid out before us. FIXING our eyes on Jesus. No matter how you do that, just do it! The perfecter and pioneer of our faith, He lived out his life, even with the suffering, for the JOY set before Him. He endured the cross, scorned shame, completed His task and sat down with the Father. Consider Him..again and again … consider Him. Do not get distracted. And if you do get distracted, do what Brother Lawrence taught. Return to Him who loves you best and start again. Left to myself, Lord, I am will always wander and sin. Keep me at Your side and with my eyes FIXED on You.
My latest travel off the path laid before me was remedied first by recognition and then by confession. I used one of my Christian music playlists, until finally my heart began to let go of the distractions and sing to Christ, my Savior. When I awoke the next morning I had to begin again to make the Living God my focus and not be led astray by thoughts that distract me.
“The serenity, the courage and the wisdom,” as the Serenity prayer teaches. The serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. I am responsible for where my attention goes and how long it stays there. There is so much choice in our lives and we rarely take responsibility for our own thoughts and actions. Yet we must if we are to be faithful disciples. In the letter to the Corinthians Paul wrote, “This light and momentary affliction is producing …
17 For our slight, momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure, 18 because we look not at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen, for what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4: 17-18 NRSV
The New King James says it is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory..
I do not like to think that distraction, my tendency to think of the past or far into the future, are working for me. When I become aware of it, it does teach me that I must be vigilant about where I let my thoughts wander. Yes, it is up to me. The Holy Spirit will assist me, but the weakness is mine, all mine, and made stronger by the spiritual forces against me. Yes, we must choose the Way of Christ, over and over again: to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, all of our mind, all of our strength. We must resist the forces of darkness that want to extinguish the Light of Christ within us. Good news: the Word says the darkness cannot put it out!
At times in the hall outside of the Transfiguration Oratory there is a plaque that reads this. “Bidden or unbidden God is present”, indicating that God is always with us. It is said to be from 1543.
I have never taken Latin studies and I’m not familiar with Latin sayings, but I really like this one. It is said that Erasmus traces this back through the Romans (Latin: Vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit) to a Spartan saying. Carl Jungreputedly had this inscribed on his study door.
Adagia (singular adagium) is the title of an annotated collection of Greek and Latinproverbs, compiled during the Renaissance by DutchhumanistDesiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. Erasmus’ repository of proverbs is “one of the most monumental … ever assembled” (Speroni, 1964, p. 1).
I am glad this has come to us through the ages, for it is certainly true. Bidden or unbidden, God is here. He is never surprised by happenings in our lives. He is never shaken by world events. He is all knowing, all seeing, ever present, all powerful. And He abides with us.
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 