Isaiah 26:3–4: You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.
Find your rest in Me
©4-12-09 Hannah Muonio
Find your rest in Me
In perfect peace I will keep you
In perfect love I will cover you
Find your rest in Me
With perfect strength I will carry you
With perfect stride I will walk with you
Find your rest in Me
I am the Rock that you are seeking
I am the Refuge that you need
I am the Fortress that never fails
I am the Savior, come to Me
Why do you sink in sand when you can stand on the Rock?
Why do you crumble under burdens you can nail to the cross?
Why do you falter with fear when your only need
is to put your trust in Me?
The places I have brought you from
are nothing compared
to the places I will bring you to
and when I send you out
I will faithfully show
you where I want you to go
Know Me
I’m the Lord God almighty
I made you with purpose and power
I am your heavenly Father
Child, find your rest in Me
Monday, April 13, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Good Friday Contemplations
Christ’s Kingship
Today, I walked up the road to a coffee shop near me (I’m almost too ashamed to tell you it was a Starbucks), sat in a comfy, green chair, and attempted to enjoy the taste of the bitter cup of coffee in my hands as I contemplated life. I gazed out the window at the clear, blue sky, not really seeing the Spring scene I was looking at, and thought about what it looked like to trust God in my present situation. My life’s been a bit crazy these days; so many changes (changes that I believe God has brought about), and therefore, so many opportunities to grow as I figure out what this new season of life is all about. While I was in Africa this past January, I lost my job (I haven’t been unemployed since I began working at age 15). Suddenly, I have been presented with time and a sea of endless possibility is in front of me. However, I don’t know how to swim very well, and each of the possibilities I have thus far stepped toward, God has said, “no.” So there I sat, feet dangling across the arm of a big, green chair by a window in Starbucks contemplating life. So cliché, right?
I also know that today is Good Friday. So I thought it would be good to consider this God of mine; who He is and what He has done this day 2000 years ago, and I assume that as I look in depth at these things, I will find every reminder and reason that I need to strengthen my faith and determination to trust God with every ounce of my complicated life.
Jesus died for my sins. That’s what Good Friday is all about. I think Christ is one phenomenal Savior. Over the past week I have been meditating on Him as my King; the contrast between an earthly king and our eternal King is quite an astounding and humbling consideration. Below is the poem I have written as I’ve considered this:
Our King of kings dons a crown of thorns
no noble steed, no heralding horns
as He looks on His people, His city, His lands
He walks to the cross and He spreads out His hands
Though utmost service a king deserves
ours humbles Himself as He kneels to serve
While His heart-felt prayers flow forth in a flood
He breaks His body and He pours out His blood
What King is this who weeps and sighs
for these who beat and spit and crucify?
Where a lesser king fights and his anger flares,
ours climbs on a cross and He hangs in the air
Neath a banner stating “King of the Jews”
the taunting voices deny Him His dues
even as the wrath of the Father is absorbed by the Son,
He laments, forsaken, and pleads, “Abba, forgive them.”
My King of kings. My Lord of lords.
My Savior, the Lamb, the Living Word.
Can you imagine a king like this? When I think of kings, I think of royalty and riches and reverence. I think of servants and extravagance. I think of people bowing and kissing the hand; respect shown and authority acknowledged. I think of one whose rule is visible and recognizable. I think of processions and lavish preparation (no expense spared) at the expectation of their coming. I think of honor shown and felt by the presence of such a figure. I think of robes and crowns and jewels that shine and glitter with the very finest of their respective materials. I think of eyes that want to behold a king.
And yet, here we have been presented with the King of kings; the First and the Last; the Alpha and Omega; the high and exalted Lord of lords. He was born in a stable with animals overlooking the birth. Those who came to revere Him were lowly shepherds, fisherman, shunned sinners, the sick and oppressed and forgotten. He knelt before His disciples and washed their dirty feet. He was betrayed with a kiss and abandoned by His friends. His robe and clothing were divided and taken by those who beat Him and strung Him up to die. The glitter on His brow didn’t come from the crown of thorns He wore, but instead shone from the sweat and blood that ran down His face. His presence brought taunting and disgust, and those who looked on Him saw only a spectacle of public humiliation and a criminal death. Scorned, denied, unrecognized for who and what He was. Royal but rejected. Beheld but belittled. What sort of King is this?
In Christ’s high-priestly prayer, He stated that He longed to be restored to the state of glory and unity that He had with the Father before His descent to earth and man. What a descent He chose to make. There’s a old song that says, “Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s sake becamest poor. Throne for a manger dist surrender, sapphire paved courts for stable floor.” Whoa. Think about that for a minute. Not just the descent from heavenly riches and glory to earthly lack and decay, but from radiance, holiness and fellowship with the Father to actually becoming sin and being forsaken by Him. I cannot even fathom this descent; there is no earthy parallel because there is nothing else as high as God in heaven nor as low as Satan in hell. And THIS from a king who is deserving of the highest praise and honor.
