Who You Are

They say You're bigger than we are--that to be able to shrink You down to our level with glib explanations would minimize the greatness of who You are. Does it sadden You, or anger You, or amuse You that we've made worship about us? Will we ever truly understand that it's always going to be about You? We jump up and down trying to grab Your eye, competing with our sisters for Your favor, naively thinking that will somehow give us greater standing in Your kingdom. Meanwhile, You look for the meek and lowly ones, just like Yourself.

Who are You, really? Who is the I AM who is so wrapped up with us that He would indulgently allow our self-absorbed lives to move about in uncaring oblivion of Your greatness? "i am....i am....i am" we insist, when, if we listen carefully, the hearbeat of creation is, "I AM....I AM.....I AM."

Recently You reminded me that we only know who we are when we see who You are. Too often, though, I spend my attention on myself in the vain effort to eclipse Your Son. You will not share Your glory (Stephen Venable's teaching blessed me so much this week--click here).

So let's make it about You today....one moment at a time.

Great is Your Name above all of creation. Holy and righteous, faithful and true, unchallenged in all of Your decisions, unequaled in all of Your splendor, You alone reign. Justice marks Your throne. Mercy is Your scepter. Love is the center of all You are.

You are He who is and who was; You were at the beginning, and You are beyond the end. From everlasting to everlasting You are established, King over the earth, sovereign majesty enthroned in glory.

Lion of Judah, Lamb who was slain, Morning Star, Root of David, Word who became flesh, meek and lowly One, Firstborn of the dead, You radiate splendor. You are the singing, dancing, laughing, shouting God. You never change. You never lie. You never sleep. You never fail.
You stand alone.

In You is all wisdom. You have inherited the greatest Name. Yahweh. Prince of peace. Lord of all. You have all authority, dominion, honor. You are without blemish. You are victorious in all You do.

You make the clouds Your chariot and ride on the wings of the wind. You thunder from heaven. You are good, gracious, compassionate--slow to anger, abounding in love. You are all that is holy, all that is kind, all that is beautiful.
You alone are God.

modern-day psalm

Your Spirit hovers over the sea of humanity, eyes probing hearts and searching spirits. Do You see me? I'm waving frantically with the banner of love that You gave me. I want to draw Your eyes, even when they burn me alive.

Noah released a dove from the ark and it returned to him because there was no place for it to rest. You sent for the dove of Your Spirit and it settled on Your Son. I want to be Your resting place.

I don't want to be the one You love simply because that's Your nature; I want to be the one You know, who establishes relationship, who walks in intimacy. Heaven is Your throne, the earth is Your footstool--but Your habitation is in me.

Day by day, hour by hour, You lead me through the valley, up the mountain and back down again. Your rod and Your staff are the marks of Your authority--the scepter of the Shepherd. The rod of iron with which You judge the nations of the earth brings me joy and comfort.

Your discipline has made me glad. I am Somebody's daughter. Mercy and goodness are chasing me down. Your gentle love crowns my head, the brilliant diadem of Your family crest. Your humility has exalted me even as my life is forfeit, laid down before You.

My King is my Father. My Judge is my Shepherd. My sacrificial Lamb is the prevailing Lion. His Word is my bread, my life, my light, and my salvation. He is the Door, the Bread that came from Heaven, the Way where there is no other way, the Son of God, the One who was dead and is alive again forever.

May my soul sing out in the night in my sleep. May my mind realize that every breath not spent in praise is wasted. May my heart never swerve from its allegiance to one purpose. May my mouth choose gratitude over complaint. May my eyes keep covenant with my morals; my feet rush to promote peace; my hands remain open to give to those in need; my face turn always toward the Son; my ears ignore gossip that is none of my business; my nose delight in the fragrance of I AM; and may the stamp of the Most High mark my life.

May I be found loving with heart, soul, mind, and strength, even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

I have delighted in the goodness of the Lord. I have seen the provision of His hand. His love will overcome every distraction--every broken place in the darkness of my flesh. Crucified with Christ, buried in baptism, and now alive to know Him in the power of His resurrection.

Oh what a delight to live in the shadow of His wings.

[untitled]

Spirit flame,
burn through my ashes
that i may offer passion.
my worship's on the altar
ready for refining
longing for life.

rain Your word.
water my garden
and i will scale the walls
with fruit to feed the nations,
open to the hungry,
calling for the shamed.

this is my sacrifice--
that which is holy,
that which is perfect and pleasing before You.
this is my offering--
my yearning devotion,
Yours.

what i see when i'm blind

my first coherent thought this morning was that rules regarding working hours should change with the weather. today's one of those hazy, gray days that threaten rain but never quite follow through. when the alarm clock went off at 6:00 this morning, my eyes immediately responded that they had no intention of getting up if the sun wasn't. it was 7:15 before i finally staggered out of bed, feeling drugged and shaking off dreams about a burned house and a schnauzer that just had ear surgery.


it's funny how cloudy mornings affect us. when i don't see the sun, i feel sluggish and dull-witted. don't get me wrong--rainy days are my favorite of all, but only when i can curl up with a mug of tea and a good book or sit in an awning somewhere watching the thunderheads roll in and losing myself in the scent of rain. i'm not particularly fond of them when i have to be somewhere.


i was talking to the Lord this morning along a similar vein. when i don't perceive the Son, i lose focus and definition in my life. discipline to force myself to read my Bible and pray overtakes desire to spend time with Him.

then the Holy Spirit, who brings life and revelation to the Word, led me to this passage:

2 Corinthians 3:15-16 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

i pray for you today what i prayed for myself this morning -- that you would turn to the Spirit of God and seek a spirit of wisdom and revelation to see Him in the fullness of who He is; and that He would in turn honor His promise from 2 Corinthians 3:16 and show Himself strong to you as the Lord, mighty to save and close to your heart.