I woke up rather early this morning (around 3:45), which is a small miracle as some of you know. I was feeling anxious about certain situations in my life. As if I might have undone something good with a few words. And so, as the sun was just peeking over the trees, I grabbed a cup of coffee, my Bible, and made my way to my favorite morning place-my front porch.
Friends, God creates breath-taking things, but this morning, He outdid Himself. I wish I could have come up with words rich enough to describe the hue of the sunlight as it streamed through the leaves and cast a shimmering path over the dewy landscape. It was just...well, I don't know if I can do better than that, and trust me, that comes nowhere close to describing what splendor I witnessed this morning. It makes me long for the beauty of Heaven.
Overcome with gratitude, but still perceiving that nagging feeling of self-doubt, I turned to Scripture. I opened up to I Corinthians and started reading. Now, to give you a better view of my heart this morning, let me say that I felt so foolish. Like I was the dumbest of the dumb. An idiot to rival that of the one belonging to the nearest village. I had been clumsy, ridiculous, caught up in my own wisdom, and blind. Then I decided to let God have a say. And He blew me away.
I Corinthians 1:26-29, "For behold your calling, brethren, that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God chose the foolish things of the world, that he might put to shame them that are wise; and God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong; and the base things of the world, and the things that are despised, did God choose, yea and the things that are not, that he might bring to nought the things that are: that no flesh should glory before God."
How amazing is that? How totally humbling, and powerful, and awesome? God did not call me because of my great wisdom and ability to communicate. He didn't call me because I am strong and powerful and well-liked. He called me because in my foolishness, weakness, and depravity He is glorified. I need Him because of these things. I would rather be the weakest of all peoples and be called by God, than be "strong enough" to handle life on my own. He has called me, and in Him my weaknesses and foolishness are swept away in the overwhelming current of His grace.
Then I started to study the grass and little critters that were scurrying around, beginning their day in that tiny jungle. I was struck by the intricacy of what I saw. A miniscule green worm, shaded to match exactly the piece of grass it climbed, wiggled and squirmed along. The slightest spider's web suspended between to slender blades of grass caught the light and shimmered brilliantly. As I studied that web, a small fly found himself momentarily snared in its sticky threads. I felt his pain. But I also rejoiced, because God knew that little fly, the size of a pen-tip, was going to fly into that web. He took notice. And then my perspective widened a little. God also knew which direction each blade of grass was going to grow. Then my view exploded. God knew all that, and He knew exactly which snares I would get myself caught in. He knew I would run right into a sticky web of my own making. He knows which direction I will grow from here. And He knew that it would take a tiny fly and spider-web to remind me of that.
I am overwhelmed this morning by His love for me. I am overcome with thankfulness that He even cares to point out my sin. I am brought to my knees in total humility and surrender over the Grace that forgives those sins. I want to shout with joy that He calls me Daughter.
I'm trying to think of how to conclude this post. The only thing that comes to mind is a song I sang the other night with a huge auditorium filled with fellow worshippers,
The day is brighter here with You
The night is lighter than its hue
Would lead me to believe
Which leads me to believe
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
What does that make me?
My eyes are small but they have seen
the beauty of enormous things
Which leads me to believe
there's light enough to see that
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
From glory to glory
You are glorious You are glorious
From glory to glory
You are glorious. You are glorious
Which leads me to believe
why I can believe
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
You make everything glorious
And I am Yours
From glory to glory From glory to glory
You are glorious. You are glorious.
You are glorious. You are glorious.
