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Even Better!

Even Better!

My wife has had to deal with some significant eye issues recently (a repeated detached retina).  Fortunately, God has blessed her with excellent care from one of the foremost eye trauma facilities in the world in nearby Seattle.  The Eye Institute is on the seventh floor of the building immediately across the street from the Harborview Hospital Emergency Entrance.  The opposite side of the building looks down the hill at the Seattle skyline.

Because we choose to take the earliest appointments possible to avoid the rush hour traffic North, we have frequently found ourselves in the waiting area in the early morning, gazing out at the lighted skyscrapers just across the freeway.  The view includes the tallest sentinel of all, the Columbia Center, stretching impressively over the city.

The Columbia Center contains 76 stories.  At 933 feet, it is the tallest building in the state of Washington, and one of the tallest five on the entire West Coast. 

Gazing at the Columbia Center, (and its equally impressive neighboring structures), in the darkness of the morning with the 76 floors of windows beaming out light, one can’t help but be in awe.  How did they manage to build that monstrous building?

And it’s not even just a simplistic block form!  “The building’s structure is composed of three geometric concave facades with two setbacks, causing the building to appear like three towers standing side by side” (Wikepedia.com).  The Columbia Center with its intricacies was developed by Martin Selig and designed by Chester L. Lindsay Architects.  Construction took almost three years.

Again, how did they manage that?  I’ve built some simple shelves and furniture.  But I can’t begin to comprehend building a skyscraper!

It’s difficult for me to grasp the amount of planning involved.  The deep and sturdy foundation necessary, and the magnitude of the building’s footprint.  The sheer amount and weight of materials.  The mathematics; the sciences; the precision.  The pouring and shaping concrete hundreds of feet in the air.  The wiring; the safety system; the dual elevator shafts.  The tensile strength demanded on the lower levels to support the immense tonnage of weight from the upper levels.

How does it not collapse?   How in the world does it not topple over in the fierce winter winds?  And how has it continued to stand in the past earthquakes?

It’s certainly an impressive view in the early morning from the seventh floor of the Jefferson Building.

Just a few floors from the top of the Columbia Center, a 360-degree observation area allows the public to look down on the city of Seattle, (for a fee, of course).  It’s the highest public viewing area east of the Mississippi.  I know from personal experience that it takes 2 long elevator rides to even reach it!  But what a view when you do!

To the West are the revolving waterfront ferris wheel, the ferries traversing Elliot Bay, and container ships waiting to be unloaded.  To the South, the sports stadiums for the Mariners and Seahawks.  To the East, the freeway below with tiny vehicles in snaking procession, and Harborview Medical Center on the hill above.  To the North, the jutting scrapers of Seattle and the iconic Space Needle.  And above it all, airplanes cruising in for landings at nearby Seatac Airport.  Astounding works of man everywhere the eye gazes … viewed at almost 900 feet in height from inside a freakishly high construction constructed by people.

The works of humans are evident everywhere, whether gazing at the skyline from the seventh floor Eye Institute, or from the viewing area of the Columbia Center above the skyline.  But if one looks past the creations of people, the creations of the Creator are also evident.  The beaming sun and brilliant blue sky, (on the clear days in the Pacific Northwest!).  The Olympic and Cascade Mountains; the Puget Sound and the Pacific Ocean; the forests, woods and flowering meadows; and all the wondrous creatures that live on, in and under them.

God created them all!  God created the base materials, and the basic scientific and mathematical principles used to build these things.  God created human beings who utilize the materials and the principles, and God endowed them with incredible capabilities.  The knowledge and ability to build skyscrapers, a Space Needle, and sports stadiums, (and operate on eyes!) comes from the Lord.  As does the fortitude to construct ferries and freeways and flying planes. 

The Creator made all of creation, and He made all of the mini-creators who utilize God’s creation to create.  What humans build in relation to God’s handiwork – well, that’s like comparing my homemade bookshelves to a skyscraper!

The creations and knowledge and abilities of humans are certainly impressive.  But God and his work, that’s even better!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Isaiah 40:28-31
Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 42:5&8
This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I am the LORD; that is my name!  I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.

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Thoughts of Home

Thoughts of Home

It never fails.  If I happen to spot a flock of ducks or geese flying overheard, they always take my thoughts immediately back to the home where I grew up in Michigan.  It’s always immediate, and it’s typically bittersweet.

This may strike you as strange.  However, I recognize exactly why the view of a skein of ducks or geese winging across the sky transports me 2,400 miles across the Continent and 40 years back in time. 

I grew up about a mile from Saginaw Bay on the Southwest side of Lake Huron.  Every Fall, reams of ducks and geese in huge flocks flew … and still fly … over my parents’ house.  And every Fall I would watch with awe as they flapped rhythmically overhead, continuing their migration South or returning from foraging in the fields, to access the safety of the nearby Bay.

The number of flights seemed unending, and I could watch them untiringly.  Sometimes I would attempt to count the birds in a flock, and the totals in just one flock could easily reach hundreds.

