"This is the day that the Lord has made:
We will rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24
"So He Himself often withdrew
into the wilderness and prayed."
Luke 5:16
Lord, here I am today, withdrawn into "the wilderness" of the Secret Garden...but there are so many distractions in the garden, I am having a difficult time focusing on You! There is a woodpecker pecking away in a tree somewhere nearby.
Your Words speak to me again..."Be still and know that I am God...I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth!" (Psalm 46:10) ...and that is what is happening here today...
God is being exalted in the earth! All of creation testifies to Your majesty and power.
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| Dogwood buds lifting their faces toward heaven...waiting for the rays of His sunshine to open them up... |
"All creatures of our God and King,
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thou burning sun with golden beam,
Thou silver moon with softer gleam!
Oh praise Him,
Oh praise Him,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
"Let all things their Creator bless,
And worship Him in humbleness.
Oh, praise Him!
Alleluia!
Praise, praise the Father,
Praise the Son,
And praise the Spirit, Three-in-One!
Oh, Praise Him,
Oh, Praise Him,
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
(written by St. Francis of Assisi)
"the sufferings of this present time are not worthy
to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
and verses 20-22 tell us that even though the creation was subjected to the corruption of this world (because of the sin of Adam), according to these verses
"The creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God."
And verse 22 says:
"For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now..."
In other words, even the animal and material creation, which was cursed for man's sake back in Genesis (3:17), will be delivered by Christ when He comes again!
Now, I don't fully comprehend exactly how all this will take place or what exactly that even means...except to say that even God's creatures here on earth are waiting, along with us, for Christ's return!
Verse 23 says:
"Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits
of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves,
eagerly waiting for the adoption,
the redemption of our body."
Without getting too technical or theological here, let's just sum it up to say that all of creation, both human and creature, is waiting for Christ to return to redeem us and remove us from the corruption of this world. That's the simplest way I can explain it. And according to verse 25, "we eagerly wait for it with perseverance."
This song, sung here by Kristian Stanfield, is probably the best expression of our current longing and waiting for the Lord to return. Perhaps you have heard this song before and can sing along... Click on the link for the song...
Even So Come, by Kristian Stanfield
"All of creation
All of the earth
Make straight a highway
A path for the Lord
Jesus is coming soon
Call back the sinner
Wake up the saint
Let every nation shout of Your fame
Jesus is coming soon
Like a bride waiting for her groom
We'll be a Church ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing
Even so come
Lord Jesus, come
Even so come
Lord Jesus, come
There will be justice
All will be new
Your name forever
Faithful and true
Jesus is coming soon
Like a bride waiting for her groom
We'll be a Church ready for You
Every heart longing for our King
We sing
Even so come
Lord Jesus, come
Even so come
Lord Jesus, come
So we wait
We wait for You
God, we wait
You're coming soon
So we wait
We wait for You
God, we wait
You're coming soon"
I think the birds were preparing for Christ's return today. I've never seen or heard so many different birds singing and flying around back and forth so much as they were today. We, like the birds, need to be preparing for Jesus...because He IS coming soon!!!
