Von der Erde Reiss Mich Los (part one)

A long forgotten line from a hymn buried in my childhood was summoned from the depths of my memory recently. 
For the line...   Von der Erde Reiss Mich Los ...  if a word for word translation were given it would be .. "From the earth tear me loose"   

This spring I have been watching the eagle nest in Iowa via web cam.    I watched the  eggs laid, then the eaglets hatch into tiny balls of fluff. Over the next weeks they grew rapidly to be bigger than the parent birds.  

As they grew to adult size I was amused to watch their antics. Using their large nest as a trampoline they would spread their wings and jump into the air.  At first their feet barely left the nest, but with practice they lifted higher and higher able to hold themselves for a few seconds in the air.
Then came the day when they ventured out onto the strong tree limbs supporting their nest.  I recognized that they were ready to leave the nest so every day I watched, expecting it to be the day the nest would be permanently vacated. 

To my surprise it didn't happen that way.  Even though the eagles could now fly from limb to limb in the tree, they would return to the nest -- to eat , to sleep, to rest. The parents humoured them, still offering meal delivery to the nest.  
As I watched I WISHED I could just reach out and throw them up against the blue sky and WILL them to fly high above the limitations of the nest they seemed so reluctant to leave.   Did the blue sky above them not beckon them to the freedom that was their birth right?  

As I observed them, I realized that they mimicked our own spiritual reality .   
Just as the eagles clung to the only 'home' they knew , limited though it was .. so we also cling to this earth, the only 'home' we know.  
Oh yes.. as we mature we become aware of our 'spiritual' side... and using this earth as a trampoline we flap our spiritual wings and feel ourselves lifted from the things of this earth.  But how temporary that is before we once again land on this earth, comfortable with the things that we know.   
With practice we may even spiritually 'fly', enjoying our spiritual highs, our mountain top experiences. We joyfully leave our earthly nest for a time to  sit in heavenly places.  But again, it is only for a moment. How quickly our faith weakens and we return to earthly things for our sustenance.   It is just so much easier to keep our feet grounded on  the understanding that this 'home'  earth offers, we prefer to 'live' according to  the thinking of the world that we know so well.    
Our faith just isn't strong enough to leave this earthly nest completely.  

I watched as  the eagles sojourned in their nest  for a season, then observed how reluctant they were to leave their nest to spread their wings  soaring  high in the heavens, reaching for the sky that has no limits.  
So we too for an earthly season are bound by physical reality. We cling to the earth 'built' by God specifically suited to our needs and comforts. 
But I see that too often our mind set is much like the eagles.  The pull of this earth is stronger than the pull of the blue sky of eternity to come. 
Instead of yearning for our eternal destiny we put it off for as long as we can, clinging to the earthly things we hold dear. 

May the refrain of this ancient song be the prayer of our hearts...  

Von der erde reiss mich los,               From the earth tear me away,
Mache  meinen glauben gross,           Make my faith big, 
Bit mire einen treunen sinn,                May I faithful and true in spirit be.
Nimm mich ganz mein JESU hin.        My Jesus, take me, make me wholly yours!.
       (Author; Luise von Hayn,1724-1782)

Creative Witness

I was reading Habakkuk 2 this morning and was struck by one of the verses that reminded me of an experience my granddaughter shared with me.

The verse is Habakkuk 2:14 which says.."For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."   


What part of the sea is not covered with water ?  It is not even a question, is it...there is no place the water does not cover!  It flows to the lowest places and spreads as far as the sea reaches.
I thought of the fact that  as I pray for loved ones that do not yet know the Lord, I often pray that God will use whatever He can to bring Himself into their thoughts or awareness.

How creative God can be in His reaching out into people's lives was brought home to me by the following story told to me by my granddaughter.

My granddaughter and her friend were enjoying time together at a local lake, sitting on the pier as they conversed one with another.
The friend was recently baptised, having given her life to the Lord.  My granddaughter told me how much she had changed. Although she no longer did drugs nor kept company with her old friends who did, they still sought her out begging her to hang out with them.

As they sat on the pier, two of these friends happened by and greeted their old friend saying, "Let's hang out together!"   Without waiting for an invitation, the two girls joined my granddaughter and her friend on the pier.  They pulled out their drugs and started smoking them.  My granddaughter's friend said, "Let's just leave", and they walked away.
A short distance later, my granddaughter realized she had left her cell phone on the pier.  Her friend said .. "No, I don't want to go back!"   and on impulse took out her own cell phone and said... "Here, let me call your cell to see if it really is still on the pier."
My granddaughter's friend's name is Christa and my granddaughter shows her as Christ on her cell display, purposely having left off the 'a'.
No one answered the cell and the girls reluctantly went back to the pier to  retrieve the cell.    Approaching the spot where the two girls were still smoking pot, they noted that one of them had the cell phone in her hand looking at it .  Looking up at my granddaughter and her friend she said, "Is this your phone ??  It says that Christ is calling!"
My granddaughter and her friend immediately confirmed .. "Yes, that is soo true !! Christ really IS calling YOU!"  

I wonder if that young girl had a grandmother who was concerned for her granddaughter and praying for God's influence to be brought across her path.

