Reflections of an Election Heart, Round Ten

To the chief musician. On the Lily of Testimony. A secret treasure of David, to teach;
O God! You cast us off; You broke us; You who were angry; take us back.
You made the earth tremble; You tore it; heal its breaks, for it is shaking.
You have shown Your people hardship; You made us drink the wine of trembling.
You have given a banner to those who fear You, to lift it up because of the truth. Selah.
Psalm 60:1-4

Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the LORD.
“This is the one I esteem: (s)he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.
Isaiah 66:2

***

It’s been an earthquake felt around the world. The aftershocks continue and aren’t showing signs of ending any time soon. Under these conditions, what’s a reeling people of God to do?

First, we tremble.

If we have a savior mentality – first, we tremble.
If we are those who in the anger have become angry – first, we tremble.
If we are those who feel cast off and broken – first, we tremble.
If we grieve for this torn earth that is in need of healing – first, we tremble.
If we have known hardship with backs to the point of breaking – first, we tremble.
If we have been given the cup of bitter wine to drink – first, we tremble.
If we fight with a heart for those in foreign lands – first, we tremble.
If we stand with the needy on our own life’s soil – first, we tremble.
If we see with one righteous eye but close the other – first, we tremble.
If we look for fault and finding plenty, lay blame at another’s feet – first, we tremble.
If we walk in the counsel of the wicked and immoral – first, we tremble.
If we continue in the manner that sinners take as if we are still accounted guilty – first, we tremble.
If we sit in the company of mockers and scoffers and cast the first stone – first, we tremble.
If we look in the face of others and do not see Christ – first, we tremble.
If we look in the mirror and do not see Christ – first, we tremble.
If in mud we see mud – first, we tremble.
If in His light we see light – first, we tremble.
If we would be humbled and our foolish, stiff-necked pride brought low – first, we tremble.
If we would be broken in spirit that we might be healed and raised up again – first, we tremble.
If we would be esteemed and looked on with favor (the approbation of God) – first, we tremble.
If we would be more than conquerers and overcome by joy – first, we tremble.

When we first tremble at His word, then we pick up the banner we have been given and lift it up:
because of the truth.

How do we know what is truth? Re-ground. Take a breather out of the way of the madding crowd. Wipe our brows, tend to our cuts and bruises, strengthen our hearts. Tremble at God’s word that is powerful and alive.

If we would be esteemed by Him – first, we esteem Him. That is how truth works. Truth is the way to life.

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me.
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—
the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him.
But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 14:5-6,16-17

Do we fear Him? Not the fear of harm and cowardice, but reverent wonder of the One whose Name we claim? He knows us. Sometimes we need to revisit how well we know Him.

Adonai – first, we tremble. Revive us again as we look to You that we might see You and know You as You are.

This is our prayer. Our solace, our hope, our strength, our victory.

First, we tremble, in order that our contending be not in vain.

~ Gracefully Free

Note: It’s time to pause after Round Ten. In the boxing world a full event goes fifteen rounds. There may be completion of five more rounds but that’s yet to be determined by the One with whom I write. In the meantime, there is more I am to be about and focused upon, while listening with an ear for Holy Spirit’s future “Ding. Ding.” When I hear it, I’ll be back in this particular writing ring …

Every champion was once a contender that refused to give up.
~ Rocky Balboa ~