About 3 years ago I was on vacation with my family at Orange Beach in Alabama...we were staying at one of the Condo's on the beach, Alexis was about 9 months old and the boys would have been 6 and 4:) As you might imagine with the children at that age we had a ton of stuff with us and while we were down at the beach Diane and I were constantly on high alert. Normally sitting on the beach is very relaxing, soothing and calming...but not with 3 little ones that are clueless to the dangers just a few feet away! There are countless directions that I could go right now, but I will resist the temptation and labor to stay on target:)
The point I want to make is that my quite times were especially sweet because I could sit on the balcony delighting in my great God and HIS creation with HIS Word and a cup of coffee without being on high alert...I was blessed with some sweet time with my Lord where I could focus heart, mind and soul on HIM and HIM alone!
One of the mornings I was reading in Isaiah and I ran across our passage from this morning, specifically Isaiah 40:12..."Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?" When my eyes ran across "who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand," I look out at the Gulf of Mexico, (a relatively small body of water) and thought WOW! Not only does the gulf, but the Atlantic, Pacific, and every other body of water fits int
o the hollow of HIS hand!
I sat there on the balcony for some time contemplating this great God who has adopted me, who died for me, who became poor that you and I might become rich in HIM...I sat there gazing at this body of water, watching the sunrise, realizing that HE dwarfs HIS own creation and that HE is sovereign, absolutely sovereign and governs HIS creation with the providential care of a gentle shepherd (Isa. 40:11).
I was caught up in the moment, lost in HIM, if you know what I mean and then I heard a tapping sound on the glass behind me...startled, I turned quickly to see 4 sleepy eyes, my two boys, 4 and 6 standing in their jammies...the 4 year old was holding meme, his blanket and the other holding bunny, as you might expect, it's a bunny:) A few moments later they are both on my lap and we are all watching the sunrise...it was a sweet time with my boys.
I asked them to look at all the water out there...and then I asked them, "hey guys, what do you think would happen if Daddy scooped up as much water in his hands at the beach...would anything happen?" They both looked at me a little puzzled. I asked them, "would the water level drop if I scooped up as much water as I could in my hands?" The 4 year old shrugged his shoulders and the 6 year old rolled his eyes and said, "that's silly Daddy...of course it wouldn't drop...look how much water is out there."
Then I read Isaiah 40:12 to them......"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?" I pointed out that God measured ALL the waters in the hollow of HIS hand...and that it did not say that it even filled the hollow of HIS hand, just that HE measured it in the hollow of HIS hand.
It was so cool to watch their eyes, especially my 6 year old who seemed to grasp the concept...their eyes got really big, REALLY BIG!
This is my prayer for me and it is my prayer for you...what Mark? I must confess that there was so much awe-striking beauty and glory in our readings today, I was in sensory overload...it took my breath away! Then the prayer came as I remember my boys eyes as they began to grasp the immensity of God...remember at 4 and 6 Daddy is huge in their eyes...to make a leap to contemplate someone that makes your Dad look like a dust speck is awe-striking for a child. BUT THAT IS IT...that is were I want to live, breath, drink in deeply of the living waters and remain in awe of the one who saved me, the one who makes me look like much less than a dust speck.
What else can you do when you read God's Word in 1 Peter 1:23-25 where Peter quotes Isaiah 40:7-8 "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever.” And this is the word that was preached to you. What else can you do when you read that "HE chose us in HIM before the foundation of the world." Or that "in HIM we have redemption through HIS blood, the forgiveness of sins" Or to know that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is currently at work in those who believe (Eph 1:19-20).
I hope and pray that as HIS promises penetrate your heart and my heart that we are filled to overflowing with a childlike wonder, awe, adoration of our heavenly Abba, Father and Daddy!
1 Jn 2:17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
Pursuing HIM together!
love,
m