Lessons of the Spider Web

I came across an interesting verse in the book of Job the other day that has a reference to spiders' webs.
"So are the paths of all who forget God ...... whose trust is a spider's web. He leans on his house but it does not stand..."  Job 8:13a,14b,15a


Who would choose to lean on a spider's web for support ?   Only someone who is foolish, surely!
Yet, God says that those who lean on anything other than Him are leaning on spider's webs.
Trusting in this world's wisdom,  believing its promises of fortune or fame will give no more security than leaning on a spider's web to keep from falling.
God tells us .. "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;" Prov. 3:5 

And yet, even though scripture mocks our trusting in the 'spider web' promises of man's reason or resources, God has build into the spider web wisdom that scientists are only today beginning to fully appreciate as they grapple with aspects of the web that  defy their understanding.

God has hidden in the details of a spider's web,  His creative encouragement that we might trust His promises with the full confidence of  heart and mind !

1.  The beauty of the spider's web ---   Who has not admired a spider's web and wondered at the spider's ability to weave with such accuracy the lacy pattern of his web.
If a tiny spider can weave a perfect web, could we not trust God to weave our life into the  pattern of His perfect will and design for us ?
Jer 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

2. The strength of the spider's thread -- Weight for weight a spider's thread is up to 5x as strong as steel.
How weak we often feel as we are confronted by the confident, loud voices of this world. We know that in our own strength we are no match for what man or devil can bring against us, and yet -- what does God promise ?   Even though we look and feel like a fragile spider's thread, God's strength is perfected in us as we lean on Him in our weakness.
2Co 12:9  "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."  


3. The spider's web can withstand great testing -   A spider's web can withstand hurricane-strength winds. It's thread stretches to 40% before it breaks. Compare that to steel that breaks at 8% and the nylon used in our stockings that breaks when stretched to 20%.
If God  created this resilience in a spider's web can God not build in us an ability to withstand all temptation that comes against us ?
1Co 10:13  "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it."   


4. The spider's web is designed to adapt to bearing different types of loads -    Unlike any other natural or man made material the silk threads in the spider's web have an ability to soften or stiffen uniquely enabling them to adjust to  the varying weights of things  that might fall upon it.
We all have 'loads'  or burdens that we must carry and sometimes we feel that we will be crushed under the weight of our burden.  And yet we can trust that God has enabled us to carry not only our own 'load' but also to relieve one another and help to carry their burdens.
Gal. 6:2a,5 "Bear one another's burdens..... For each one shall bear his own load."


5. Timing is everything --   The spider secretes a substance called scleroprotein from which it spins its silk threads. The spider controls the water content of this gel to keep it from crystallizing before it is ready to spin.  If the protein crystallizes too soon the whole process would fail.
How often we become impatient or frustrated as we wait for God to answer our prayers.  And yet, timing is everything -  if God answered prayers according to 'our time'  how often would His purposes fail !  So we can trust that even when God's answers seem delayed, the delay is simply God waiting for the perfect 'time'.
Ecc 3:1  "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" 


6. A broken thread strengthens the web -  The spider's web has an unusual property that is intriguing scientists  designing earthquake proof buildings. When one of the threads of a web breaks, the web instead of being weakened is actually strengthened !   And even if there are many defects in the web its mechanical function is unharmed.
How often circumstances beyond our control cause hurt and turmoil, discouragement and despair in our life- and we wonder how God can cause good to come or how He can use us where we find ourselves in our brokenness.   And yet, what does God promise?  He promises that He will work even the difficult things of our life for good.
Rom 8:28  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

7. The spider web's proteins are salted  
The proteins in the substance that spins out the silk threads are salted to protect the web from the decay caused by bacteria and fungi.
Bacteria and fungi -- the sins that 'decay' our life.   Are we protected ?   Yes...  God's Spirit in us 'salts' us with conviction and forgiveness --  we need but ask!
 1Jn 1:9  "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

Perhaps next time you observe a spider's web... stop a moment and consider the wisdom God hid in its threads and listen for His voice whispering "Trust Me!"

Seeds

I love sweet peas - the fragrance and beauty of the flowers delight me.   On an impulse I bought a package of sweet pea seed and planted them in an egg carton hoping to give them a start before I plant them outside.
The problem is that I am a terrible gardener.
I think my biggest problem is that if I plant flower seeds today, I would like to put them in a vase tomorrow.
It just doesn't happen that way, does it.
It is sometimes a long while before you are able to enjoy what the seeds produce.
One thing I can count on, the seeds will produce according to their kind.

I read a quote today by John Stott that I found quite thought provoking.

"Every time we allow our minds to harbour a grudge, 
or nurse grievances, 
or entertain impure thoughts,
or wallow in self pity,   we are sowing to the flesh."   

We have the list of the crops attributed to the flesh in Gal. 5:19-21 - adultery, fornication, uncleanness, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy , murders, drunkenness, revelries... and the like...

Horrors !  Who would willingly plant the seeds that produce those crops ??
It would be like someone purposely sowing the worst, most invasions weeds in their garden !   No one would be THAT foolish, would they ?

I thought about how easy it is to plant the seeds of sin  but because it takes time before the seeds grow into a mature plant we forget we planted them. Then too seeds are such very tiny things, are they not?  Hardly big enough to worry about, nor do they in the least resemble what they will grow to be!  


Who is not guilty at times, of sowing the seeds that John Stott listed?
I am going to be more aware of what I can expect to grow next time I am tempted to hold a grudge, entertain that negative thought, or feel sorry for myself.    And if I allow one of these seeds to sprout, I pray I will pull them out quickly and spray them with 'weed control' -- Repentance!

I will be more careful to sow Philippians 4:8  seeds in my mind garden .. and water them with prayer and fertilize them with love.
  "Finally... whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on (plant)  these things."

 Philippians seed will produce a fragrant and beautiful  'garden' that glorifies the Lord and  offers a resting place for others.