I recognized the repeated V pattern of their skeins, of course.  (Sometimes the flights were in patterns forming a J or a W instead.)  However, I didn’t understand why they flew in those formations

There actually seems to be several reasons for the repeated flight patterns.  First of all, it is the most efficient way to fly as a group.  The staggered positioning results in a reduction of wind resistance for those in the following positions, conserving a significant portion of their energy.  When the leader grows tired, he or she falls back and another bird takes their place.

In addition, flying in formation seems to assist with the communication and coordination within the group.  They can more easily see one another and adjust their positioning and wingbeats accordingly.  The birds actually synchronize flaps based on the bird’s beats in front of them!

Ducks and geese typically fly at about 40 to 60 miles an hour, depending on the breed and the weather conditions.  However, their flight speed can actually be significantly higher when migrating with advantageous winds.  In such conditions, Mallards can fly up to 800 miles in 8 hours.  Astonishingly, Canada Geese can actually cover 1,500 miles in one day in favorable winds.   The elevation of ducks and geese in migration varies greatly, from as low as 200 feet to as high as 4,000.

Where we currently live in Washington with the abundant water supplies, it is also common to spot flights of ducks or geese.  (Though the flocks certainly aren’t as abundant or as large as where I grew up.)  But I am glad to see the ones I see.

Recently as my eyes caught sight of a V-shaped flight overhead, it took me back again to the home of my youth.  Yup, bittersweet once again. 

But it occurred to me that instead of looking back, I should let the flying birds take my view forward.  They are journeying to a better and more pleasant place.  But so are we!  The journey is difficult, but the destination is sublime.

Furthermore, when the Lord calls us home, we will fly to him … just as the ducks and geese leave behind the impending winter and wing to the more pleasant destination.  Moses used this very picture in Psalm 90: “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).

Yes, the migratory birds always remind me of my previous home.  How much better if they took my mind to my future Home in Heaven instead?  My past home was marvelous; my future home wonderful beyond comprehension!  My past home holds many fond memories; my future home holds a joyous eternity of memories to be made!

And here’s what clinched this new viewpoint for me: The flocks fly in the formation of a V.  They are a visual reminder of the Victory we have in Jesus our Savior.  Victory over sin, death and the devil.  Victory in regard to our eternal destiny.  Victory!  Ultimate Victory!

“’Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?’”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57).

Yes, the sight of a skein of ducks or geese winging overhead will still take me back home.  But from now on they will also remind me of Home.

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Seeking Sweetness

Seeking Sweetness

I was about to open the gate from our backyard to our front yard when I spotted it.  A lovely Rufous Hummingbird was feeding just a few feet away from me.  Seeing Hummingbirds around our place isn’t unusual at all.  I have various flowers in beds all around our property, and some are particularly attractive to the colorful birds: New York Asters, Russian Sage, Cardinal Flower and Purple Bee Balm, just to name a few. 

But at this time of year, there aren’t many blooms available.  However, in the front yard immediately beside the gate, the red trumpets of a Pineapple Sage linger.  And that’s where I saw the hummingbird, hovering a few feet away, drinking deep from the Sage’s nectar.  It darted away, only to return and drink again.  Zipped away.  Zipped back.

What magnificent creations of our God these fascinating birds are!

All of the Hummingbird species live in the Americas, with most in the tropical Central and South America.  There are approximately 350 variations of Hummingbirds in the world, which makes them the second largest family of birds, while also averaging the smallest size in the bird kingdom.  (In fact, they are the smallest animals in the world with a backbone.)  Most of the birds are 3-5 inches long and weigh only a few grams.  Hummingbird eggs are about the size of peas, and the newly hatched offspring are no bigger than a penny.

The birds earn their name from the soft humming sound their wings produce while flying.  Hummingbirds in flight average 20-30 miles per hour, but can reach as high as 60.  Their wings beat between 50 and 200 flaps per second depending on the direction of flight, the purpose of their flight, and the surrounding air conditions.  The rapidity of their wing beats allows the birds to fly in all directions – forward, backward, sideways and even upside down!  And, of course, they are the only bird which can hover.  (Again, due to their rapid wingbeats.  Somewhat like treading water, only in the air!)  They are the ultimate aerial artists, demonstrating astounding agility in flight.

But God made them this way because their primarily source of sustenance is the nectar they extract from flowers through their long bills.  They don’t suck up the nectar; they lap it up with their fringed, forked tongues … tongues that lick 10-15 times per second when feeding.

“Hummers” must consume approximately one-half of their weight in sugar daily, and the average Hummingbird feeds 5-8 times per hour.  They can eat up to 3 times their own weight in food every single day.   In addition to nectar, these birds consume pollen as well as small flying insects and spiders, and may also sip tree sap or juice from broken fruits.  The birds digest natural sucrose—the sugar found in floral nectar—in 20 minutes with 97 percent efficiency for converting the sugar into energy.

Which the little dynamos desperately need!  An average Hummingbird’s heart rate while perched is 225 beats per minute, but it climbs to more than 1,200 beats per minute in the air.  (We humans average only 60-100 beats per minute when not active.)  While resting, a Hummingbird averages 250 breaths per minute!  When flying, that number also increases.