So the question is, why? 1 John says, “This is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His only son to be a propitiation for our sins,” and “Behold, what manner of love the Father has for us, that we should be called the children of God, and so we are.” Have you ever heard the word imputation? What Christ did on the cross was to take our place and qualities (namely filthy sinner, hopelessly destined to everlasting death in hell) and give us His own (righteousness, holiness, the promise to reign with Him, eternal life in the presence of the Father). In Christ, we are God’s children--sons with inheritance beyond our wildest imaginations. Our King, motivated by His astounding love for us, hung on a cross--a spotless lamb sacrificed for the sins of the whole world. What a King. How could we not bow to Him? How could we not worship Him? How could we not desire Him to rule and reign over us with a radiant glory that makes the sun no longer need to shine and a purifying Love that covers a multitude of filthy sin and stain? There is no king that has ever existed who holds even the faintest spark beside this King of kings; who even in a bloody, beaten state, dangling from a splintered wooden cross displayed the purest of love and the humblest brilliance of beauty that caused the sun itself to hide its face, the earth to tremble and the veil that kept us from entering into the very presence of God to tear from top to bottom, ushering us into the holiest of holy places: restored fellowship in the Father’s presence.
How could I not trust this God? This God who has promised to tend to my need, to lead me beside still waters, to restore my soul. This God who has pursued me as I ran from Him, who has bound up my wounds and who continually lifts me from the depths. This God who offers me fullness of joy and eternal pleasures, and surrounds and upholds me with promise and purpose. This God who loves me with a love that is so high and wide and deep and long that I cannot grasp it. This God who continually amazes me, receives me, sanctifies me, satisfies me, grows me, revives me, fills me, keeps me, stands for me. This God who is my Rock, my Refuge, my Fortress, my Deliver, my Savior. This God who is my King.
Lord, I bow to You. I praise You that I have been given the privilege of worshiping You now and forever. Lord, let me look on the cross, on my Savior who hangs from it--the atonement for my sin--and fall on my face before You with gratitude. Let me grasp with confidence the fullness of this work, to boldly cling to the grace and mercy and restoration offered. Let me acknowledge You before men and walk in a manner worthy of You, magnifying Your beauty to all I meet. Lord, fill me with Yourself and hide my life in Yours. Lord, help me trust You, know You fully as I am fully known by You, love You deeply with the love You have shown me, and praise You as You deserve to be praised. Let every crown be cast at Your feet, submitted to Your magnificent and glorious reign. And let me wait expectantly, sparing no expense, in preparation for Your return. Oh Lord, to be with You where You are, that is what I long for. In the name and for the glory of my King of kings. Amen.
Today, I walked up the road to a coffee shop near me (I’m almost too ashamed to tell you it was a Starbucks), sat in a comfy, green chair, and attempted to enjoy the taste of the bitter cup of coffee in my hands as I contemplated life. I gazed out the window at the clear, blue sky, not really seeing the Spring scene I was looking at, and thought about what it looked like to trust God in my present situation. My life’s been a bit crazy these days; so many changes (changes that I believe God has brought about), and therefore, so many opportunities to grow as I figure out what this new season of life is all about. While I was in Africa this past January, I lost my job (I haven’t been unemployed since I began working at age 15). Suddenly, I have been presented with time and a sea of endless possibility is in front of me. However, I don’t know how to swim very well, and each of the possibilities I have thus far stepped toward, God has said, “no.” So there I sat, feet dangling across the arm of a big, green chair by a window in Starbucks contemplating life. So cliché, right?
I also know that today is Good Friday. So I thought it would be good to consider this God of mine; who He is and what He has done this day 2000 years ago, and I assume that as I look in depth at these things, I will find every reminder and reason that I need to strengthen my faith and determination to trust God with every ounce of my complicated life.
Jesus died for my sins. That’s what Good Friday is all about. I think Christ is one phenomenal Savior. Over the past week I have been meditating on Him as my King; the contrast between an earthly king and our eternal King is quite an astounding and humbling consideration. Below is the poem I have written as I’ve considered this:
Our King of kings dons a crown of thorns
no noble steed, no heralding horns
as He looks on His people, His city, His lands
He walks to the cross and He spreads out His hands
Though utmost service a king deserves
ours humbles Himself as He kneels to serve
While His heart-felt prayers flow forth in a flood
He breaks His body and He pours out His blood
What King is this who weeps and sighs
for these who beat and spit and crucify?
Where a lesser king fights and his anger flares,
ours climbs on a cross and He hangs in the air
Neath a banner stating “King of the Jews”
the taunting voices deny Him His dues
even as the wrath of the Father is absorbed by the Son,
He laments, forsaken, and pleads, “Abba, forgive them.”
