The Feast of GOD

Hummm… the jet engines send me further into the deep blue of night. Flight attendants bustle and I am amused by the two technical men behind me. My seat partner is deep into her summertime novel and smiles a knowing glance as I stifle a yawn..

*Sigh*

..all this cramped air. I nibble my cinnamon biscotti to sweeten the blithe pungent roast of coffee, and there it is in the twenty-fifth chapter of Isaiah: this exciting dimension of now, that it is about God bringing glory to Himself and us trusting that salvation.

Cities of ruthless nations will revere You. For You have been a defense for the helpless,

A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat..

The LORD of hosts will prepare a lavish banquet for all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of aged wine, choice pieces with marrow,

And on this mountain He will swallow up the covering which is over all peoples, Even the veil which is stretched over all nations. He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

The LORD has spoken. Death gone. And HE is that feast. God invites us to feast. The flesh and blood, for all people and death swallowed up, and all these tears wiped away by the hand of God. Because He declares it so. The Lord, HE is God.

And it will be said in that day, ”Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation (verse 9).

And so I know. Again. But more this time. WOW-ed. GOD IS full of Awe, grand awe. Our waiting is nothing in light of HIS saving. Because HE is God. If nothing else proved in my life I want to say, “Wow GOD”. As worship and as testimony.

God is the Best. So we are glad. And we are in Him; in His salvation.

So as I peer through the misty fog and blinking landing lights, I reiterate the lesson; HE IS my God! So.. I am not. But HE is. HE is the one bringing salvation. It is His Salvation. Ours because He gives it to us in giving Himself.

Yes, “I AM”.  So I can declare with Isaiah,

O LORD, You are my God ; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name ; For You have worked wonders! (verse 1)

The Business of Writing Words

Writing is sober business. Are my thoughts worth sharing?

Do my words speak life or death? Do they teach the ones who listen? Do they comfort the feeble-minded? Warn the unruly? May I never speak an empty word.

Writing is much like cooking. I use the raw ingredients of words, season them with grace, and present them to the partakers. I want you to savor the idea, to wince at the peppery truth, to delight in the harmony of flavors. I want you to taste and see that He is good. I want to lay out the cloth napkins of love and invite you to my table so you know you are welcome at His.

I wish to compose and garnish these words in a way that says Friend, you must listen! Do not stop with my words. You will be hungry for other meals, for novelties and sustenance. Go on, search the libraries of truth, but do not pass by the stories written on hearts, the ones too raw to scratch out in ink. There is a Word too supreme, too awesome, and much too enjoyable to miss. This Word is etched on hearts of flesh. It is printed on paper and shouted in the heavens.. Oh, don’t miss Him. The words, the bread and wine, the milk and honey, they all exist for Him and because of Him.

So I will put pen to paper and cursor to line, only because He sees, and I want to bear witness.