Northwind chill and bundled frame
Speaks of New Year’s coming dawn
Sunlight bright or blowing snow
Quiet breath catches in anticipation
Laugh of children and calls to come
Homemade soup to warm one’s bones
Barking dogs or honk of horns
Season’s tide begins to turn
Twilight’s glitter and dark’s bright star
Contemplation of time now past
Frosty morn and day’s cold rise
Hope’s dream and New Year born
Light dancing on splashes
Of gold, red, and orange
Beckons to passers-by.
Greens and browns
Wave their fronds,
Seasons past and to come.
Evening’s chill
Brings thoughts of tomorrow,
As time tolls; prepare!
Day’s warmth
Welcomes memories
Of life, laughter, and tears.
And so we dance,
Welcoming light’s hope,
In quiet contemplation.
And so we dance,
Resting sorrow
In those swaying boughs.
And so we dance,
For life’s joys
In our Creator’s being.
Light dancing on splashes
Of gold, red, and orange
Beckons to passers-by.
When the Hebrew people were in the land of exile, home of the Babylonians, God first spoke to the Jewish priest named Ezekiel. He was only thirty years old! … God had allowed the people to be taken into exile because they had turned from Him, worshiping idols, offering their children as sacrifices, living immorally, violently, and selfishly.
God gave words to his new prophet Ezekiel to call them back to Himself, hard words and difficult messages. There were some really weird visions!
In one vision, there was a valley full of dry bones!
“Ezekiel, can these bones live?!”
“Only You know sovereign God!”
“Prophesy, speak to these bones. I will restore them and put breath back into them.”
And so, Ezekiel obeyed and God did as He said He would.
Wow! Dry bones. Dead. Without life. Unable to stand. To walk. To serve God and care for others. God speaks, breaths on those dry bones (on us), and restores life. Sinews. Flesh. Bones knitting together. We begin to take on God’s character. The breath of God’s Spirit fills us and He raises His children to stand in that dark valley of dry bones.
Shepherd us, oh LORD I pray!
Bring our dry bones to life!
Breathe in us Your very being,
That we may walk in You anew!
Have you ever noticed how a mother bird will spread her wings over her chicks to provide protection and to hide them from the eyes of predators? That space under the shadow of her wings is a refuge, a place of safety and comfort. The chicks trust the hen and so they stay close-by and are nurtured, protected, and guided.
What a powerful image that is for us when we feel overwhelmed, attacked, or swallowed by grief and despair! In the books of Ruth and Psalms, God is a loving protector who gathers us in the shadow of His wings. Like the chicks, we are His children, knowing our own weakness and need. When we come to Him, He offers us a place of security.
Ruth realized that her mother-in-law Naomi had something special; she came to God when all seemed lost. The psalmist said, “Hey, this is a good thing! I’m going to stay here with God forever, walking close-by and covered when times are tough!”
How easy it can be to wander off. Jesus lamented, grieved deeply, for the people of Jerusalem who had turned away those God had sent. “How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matthew 23:37 & Luke 13:34). At times my own thoughts churn endlessly, stressing over a day’s events or unresolved issues and troubles. This image of God surrounding us with His sheltering wings provides comfort, security, and hope for everyone and reminds us to stay close to Him.
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7 (NIV)
This is a space for expression of those things in life which shape us all… that deep down desire for knowledge, understanding, peace, or simply those moments of awe.
In this space I will share bits about my love for writing, including websites and other resources, practical tips, things I am learning, and suggestions you may want to try out as well.
Cooling breeze upon warm earth
Soft mist rising
Muted echoes of life and motion
Within the mist arising
Moist caress upon bare skin
Cooled by quiet rising
Settled fog now gently stirring
Answers dawn’s slow rising
Warming touch upon earth’s chill
Awaken to day rising
Watery droplets and sighing wind
Life’s voices ever rising
Elijah! I love Elijah. Mighty prophet of God. Strong. Assured. Obedient to God’s commands. Through Elijah, God displayed His authority and great power to the people of Israel who had turned away! Fire from heaven burned up the soaking wet sacrifice… after futile attempts by the priests of Baal, god of fertility and nature, were unsuccessful. “Your god is no god!” … and 450 prophets of Baal perished.
Through Elijah, God withheld rain and a great drought resulted.
Through Elijah, God ended this drought with wind and pouring rain… and Elijah miraculously ran before the chariot of King Ahab to a town fourteen miles away.
…Then a vengeful Queen Jezebel declared death to Elijah and he ran away in fear… and ran… and ran… until he ended up in a faraway cave in which to hide.
I love Elijah! Doesn’t his story express the fear and discouragement we all feel at times? “I have given you my all God!” “Haven’t I obeyed you as best I can? I’ve been very busy doing all these things for You.” …“Now look at these hard-headed, self-centered, angry people! They have rejected you and killed all your other prophets and now I’m the only one left!”… “It’s useless. I might as well die too!”
So God passed by before that cave. There came a great wind, earthquake, and fire… but God was not in them. He who had spoken so forcefully and powerfully previously, so that all would know His authority, did not speak through them this time… God had Elijah’s full attention! But where was God?!
Then there came a still small voice, a quiet calm. Elijah heard the voice of God asking the same question He had asked before, “What are you doing here Elijah?” …and, still focused on himself, Elijah gave the same answer!
But in the quiet of that moment, came assurance that God was with him. “Go back Elijah. I have a job for you. There will be others to help you, kings to anoint and a prophet to succeed you. Why, there are 7000 prophets who will rise up to serve me!”
I love Elijah! His story gives us all hope and assurance. “Go back. I’m with you. You are not alone,” God says. So He speaks in that still small voice, in quiet calm amidst our storms. God had not given up on them. He hadn’t given up on Elijah and He hasn’t given up on us! He is mighty. He is faithful.
[Read Elijah’s story in 1 Kings Chapters 17-19 & 2 Kings Chapter 2.]
The Still Small Voice 