My King of kings. My Lord of lords.
My Savior, the Lamb, the Living Word.
Can you imagine a king like this? When I think of kings, I think of royalty and riches and reverence. I think of servants and extravagance. I think of people bowing and kissing the hand; respect shown and authority acknowledged. I think of one whose rule is visible and recognizable. I think of processions and lavish preparation (no expense spared) at the expectation of their coming. I think of honor shown and felt by the presence of such a figure. I think of robes and crowns and jewels that shine and glitter with the very finest of their respective materials. I think of eyes that want to behold a king.
And yet, here we have been presented with the King of kings; the First and the Last; the Alpha and Omega; the high and exalted Lord of lords. He was born in a stable with animals overlooking the birth. Those who came to revere Him were lowly shepherds, fisherman, shunned sinners, the sick and oppressed and forgotten. He knelt before His disciples and washed their dirty feet. He was betrayed with a kiss and abandoned by His friends. His robe and clothing were divided and taken by those who beat Him and strung Him up to die. The glitter on His brow didn’t come from the crown of thorns He wore, but instead shone from the sweat and blood that ran down His face. His presence brought taunting and disgust, and those who looked on Him saw only a spectacle of public humiliation and a criminal death. Scorned, denied, unrecognized for who and what He was. Royal but rejected. Beheld but belittled. What sort of King is this?
In Christ’s high-priestly prayer, He stated that He longed to be restored to the state of glory and unity that He had with the Father before His descent to earth and man. What a descent He chose to make. There’s a old song that says, “Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, all for love’s sake becamest poor. Throne for a manger dist surrender, sapphire paved courts for stable floor.” Whoa. Think about that for a minute. Not just the descent from heavenly riches and glory to earthly lack and decay, but from radiance, holiness and fellowship with the Father to actually becoming sin and being forsaken by Him. I cannot even fathom this descent; there is no earthy parallel because there is nothing else as high as God in heaven nor as low as Satan in hell. And THIS from a king who is deserving of the highest praise and honor.
So the question is, why? 1 John says, “This is love, not that we love God, but that He loved us and sent His only son to be a propitiation for our sins,” and “Behold, what manner of love the Father has for us, that we should be called the children of God, and so we are.” Have you ever heard the word imputation? What Christ did on the cross was to take our place and qualities (namely filthy sinner, hopelessly destined to everlasting death in hell) and give us His own (righteousness, holiness, the promise to reign with Him, eternal life in the presence of the Father). In Christ, we are God’s children--sons with inheritance beyond our wildest imaginations. Our King, motivated by His astounding love for us, hung on a cross--a spotless lamb sacrificed for the sins of the whole world. What a King. How could we not bow to Him? How could we not worship Him? How could we not desire Him to rule and reign over us with a radiant glory that makes the sun no longer need to shine and a purifying Love that covers a multitude of filthy sin and stain? There is no king that has ever existed who holds even the faintest spark beside this King of kings; who even in a bloody, beaten state, dangling from a splintered wooden cross displayed the purest of love and the humblest brilliance of beauty that caused the sun itself to hide its face, the earth to tremble and the veil that kept us from entering into the very presence of God to tear from top to bottom, ushering us into the holiest of holy places: restored fellowship in the Father’s presence.
How could I not trust this God? This God who has promised to tend to my need, to lead me beside still waters, to restore my soul. This God who has pursued me as I ran from Him, who has bound up my wounds and who continually lifts me from the depths. This God who offers me fullness of joy and eternal pleasures, and surrounds and upholds me with promise and purpose. This God who loves me with a love that is so high and wide and deep and long that I cannot grasp it. This God who continually amazes me, receives me, sanctifies me, satisfies me, grows me, revives me, fills me, keeps me, stands for me. This God who is my Rock, my Refuge, my Fortress, my Deliver, my Savior. This God who is my King.
Lord, I bow to You. I praise You that I have been given the privilege of worshiping You now and forever. Lord, let me look on the cross, on my Savior who hangs from it--the atonement for my sin--and fall on my face before You with gratitude. Let me grasp with confidence the fullness of this work, to boldly cling to the grace and mercy and restoration offered. Let me acknowledge You before men and walk in a manner worthy of You, magnifying Your beauty to all I meet. Lord, fill me with Yourself and hide my life in Yours. Lord, help me trust You, know You fully as I am fully known by You, love You deeply with the love You have shown me, and praise You as You deserve to be praised. Let every crown be cast at Your feet, submitted to Your magnificent and glorious reign. And let me wait expectantly, sparing no expense, in preparation for Your return. Oh Lord, to be with You where You are, that is what I long for. In the name and for the glory of my King of kings. Amen.
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