However, Hummingbirds are one of the few types of birds that are able to transition into a brief torpor when needed, such as during a cool night.  Torpor is a very deep, sleep-like state in which metabolic functions are slowed to a minimum (1/15 of their normal rate) and a very low body temperature is maintained.

Hummingbirds are one of God’s key pollinators.  As the birds sustain their own lives by going flower to flower, they also sustain the flower species by enabling reproduction.  Interestingly, hummers can’t smell, but have keen eyesight and are attracted to brightly colored flowers, especially those in shades of red, orange, and bright pink.  The birds instinctually recognize that their sustenance is found in the sweetness of nectar, so they are always seeking sweetness.

While this is all extremely interesting, (or at least I find it so), how does this encourage you and me in our walk to heaven?

In a number of places, the Bible actually describes God’s Word as sweet.  Both the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 3:1-4) and the Apostle John (Revelation 10:8-11) are told by the Lord to eat scrolls with God’s messages on them, and then relay those messages to God’s people.  The scrolls tasted sweet!

The psalm writer was moved by the Holy Spirit to describe the Scriptures this way: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103).  David used the same description regarding the words of the Lord in Psalm 19: “They are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10).

Solomon wrote this: “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24).  His wise phrase is appropriate for both the words one person speaks to another, as well as the words God shares with us.  But especially the words that God shares!  Passages that show us God’s grace and love and forgiveness are indeed “sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (and heart!).

Why does God describe his words as “sweet?”  Because most people crave sweet things, and the Lord wants to impress upon us that it is proper for us to crave his truths!  The parts that address our sinfulness aren’t so attractive, (though they are necessary), but the Gospel message of God’s love and mercy sure “tastes” wonderful!

And that Scriptural “sweetness” provides spiritual energy too.  Joy, peace, and certain hope.  Confidence and security.  Motivation to live for God and love one another.  A purpose for now and an eternal destination for later. 

So seek the sweetness of God’s Word, and let it fuel your spiritual metabolism.

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Always Soaring, Always Seeing

Always Soaring, Always Seeing

I saw my first wild bald eagle many years ago when we lived in the north end of Tacoma.  One day I was in our backyard when it glided over me.  The sight was thrilling then, and I still remember it clearly.  Since then I’ve seen many eagles, sometimes quite close.  A few times I’ve actually witnessed them plucking trout out of a lake with their strong talons.  (Once ironically while I was fishing and catching nothing!)

They are majestic birds; so inspiring that they were named the national bird of the United States of America. 

Yet it wasn’t that long ago that bald eagles were at risk of disappearing altogether from the contiguous states.  Just 30 years ago, bald eagles were on the US government’s list of endangered species.  However, with special protection, the birds have made a wonderful recovery.  In 1995, they were transferred from the US endangered species list to the threatened species list.  By 2007 their numbers were strong enough that they graduated even from the “threatened” designation.

The bald eagle derives its name from the white feathered heads of the mature adults.  The bodies of adult birds in the lower states are typically 2 ½ to 3 ½ feet, their wingspans usually from 6 to 7 ½ feet, and their weight from 6 ½ to almost 14 pounds.  Alaskan bald eagles of both genders are even larger!  In an interesting twist in the animal world, the females are typically 25 percent larger than the males. 

Eagles can fly as high as 15,000 feet above the earth, and as fast as 65 miles per hour.  Though their preference is to soar lazily on rising thermals, if diving for food, they can reach the astonishing speed of 200 miles per hour!

Bald eagles’ diet consists primarily of fish, therefore they reside near large bodies of water with abundant food supplies and large, tall trees nearby.  Eagles are the apex predators in the avian world.  As birds of prey, they have strong, muscular legs and powerful talons to snatch their meals, and large, heavy, hooked beaks ideally equipped for ripping the flesh off their meals. 

Normally the birds will swoop down and pluck their prey on the fly.  (A necessary thing since most of their prey resides in water!)  They will occasionally take larger animals down, but then will either feed on it at the location or take pieces back to its nest.  However, they can fly bearing a greater weight than their own.  For example, one bald eagle was documented as flying with a 15 pound mule deer fawn!

Bald eagles are also known for their huge nests, or eyries.  They are usually 5-6 feet wide and 3-4 feet deep, but their homes can be as much as 8 feet wide and 13 feet deep and weigh up to a ton.  It usually takes several months to build an eyrie, and the nests are often reused (or continually used) and built larger over time.

All of which I find fascinating.  Yet the aspect of eagles (and hawks, for that matter) which astounds me the most is their incredible vision.  Perfect vision for humans is 20/20.  An eagle’s vision is 20/4 … or five times sharper than ours.  Translated, that means that what we can see clearly at 20 feet can be seen by an eagle with the same clarity at 100 feet.  (A hawk’s vision is actually 8 times sharper than ours!)  An eagle’s eyesight allows them to spot prey from over a mile away!

Besides that, eagles are also able to see ultraviolet light, which means that even the urine of small mammals can be spotted in the ultraviolet range from extreme distances!  This, of course, is a significant advantage for the birds of prey, and an extreme disadvantage for the prey itself.

