He changes the order of nature for the sake of love

Psalm 107:35 -- He turns the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs.

Calvin comments on this verse: "For the love that He bears to his Church, He changes the order of nature for their convenience."

God is love. And He is not bound by the natural order of things -- when the stuff of life limits us beyond the intent of His love, He has all power to change... to renew, to redeem and restore. He is not bound by space or time or our natural condition.

The natural order is the desert. But in His love we receive clear, beautiful pools of water. The natural condition is parched ground. But in His Spirit we are refreshed with flowing springs!

Alleluia!

Selah.

Ten ways to love

Really, it's just one way with ten different facets: the way of divine love, ways of following Jesus as the Way [to reference Eugene Peterson, The Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways that Jesus is the Way].

How big is your God?

A God small enough for our understanding is not large enough for our needs

For some people God remains, He was for primitive man -- a jealous, capricious, vengeful power, instead of being a Ruler who demands justice and righteousness. There are those who still cling to the provincial concept of God as a nationalistic, or local, tribal deity, instead of regarding God as the one and only governor of the universe.

A mature concept of God is when we view Him as one who gives and demands love from His people, as a [loving] father does from his children. God remains the same, unchanged through all the ages; it is only our concept of God that changes.

It makes a big difference in our behavior how we think of God. The person whose God is too small will be inadequate for the demands of life. A God that is small enough for our understanding is not large enough for our needs. By searching we may never find out all about God, but it is possible and desirable for us to keep growing in our knowledge and love of God and to worship a God that is big enough for all exigencies.

Selah.

Paul S. McElroy, Quiet Thoughts, Peter Pauper Press: Mount Vernon, 1964.

The heavens declare the glory

Psalm 19: A prayer of awe and glory

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Selah.

Note: Awesome pic is from Dakotalapse.com