In the Quiet Misty Morning

I was so blessed to have the opportunity to do a little camping this past weekend.  It had been years!  Michael, a friend from church, organized a group to get together at a local campground.  Each of us had individual campsites, but we traveled back and forth to one another’s site.  We also went swimming together, went on a boat ride, and the guys played horseshoes.  The time was nicely spent.

During the night and the wee hours of the morning, I could hear loons calling out to each other.  The sound was hauntingly beautiful as it blended with the symphony of other creatures.  I got up to walk down to the lake in hopes of seeing a loon, taking some pictures and simply enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the morning.

Eli, an eleven-year-old young man, was already there.  He had caught a large bass the day before and had risen with the sun to catch another.  His father was not far behind me when I arrived, and we began to chat as Eli continued to fish.  It’s always nice sharing the beauty of God’s creation with another person.

The rising mist and the sun’s reflection upon the water was breathtaking.  A verse from the song Homeward Bound came to mind.  “In the quiet misty morning, when the moon has gone to bed, when the sparrows stop their singing, and the sky is clear and red...”  I had sung the song one summer on a town common with a church group.  It’s so beautiful and very fitting in a military tribute entitled Until Then... 

Got Music?

“Sing unto Him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.”  --Psalm 33:3

Do you ever feel like there is something missing in your life?  Or maybe you’ve felt really stressed out and you’re not sure why.  Could it be that you need to add some music to your life?  It has been said that music can soothe the savage beast.  In 1 Samuel 16:14-23, the Bible relates an incident in which King Saul was greatly troubled, but was soothed when David played the harp for him.  Studies have shown that music, and especially singing or playing an instrument, can, indeed, help relieve stress.  Singing or playing an instrument increases oxygen intake and exercises your lungs and heart, and if you sing or play with others, it can create a sense of unity and belonging.

Music also helps with learning.  People who have learned to read music and play an instrument usually score higher in math and science.  And we can often remember something more easily when it has been put to music or song.  It's not just for children.  Hundreds of years ago when most people couldn’t read, Scripture was put to music in the form of hymns like “A Mighty Fortress” to help an illiterate congregation learn.  Have you ever gotten a song stuck in your head?  Colossians 3:16 says, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."  It doesn’t say anything about having a good voice.  So, what are you waiting for?  Sing and make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

The Spreading of the Clouds

 "And can any understand the spreadings of the clouds...?"  --Job 36:29a

On Friday, we drove to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to see the Sight & Sound production In the Beginning.  It was amazing!  The way the story was told and performed brought to life the events of the Creation and Fall to the death of Adam.  Tears streamed down my face, and I felt like weeping.

On the ride home, the play went through my head... the life of peace, fellowship, and blessing Adam and Eve enjoyed before the Fall, and the fear, isolation, and suffering they endured afterward.  I thought about my own struggles, and a song went through my head that had come to mind the day before on the ride up... Rejoice in the Lord  by Ron Hamilton.

God never moves without purpose or plan
When trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD though your testing seems long;
In darkness He giveth a song.

I could not see through the shadows ahead;
So I looked at the cross of my Savior instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day;
Then peace came and tears fled away.

Now I can see testing comes from above;
God strengthens His children and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care;
Through purging more fruit I will bear.

O Rejoice in the LORD
He makes no mistake,
He knoweth the end of each path that I take,
For when I am tried
And purified,
I shall come forth as gold.

I had asked Max and Emily if they'd like to sing it together in light of the fact our church hasn't had choir since the change from an evening service to an afternoon one.  It's difficult to get everyone together to practice.  They agreed.

I was feeling so unworthy to serve the Lord, and as I prayed, I looked up into the blue sky to see a cloud with a void in the middle with the shape of the number 5.  Five... five what?  It was a distinct shape, and as I continued looking and wondering, a cloud formation beside it slowly formed the numbers 1 and 3 in the same manner... a void, and when I looked back at the 5, it had turned into a 6.  "What does it mean?" I wondered.  The numbers were too distinct to be a mere coincidence, but I told myself that we shouldn't trust in signs and seek to hear from the Lord that way.  I couldn't help praying to ask if it was significant, and as I did, a car passed by, and I just happened to notice the last three numbers of it's license plate... 613.  Another coincidence?  It was too much, so I asked what it meant, and a thought came to mind.  The 5 represented the fifth book of the Bible, and the 6 and 13 represented the chapter and verse.  I asked Matt, who was sitting across the aisle from me, if I could borrow his Bible for a minute.  This is what Deuteronomy 6:13 says, "Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name."   Is it just a coincidence that it directed me to God's Word and fit the occasion of my prayer?  I don't think so.