There are a number of reasons for the eagle’s exceptional vision.  An eagle’s eyes are packed with visual cells in the rods and cones of its retina.  In fact, an eye of an eagle is quite large, weighing even more than the eagle’s brain.  In addition, the positioning of the eyes on an eagle provides it with a 340-degree field of vision, (as compared to a human’s 180-degree range). 

All of which, of course, points to the wisdom and workings of the Creator.

That same Creator – the Almighty Lord who gifted eagles with incredible vision – possesses a far greater vision than any of his creations.  The Bible states that the Lord “views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:24).  Furthermore, “his eyes are on the ways of mortals; he sees their every step” (Job 34:21). 

But more significantly, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good” (Proverbs 15:3).

This is incredibly important for us to recognize, and incredibly comforting when we do.  Especially as we consider all the applications of this truth.  Here are just a few:

No human can foresee the difficulties and challenges that tomorrow may bring, but the Lord does.  And he also sees the solutions!

No one can be prepared for the many uncertainties of life.  Except the Lord, that is.  There are no uncertainties for him because he sees and knows all, so he is always completely prepared.

Feeling all alone?  God has his eyes on you and is with you constantly.

Emotionally exhausted?  The Lord knows your thoughts and your needs, and will minister to you in the most loving way.

Caught up in hardships and don’t understand why?  God sees your struggles, and also understands why you need to endure them.  (Which is why he allowed them in the first place.)  And, as already pointed out, he also always sees the answers.

God’s people are often moved by love to serve God in various ways, as well as do little acts of kindness to others.  Those never go unnoticed by the Lord, and they bring him joy. Meanwhile the wicked live for themselves.  God sees that too.

No matter how devious or deceptive individuals or organizations may be in their efforts to bring hardship to God’s people or undermine God’s church, the Lord sees their plans.  Nothing will happen with their schemes unless the Lord allows it for his own good purposes.

Concerned about the many sins on your record?  Your Savior has your every single mistake identified and has paid for every single sin in full.  He hasn’t missed a one.

Like an eagle, our God is always souring over us and always seeing everything that impacts us, and he’s constantly intervening in the most loving fashion.

The psalmist beautifully summarizes God’s all-encompassing vision, and what that means to each of us.  “From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth …  But the eyes of the LORD are [especially!] on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them … [Therefore] we wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.  In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name” (Psalm 33:13-14, 18-21).

With our “vision” being limited in so many ways, it certainly is wonderful to know that our God’s sight is unlimited!

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Always a Hop Ahead

Always a Hop Ahead

Granted, there are a lot of rabbits in the Midwest.  But we saw one almost everywhere we went on our recent vacation!

I didn’t think much about it at the time because … well, there are a lot of rabbits in the Midwest.  However, as I think about it now, I see a subtle, simple message from the Lord.  Perhaps I’m making too much of this, but I find a comforting truth wrapped up in it nonetheless.

Wherever we went there were cottontails … just as wherever we went there was God. 

At my father and mother-in-law’s place – a cottontail.  At my parents’ place – a cottontail.  At my son and daughter-in-law’s place – a cottontail.  While with my other son – a cottontail.  Here a cottontail, there a cottontail, everywhere a cottontail!

And, yes, as stated earlier, there are a lot of rabbits in the Midwest.  But even so, this seemed a bit over the top.  The bunnies kept appearing, and sometimes in the most unlikely places!

I don’t know if this was a special message from the Lord.  Perhaps that’s a stretch.  But I do know that the concept is true; wherever we were and wherever we were going, God was there.  Just like the rabbits, God was always a hop ahead of us.

When planning the vacation, the Lord provided extremely reasonable plane tickets for us, and even a rental vehicle for the three-week trip, which were/are in extremely high demand.

When the entire vacation was questionable due to my wife’s and my unfortunate injuries prior to the trip, the Lord made a way for us to go, and sustained us both throughout our travels. 

When I nearly didn’t make it to our gate at SeaTac because of my weak legs, the Lord supported me down the final stretch.  And then he graciously provided a wheelchair when we arrived in huge O’Hare Airport in Chicago.

When my sister and her family had to suddenly find a new home just before we arrived, and our son and his family had to do the same, (both situations putting our time together at risk), the Lord guided both families to new homes in a remarkable and timely fashion.

When other sisters were traveling great distances to be with us, at fairly significant inconvenience to themselves and their families, the Lord blessed their travels and made it happen.

When a day for both sets of great-grandparents to travel to see their great-grandchildren was set, the Lord blessed us with lovely weather.  The next day wasn’t nearly as pleasant.

When the semi driver didn’t see us and pulled his rig over, threatening to side-swipe us, the Lord was there, keeping us from a serious accident.  (As he was with all the other near incidents during our many miles of driving.) 

When I aggravated an injury to the point of being questionable to preach the next morning, the Lord was there with miraculous healing.  (Truly, it was a miracle!)

When a nasty bug swept through some of the family while we were all together, the Lord sustained us and brought everyone through it in a few days. 

