Skip to main content

Concerto

             Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. (Isaiah 25:1)

Isaiah lived in the eighth century BC, almost 3000 years ago. As I read this passage this morning, the part that stood out to me was “things planned long ago.” It’s embarrassing, but I found myself thinking, “Wait, they had that concept way back then?” Yes, and David lived six hundred years before Isaiah, and Adam and Eve long before David, and there are at least hints of a plan going all the way back to Genesis 3.

I was going to confess to temporal snobbery, and that might be there, but the positive side of it is that this morning, I’m once again impressed with God’s action through time, His involvement with people, His wisdom, His power, and – oddly – His proximity.

He has done wonderful things and continues to do wonderful things. Those wonderful things might not be things we enjoy or approve, but they inspire wonder. I’ve heard rumors of wonderful things happening in Russia’s attack on the Ukraine. I’m not approving of Russia’s actions, and I don’t know if the miraculous events are true, but I’ve heard rumors.  God is in control even there.

For all some people complain about the current administration in the US (and I’m not fond of it), those who think it is wrong are getting up and being active – not sleepwalking as they tended to do when they agreed with the administration. And God is in control. We don’t understand. We don’t approve. All we can do is stand and watch, and see what God does next.

And I find myself saying, “I want to see. Let me see!” I so want to behold His wonder, but I don’t understand what I’m looking at. I can only see through a glass darkly. And now I’m on the verge of tears because when I got up this morning, my earworm was singing, “Open My Eyes, Lord, I Want To See Jesus.”

And three thousand years later, Isaiah reminds us that we are part of God’s plan. We’re in the orchestra, and we’re playing a concerto. That means there’s a director (the Father) and a soloist (Jesus) but that we all have a part to play. If we weren’t here, the concerto would be fine, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t contribute. The concerto focuses on the soloist, but if only the soloist played, it wouldn’t be a concerto. We are part of the composition, and it’s not only natural for us to marvel at the soloist, but also to be eager to play a part that matters, that was written for us.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Right Road

          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. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. (Psalm 139:7-12)                  For years before GPSes existed, I told people I wanted something in my car that would tell me, “Turn left in half a mile…turn left in a quarter mile…turn left in 500 feet… turn left in 100 feet…turn left now …You missed the turn, Dummy!” The problem isn’t necessarily that I get lost so much as I’m afraid I’ll get lost. I don’t want to have to spend my whole trip stressing over the next turn. I have the same problem with my spiritual journey.   
Post a Comment
Read more

Died as a Ransom

                 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:15)                  This is something I’d really rather not think about but here it is and it’s important. I was reading in Bold Love about seeking revenge.  The author wrote of seeking justice when a supposed Christian does something sinful, harmful, and/or horrific, like sexually abusing a daughter.  And the thought that came to mind was of God asking if Jesus’ death was sufficient payment to me for the sin committed against me.                I have no specific longing for revenge, vengeance, or justice. I’m sure there are some lurking somewhere in my heart, but this wasn’t a response to one. It was more a question of principle. Jesus’ death was sufficient payment for to God for our sins.  That’s the standard Sunday Schoo
1 comment
Read more

Out of the Depths

  Out of the depths I have cried to You, Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the sound of my pleadings.   If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds, Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, so that You may be revered. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and I wait for His word. My soul waits in hope for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning; Yes, more than the watchmen for the morning. Israel, wait for the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He will redeem Israel from all his guilty deeds . (Psalm 130)             I like Mr. Peterson’s interpretation of the first line. “The bottom has fallen out of my life!” Of course, the problem for some of us is the fact that we’re drama queens, and/or we’re weak. Any time anything happens that disturbs our sense of mastery and control, the bottom has fallen out of our lives. If the past couple of days have taught me anything, they’ve t
1 comment
Read more