Cleaving
2010-08-08

I'm sleepy this morning, because I was out late with Rachel last night, at a show in Dallas. Rasputina. Billed in the past as a "Traveling Ladies' Cello Society," Rasputina now features the original cellist/lead singer, Melora Creager, and, for the first time in their history, a male cellist, along with another girl playing percussion. It is extremely eccentric music, running anywhere from covers of old rock songs to themes from the 1800s ("1816--The Year Without A Summer"), to very strange stories such as "Oh Bring Back the Egg Unbroken."

Anyway....that's why I'm sleepy.

Let's see if I can manage to get in some "God-time" this morning.



The Valley of Vision
RECONCILIATION

Lord God Almighty,

You are beforehand with men
for you have reconciled yourself to the world through the cross,
and do beseech men to accept reconciliation.
It is my responsibility to grasp your overtures of grace,
for if you, the offended part, act first with the word of appeasement,
I need not call in question your willingness to save,
but must deplore my own foolish maliciousness;
If I do not come to you as one who seeks your favor,
I live in contempt, anger, malice, self-sufficiency, and you call it enmity.
You have taught me the necessity of a Mediator, a Messiah,
to be embraced in love with all my heart,
as king to rule me,
as prophet to guide me,
as priest to take away my sin and death,
and this by faith in your beloved Son who teaches me
not to guide myself,
not to obey myself,
not to try to rule and conquer sin,
but to cleave to the one who will do all for me.
You have made known to me
that to save me is Christ's work,
but to cleave to him by faith is my work,
and with this faith is the necessity of my daily repentance
as a mourning for the sin which Christ by grace has removed.
Continue, O God, to teach me
that faith apprehends Christ's righteousness
not only for the satisfaction of justice,
but as unspotted evidence of your love to me.
Help me to make use of his work of salvation as the ground of peace,
and of your favor to, and acceptance of me the sinner,
so that I may live always near the cross.

"...not to try to rule and conquer sin, but to cleave to the one who will do all for me."

Is it possible that we've had it wrong all this time? Are we trying too hard to do the ruling and conquering ourselves?? Food for meditation, right there.



A Musician Looks At the Psalms, by Don Wyrtzen
PSALM 93:1-5

1 The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed; he has put on strength as his belt. Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
2 Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
3 The floods have lifted up, O LORD, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.
4 Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the LORD on high is mighty!
5 Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O LORD, forevermore.

Second Chapter of Acts did a song on this Psalm, but I can't find a youtube of it.

This Psalm celebrates that day when the Lord will reign forever. It "soars majestically to the Lord, whose throne is high above the oceans."

Ancient mythical gods were terrified of the sea, but in this Psalm, the seas are a metaphor of God's power and strength.

We can live our lives in anticipation of God's future reign. In the meantime, we can see the forces of nature as evidence of the power of Almighty God. "Such incredible beauty and might are but a reflection of His character and strength."



Father, I thank you for your strength and might as it is displayed in our world. I thank you that we can depend on you to keep your promises. I look forward to your eternal reign, but in the meantime, take comfort in your presence with us through the Holy Spirit.

Help me see the right way to live in Christ, depending on the work that he has already done, and "cleaving" as the prayer said, to the One who has already won the battle for me.



Time to go to worship, so I'm having to cut it short this morning. Ponder the thought that we don't have to try to rule over sin or conquer it because Christ has already done this. All we need is to "cleave" to him.

Grace and peace, friends.



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