When we had limited time to visit friends on our last Saturday away, the Lord positioned my former associate pastor’s home and my former Seminary roommate’s home literally blocks away in the same town, making our day extremely efficient and convenient.  (We had no idea this was the case when we made arrangements to visit them.)

When we hadn’t seen some family members for many years, the Lord streamlined the details to enable us to see both sets of parents, all of our siblings and many of their spouses, a number of our nephews and nieces, and even some cousins!  Furthermore, the Lord enabled us to have all of our immediate family together, including our three grandsons, for a number of days.  What a blessing!

This list could go on and on.  The point is, almost everywhere we went we saw another bunny, and we witnessed God’s loving protection and provision.  Remarkable!  The Lord was always a hop or two ahead of us.  As he always is!

In Isaiah, the Lord promised his captive people that he would deliver them and go before them. “… The LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12).  What a blessed assurance this promise must have been to the believing Jews in light of all the uncertainty before them.

David was inspired to write about this same concept with these beautiful words about the Lord: “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:7-10).

God is always with us.  That doesn’t mean that everything will go smoothly or as we desire, but it does mean that we will never have to go through anything alone.  What a wonderfully comforting truth!

So the next time you see a rabbit, I hope it reminds you (and comforts you!) that the Lord is always a hop ahead of you!

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Boundless!

Boundless!

This week my wife and I were able to spend a few days out at the coast.  What a blessing!  And really, there is nothing quite like the ocean.

Here are a few fun facts about the oceans:

Approximately 70 percent of the planet is covered with ocean, and 97 percent of the earth’s water can be found in our oceans.  In fact, the oceans contain 328 million cubic miles of water.

The average depth of the oceans is more than 12,400 feet. (That’s over two miles deep!)

The deepest and longest “valley” in the world is in the western Pacific Ocean.  It is called the Mariana Trench, and stretches over 1,500 miles long with an average width of 43 miles.  The maximum known depth of the Mariana Trench is over 36,000 feet.  (About 7 miles deep!)

In addition, the longest mountain range in the world (the Mid-Oceanic Ridge) is also under water.  This chain of mountains runs through the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and into the Indian and Pacific oceans.  It extends more than 35,000 miles and it makes up 23 percent of the Earth’s total surface.  Some of its peaks climb higher than those in the Alps … except that these heights exist below sea level.

Humans have explored less than 5 percent of the Earth’s oceans, which obviously means that 95% of the ocean is unexplored.  In fact, scientists own better maps of Mars than of the ocean floor.

But this post is not about the amazing wonders of the oceans.  Rather, it is about the amazing God who created the amazing wonders in the ocean. 

As mind-boggling as some of those ocean facts may be, what I find amazing about the ocean is a bit simpler.  The ocean waves never ever end. 

If you have been fortunate at some point to stay at a place along the ocean, you know that the roar of the ocean never stops.  You can shut the sliding doors onto the deck and close all the windows.  You can even turn on the fireplace or dial up some soft music.  You can be eating your breakfast in the morning, sitting on the coach in the middle of the day, or wake up in the middle of the night. The roar of the ocean waves is always there; it never ends. 

That’s because the ocean waves never stop rolling onto the beach.  Those 328 million cubic miles of salt water just keep lapping up on the shore.  The stronger the wind, the greater the whitecaps, but even on the stillest of days the thunder of the pounding waves continues.  They never cease.

And so it is with our Lord.  His mercies and blessings never stop rolling into our lives.  God’s goodness and love are as immense and unfathomable as the water of the ocean, and as unending as the waves of the ocean.  In a word, boundless.

The prophet Jeremiah was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words:  “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness, [O Lord!]”  (Lamentations 3:22-23).

The Lord and his mercy are like the unending waves of the ocean.  His great love for us keeps him from consuming us.  His compassions never fail, but are new every morning.  Like the waves of the ocean, the Lord’s loving actions toward us are continually rolling into our lives every day all day.  They never end.

The prophet Micah shares a powerful illustration with us.  Speaking to the Lord, he writes, “You will again have compassion on us; you will … hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

Instead of keeping a record of our wrongs or mounting our iniquities on permanent display before him, the Lord hurls all of our sins into the depths of the sea.  The Lord throws our mistakes into the middle of the mighty ocean.  All those transgressions plummet down 12,000 feet to the ocean floor. 

No!  Even better than that! The Lord casts our wrongdoings down to the bottom of the Mariana Trench – 36,000 feet down – and buries them there where no one can see them or reach them!

How can this be that our sins are buried in the fathoms?  Because of this nearly unfathomable truth: Jesus, the Son of God, suffered for us.

How awesome is our God!  How gracious and merciful!  How incredibly loving!  How patient and kind and good!  His compassions never fail; they are new every morning.  And so are God’s mercies, faithfulness, forgiveness, and his blessings; they are like the ocean waves.  Boundless!

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A Mountain of a God!

A Mountain of a God!

In my humble point of view, there is nothing quite as visually impressive as a mountain.  Rising up from the land, jutting high into the sky and dominating the horizon, mountains can take your breath away with their majesty.

And is there anything else in the world that seems as immovable as a mountain?  Is there anything as unchangeable as that monstrous piece of solid stone?  Anything as eternal as that rock-hard, in-your-face, unable-to-be ignored piece of granite?  Anything as invincible as that unbending, unyielding, undeniably solid wall of rock?

In reality the mountains can and do change.  The rock on the mountains is slowly eroding.  Glaciers, ice and snow impact the heights.  Landslides happen.  Volcanic mountains can blow their tops, as we know only too well here in Washington.  Humans can scar and change the mountain face.

Yet, I submit that there is nothing else on earth that seems as reliable as a mountain. There is nothing else in the world that seems as immovable, unchangeable, eternal, or invincible as a mountain

Consequently, the mountains are a magnificent picture of God’s power and protection.  The Lord truly IS immovable, unchangeable, eternal, and invincible … just like a mountain seems to be.

That’s exactly how David describes the Lord.  “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.  Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.  Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:5-8).

Fitting words as we close down a tumultuous year and embark upon another potentially challenging one!

I am confident that every one of us will acknowledge that it is God alone who is “my rock, my fortress, my refuge, my salvation, my rest,” and “my hope.”  We agree with those statements verbally and mentally, and yet all too often that’s not how we live our lives.  We are constantly tempted to look elsewhere for our joy and security.

Whenever we are leaning on the things of this world to support us, we have moved our life’s foundation from the mountain that is God to shifting sand that is most definitely not.

As David states so clearly in Psalm 62, it is God alone who can fill all our needs.  He is our “go-to God” for everything!  And indeed, he carries quite a resume’.  Rock!  Fortress!  Refuge!  Plus, he’s our salvation, rest, and hope as well!  Sounds like exactly what we need (Who we need!) as we roll into another year.

The Bible actually contains about 50 references to God as the Rock.  In other words, it’s a picture that the Lord wants his people to remember and embrace.  Clearly, it’s a picture that is intended to bring God’s people comfort.  And indeed it does!

It’s important to note that many of the Bible’s 50 references to God as the Rock imply that believers are grounded in that Rock.  Half a dozen other times the Bible stresses specifically the importance of being on the Rock.  In other words, not only is there no alternate for the Rock that is the Lord, but there is also no substitute for being on that Rock. 

In fact, it’s crucial that we are not only ON the Rock, but IN the Rock!  A person can build a house on top of the largest rock on earth, but if that house has no connection to the rock, it is destined to collapse.  Rather, a house built on a rock has to be anchored in that rock.  And when it is, there is nothing that can shake it.

So it is with us.  The Lord makes it clear that he is our Rock upon which we find our stability, strength, safety, help and hope.  But the only way we will reap the benefits of the Rock is if our spiritual roots are sunk down deep into him.  And when our foundation is the Lord and his Word then, as David writes, we “will not be shaken.”

As we embark on 2021, after enduring 2020, there certainly is no shortage of uncertainty and instability in our world and our lives.  All the more reason to be centered on the unchangeable, eternal, invincible, immovable Rock that is our God!

Is there anything quite like a mountain?  I don’t think so.  It’s a picture of stability and power.  And that is exactly what our God is.  He is the mighty rock, the mountain that cannot be shaken.  What an excellent place to be anchored at the beginning of a new year, and always!

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The Calming Creation

The Calming Creation

When I am exceptionally weary, a deep longing for the outdoors fills me.  When I finally manage to make it outside into God’s creation in those states of exhaustion, it has at times moved me to joyful tears.

In his book “Wild at Heart,” John Eldredge wrote, “The heart of a man is driven into the high country, into remote places, like a wounded animal looking for cover.”  I recognize that this doesn’t necessarily apply to every man, but it certainly holds true for me.

A longing for the outdoors is actually intuitive for most people; they recognize the need and yearn to be surrounded by natural things.  Not always, necessarily, but often.  Regardless of age, culture, occupation, social or financial status, humans find nature pleasing.  When given a choice, two-thirds of people choose to retreat to a natural setting when tired or stressed.  It seems that the recognition of the benefits of nature is rather natural. 

Studies are supporting this intuition; they are showing that time in nature really does impact people positively.  Not just men or certain men, but everyone.

“Now, a large body of research is documenting the positive impacts of nature on human flourishing—our social, psychological, and emotional life.  Over 100 studies have shown that being in nature, living near nature, or even viewing nature in paintings and videos can have positive impacts on our brains, bodies, feelings, thought processes, and social interactions.  In particular, viewing nature seems to be inherently rewarding, producing a cascade of positive emotions and calming our nervous systems.  These in turn help us to cultivate greater openness, creativity, connection, generosity, and resilience.”  (Kristophe Green and Dacher Keltner – GreaterGood.Berkely.edu)

The data confirming the benefits of time in nature is overwhelming.  However, the reasons why aren’t quite as clear.  The researchers speculate that the benefits may flow from awe.  Feeling awe during a nature experience appears to lower stress and improve one’s general well-being.  Remarkably, it need not be spectacular awe-inspiring vistas like mountains or the ocean to produce positive results; just being in “green spaces” brings benefits. 

And the benefits are arresting.  Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger, fear, anxiety and stress in people and produces pleasant feelings.  Creation not only helps one feel better emotionally, but actually contributes to one’s physical health by reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and stress hormones.  Furthermore, God’s great outdoors enhances the immune system and promotes healing!  Even individuals with Attention Deficit Disorder, as well as psychiatric patients, regularly found improvements outside during research.  

Is it any surprise then, in light of these insights, that more and more corporations and even governments are attempting to tap into the benefits of nature?  Some doctors are actually prescribing nature to their patients, as well they should!  It’s an inexpensive prescription – relatively easily attained – with potentially profound results.

Why is this so?  Why does time outside, or even viewing scenes of the outdoors, help humans so much?  Clearly God created us this way, with a deep need for nature. 

Who can know for sure?  However, I can’t help but think of the very first humans and the father and mother of us all.  Adam and Eve were brought to life by God outside in a garden … not in an office or a shopping mall or even a living room.  They weren’t inserted by the Lord into a structure of any kind.  In fact, there weren’t any buildings in God’s new world!  When Adam and Eve first opened their eyes, they saw nature.

I don’t want to make too much of this.  Obviously, Adam and Eve were perfect people living in a perfect world.  It was a drastically different world with an entirely different climate.  Still, God created them outside to live outside, surrounded by the wonders of God’s glorious new creation.  Surely this has at least a little significance in our own makeup, even removed as distantly as we are from them by time and corrupted as we are by sin. 

Every human still has a vestige of the awe Adam and Eve felt as they, with wide-eyes, scanned the exquisite world around them.  Wonder flows from viewing what God has made.  The Bible discusses this very thing:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.  They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world”  (Psalm 19:1-4).

When this sin-infected creation is so aesthetic, how magnificent will heaven be?  One day we’ll find out.  When we first open our eyes there, be assured we will experience every bit the awe that Adam and Eve felt at their first glance of creation!  In the meantime, we are drawn to the beautiful things around us – beautiful things which God created and endowed with rejuvenating blessings. 

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth”  (Psalm 121:1-2).

When Crows Come Calling

When Crows Come Calling

Is there a more reviled bird in America than the crow?  Crows are large, and largely unattractive.  They are the bullies on the block in the bird kingdom, and their caws are as ear-grating a sound as one is likely to hear from any winged creature.

On a personal note, they bring plenty of irritation to my little plot in Tacoma.  The crows perch in strategic locations around the yard waiting for the opportunity to finish whatever happens to remain in our dog’s dish.  They surreptitiously swoop in and gobble large chunks of the seed blocks I put out for the other birds, and the one time I tried suet, the crows gorged themselves, demolishing it in a day.  Furthermore, they incessantly foul our bird bath by dunking whatever morsal of food they intend to eat, transforming the water into strange-colored quagmires.

Not only are the birds a nuisance, but they seem to be everywhere!  In fact, they are virtually everywhere; crows can be found on every continent of this planet except for Antarctica, and in every habitat, both rural and urban.  BirdLife International estimates the number of crows residing in America to be 31 million.  So obnoxious, yet so abundant!

To say that I’m not fond of crows would be an understatement.  Consequently, it irritates me to have to admit that crows are actually quite remarkable.

Crows are extremely intelligent – perhaps the most intelligent bird on earth.  In regard to brain-to-body ratio, crows rank first in the bird world.  Crows are able to make and use tools.  They are able to solve puzzles, strategize moves, understand similarities and differences between objects, and comprehend cause and effect.

I have personally witnessed crows fly to great heights over our street and drop nuts onto the pavement below to break them open.  If the shell didn’t crack, the crow simply ascended higher and higher until finally successful.  In Japan crows have been observed tucking walnuts in front of car tires while the vehicles were stopped at a red light.  When the cars moved forward, the tires crushed the nutshells.  Then, when the light turned red again, the shrewd birds retrieved the nutmeat. 

Crows are also gifted with a remarkable memory … which is unfortunate for anyone crows deem to have wronged them.  In an experiment in Seattle, a group of scientists wore masks while they captured seven crows.  The birds were later released.  However, whenever those birds spotted the same masks again, they attacked whomever was wearing them, and so did a bunch of their buddies!  Meanwhile, other masks were ignored.  Two years later the crows still attacked the offending masks.  They remember faces too; antagonize a crow and it will recall your mug for up to five years!

Yes, these ebony omnivores are intelligent.  It is not uncommon for them to outwit other creatures to grab an easy meal.  Working in pairs, one will distract a bird or animal parent while the other grabs an egg or newborn.  Or one crow will yank a predator’s tail to allow another crow to snatch their kill.  (Not very nice, but certainly effective.) 

Furthermore, crows have about 250 distinct calls, and they use different “dialects” in different areas.  Visiting crows in the new locale will actually mimic the local “language.”  Amazing!

Generally, most people aren’t excited to see crows.  Some even look upon crows as harbingers of bad news.  In the same way, most of us aren’t eager to see troubles in our lives either.  Just like crows, problems seem to be everywhere.  They are ugly and obnoxious, and we really would rather avoid them altogether. 

But similar to crows, there is more to difficulties than immediately meets the eye.  God put the crows here for a reason.  (As scavengers alone, crows devour a significant amount of dead animals and pesky insects!)  God also allows hardships to impact us for a reason.  Actually, for many reasons!

Just a few of the blessings the Lord brings through our difficulties might be to bring us to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10) or to draw us closer to him (Psalm 145:18); to foster deeper relationships with others (Ecc. 4:9-10); to provide spiritual insights we wouldn’t learn otherwise (Psalm 119:71); to prepare us to minister to people who experience the same problems (2 Cor. 1:3-4); to be a godly example (Mt. 5:16); or to impress upon us the emptiness of this world and the fullness of the world to come in heaven (2 Cor. 4:17-18). 

Crows, and problems, will certainly come calling.  But our God provides some wonderful encouragement to us in his Word:

“Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7).

Quietly Fierce

Quietly Fierce

What animal might best picture God?

The Bible actually uses a number of animal similes and metaphors for the Lord.  The Lord described himself as an Eagle of rescue for his people (Ex. 19:3-4), and as a hen desiring to gather her chicks (Lk. 13:34) by Jesus.  There are also striking and well-known pictures of our Savior; he is the ultimate Scapegoat (Lev. 16:20-22) and the Lamb of God (John 1:29), as well as the Lion of Judah (Rev. 5:5).  Then, of course, there is the Dove of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:16-17).

If something is in the Bible, then we know it’s “legit.”  And ultimately, the Lord is incomparable.  Nevertheless, I like to think of our God as an animal that isn’t even mentioned in the Scriptures.  Might an appropriate animal metaphor for the Lord be … the wolverine?

Wolverines recently made national headlines.  A mother wolverine and her two kits were photographed inside Mt. Rainier National Park.  This is newsworthy indeed since only 300 to 1,000 wolverines are estimated to live in the lower 48 US states!  In fact, wolverines haven’t been documented in the park for over 100 years.

This iconic animal disappeared almost entirely from the United States.  In the past, wolverines were often trapped for their exquisite thick, oily fur, which is frost resistant, making their pelts highly sought after for the lining of cold-weather coats and hats.  They were also shot on sight or poisoned as vermin.  Loss of habitat contributed to their decline as well.  As a result, by the 1930s there were none to be found in Washington State, and few existing anywhere in the lower 48.

But they are slowly making a species comeback, and are actually coming back (literally) to areas where they haven’t existed in a century. 

The wolverine is the largest land-dwelling member of the weasel family, though it tends to resemble a bear more than its smaller relatives.  Typically about 2-3 feet in length with an additional half-foot tail, the animal usually weighs between 12-55 pounds … smaller than many dogs. 

But the wolverine is a power-packed animal – stocky and muscular and pre-assembled with an attitude.  Under its short legs are large paws with powerful partially-retractable claws.  Consequently, the animal can scamper atop the deepest snow and climb almost anything from trees to rocky cliffs.  God also gave wolverines the special ability to tear off meat from carcasses that have been frozen solid, a crucial trait due to their diet, habitat and lack of hibernation.

In her 2013 article on wolverines in the Seattle Times, Lynda V. Mapes shared a quote from Shawn Sartorius, a wildlife biologist based in Helena, Montana. “They are the superheroes of the animal world.  When you follow the tracks of these things, you see they are not taking the easy way around; they will go straight over mountaintops, craggy peaks, the rockiest, steepest, cliffiest place; they will go right over that in the middle of winter, at night.”

Perhaps the calling card for the wolverine, however, is its reputation for ferocity and strength out of proportion to its size.  Usually wolverines subsist by scavenging carrion, but they are also highly effective predators.  Their prey is typically smaller mammals, (including other predators!), but they have also been known to take down animals much larger than themselves.  There are documented instances where wolverines killed full-grown deer, elk, moose, and even bison!

Ferocious indeed!  In her Seattle Times article, Mapes also shared a quote from John Rohrer, a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service based in Winthrop, WA.  “When you see one in a live trap you never forget it.  They are growling, trying to bluff you; they are not cowering in the corner.  If you crack open the lid they are charging and coming up to the front, snapping their jaws and drooling. They put on quite a show.”

Why might I think the wolverine is a fitting picture for God?  Of course, the wolverine has limitations while the Lord is limitless in power and ability, so it’s certainly not a perfect analogy. Still, there are some striking similarities.  I would summarize them in this way: like the wolverine, the Lord is unobtrusive, often un-observed, unafraid, undeterred, and undergirded with unmatchable strength and ferocity.

Most people don’t generally notice the Lord, aren’t looking for him, or dismiss him altogether as passive, timid and weak.  But our God is unafraid of anything and undeterred when it comes to saving and serving his people.  God will not be stopped until he accomplishes his goal.  (If you doubt this, turn your gaze to Jesus on the cross!)  And when God intercedes, it is with unmatchable power and unstoppable zeal. 

The Lord asks, “Who is like me and who can challenge me?  And [who] can stand against me?” (Jeremiah 49:19).  The obvious answer is … no one! 

Kind of like a wolverine.  Quietly fierce.