sky trumpets

Is this sound of heaven rain? 

A coming day without pain?

Clouds that part the dark of night

but shine bright with Sword, a Holy light,

A Full Day when there is no more,

Of wicked sin and dreadful war. 

Who then shall we fear or blame? 

The Lord Almighty, praise His name.

King of great tiding, joy and peace,

all fear and sorrow soon shall cease 

Joe 2:1 ESV — Blow a trumpet in Zion;

sound an alarm on my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,

for the day of the LORD is coming; it is near,

Isa 13:13 NASB20 — Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

And the earth will be shaken from its place

At the fury of the LORD of armies

In the day of His burning anger.

Mal 3:1-3 ESV — “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.

Dan 7:13-14 ESV — “I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion

and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

that shall not be destroyed.

Jer 4:23-26 ESV — I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void;

and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,

and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked, and behold, there was no man,

and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert,

and all its cities were laid in ruins

before the LORD, before his fierce anger.

Isa 52:7-8 ESV — How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings good news,

who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,

who publishes salvation,

who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice;

together they sing for joy;

for eye to eye they see

the return of the LORD to Zion.

Amo 3:3-6 ESV — “Do two walk together,

unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest,

when he has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out from his den,

if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth,

when there is no trap for it?

Does a snare spring up from the ground,

when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city,

and the people are not afraid?

Does disaster come to a city,

unless the LORD has done it?

Rom 10:15-21 NASB20 — But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!” However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? On the contrary:

“THEIR VOICE HAS GONE OUT INTO ALL THE EARTH,

AND THEIR WORDS TO THE ENDS OF THE WORLD.” But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

“I WILL MAKE YOU JEALOUS WITH THOSE WHO ARE NOT A NATION,

WITH A FOOLISH NATION I WILL ANGER YOU.” And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I WAS FOUND BY THOSE WHO DID NOT SEEK ME,

I REVEALED MYSELF TO THOSE WHO DID NOT ASK FOR ME.” But as for Israel, He says, “I HAVE SPREAD OUT MY HANDS ALL DAY LONG TO A DISOBEDIENT AND OBSTINATE PEOPLE.”

The mountains declare

Some thoughts of reflection while on the plane ride home:

Some say there is beauty found in these mountains. The wonder of creation. These things made under this sun. 

But here me when I say: the tallest mountain, the most breathtaking view, the clearest glacial waters that shimmer like sapphires does not compare to wisdom and beauty of truth found in the Holy scriptures.  

A gift breathed out by God and illuminated by the Holy Spirit: to teach, to train, to encourage to rebuke, to grow us, to show us how to be more like Him: the One who was, who is and is to come. 

The Word of the Lord endures forever, it is a sword of power and truth. I cannot help but tremble. 

Even greater things we will do? Ask for anything in his name? If our requests be His will, His nature and for His glory. He entrusts us to carry the message to the ends of the earth with the Spirit indwelling in us: power for a ripple change in the heart of stone to flesh. It is of global significance. This side of the resurrection... we have the whole picture.

A lump in my throat.

A tear in my eye.

That He would say these things to those born of dust? I am but a stick, an ant and a grain of sand. But He still knows, and sees and cares. 

He bore the weight of my wickedness. 

By the blood price paid for our sins Christ has restored a way to the Father. 

Holy holy holy! 

That we may commune with him in the light of His love forever? It shall be shouted from the mountaintops! Dual purpose for their creation: to declare His majesty and to provide a stepping stool for the proclaiming His goodness, His grace and the redemption of all mankind? 

What I Thought I Needed

Only You

I used to think I needed someone like her.

Someone who understood me,

who offered what felt like peace,

whose words could soften the waves inside.

But I see now.

I was longing for You.

Not someone who calmed the storm,

but the One who commands the waves.

Not one who made silence feel safe,

but the One who makes it sacred.

You Called Me Higher

You opened my eyes to see again,

to see how I tried to fill a throne with a touch,

how I crowned a feeling and called it god,

how I mistook connection for covenant,

and tenderness for truth.

How I thought I needed comfort,

But You were calling me to holiness.

The One Who Stayed

I held fast to the vows we once shared.

I wept for what was sacred yet slipping.

I needed her to choose us.

But she stepped away.

You stayed.

You never left me.

You walked with me.

You still stay.

You loved me before I knew I needed saving.

You bore not just my pain but my sin.

You didn’t just comfort me.

You atoned.

You redeemed.

You, Lord, are the Consuming Fire,

burning what was never holy.

Refining what You make new.

Where I Fell Short

What we had wasn’t perfect.

But I fought for it.

It was sacred.

Entrusted to me,

for a season only You could number.

I see now where I fell short too.

I idolized the gift more than the Giver.

I gave effort where intimacy had faded.

I held to hope even when truth trembled,

thinking covenant could cover the cracks.

I loved deeply.

Yet she let go.

Still, You never let go.

You are the refuge who never does.

What You’re Making New

You don’t just convince me I’m enough.

You make me Yours.

Chosen.

Redeemed.

Beloved.

Her imprint fades.

Yours remain.

You showed me Your wounds,

the scars and stripes that healed me.

It wasn’t wasted.

Even broken vessels carried meaning.

Even in her leaving,

You were forming something new in me.

If You Would Send Someone

So I no longer long for echoes of the past,

not reminders,

not replacements.

If You would send someone,

let her not be an echo of my wounds,

but a partner in Your purpose.

Let her not soothe what You mean to sanctify,

nor fix what You intend to remake.

Let her not come as just warmth,

but a flame forged in surrender,

burning together for You.

If she comes,

may she find me bowed,

not needing her as Savior,

but walking already

with You as Lord.

Not one who completes me,

but one who joins me

in being made complete in You.

Not to Replace You, But Reflect You

An Ezer,

not to replace You,

but to reflect You.

A Kenegdo,

not above, not beneath,

but face to face.

Strong where I am weak,

and yielded in love, as I am too.

Bone of my bone.

Flesh of my flesh.

And if she stands beside me,

may we not reach backward for Eden,

but long together for the New Jerusalem.

Until Then, I Burn

I used to think I needed someone.

Now I sow with tears and wait in the already but not yet.

Not idle,

not empty,

but burning,

with oil in my lamp,

and fire in my bones.

Still healing.

Still held.

Still holy.

Prepared.

Purified.

Poured out.

For You.

No more idols.

No more broken cisterns.

Only Living Water.

Only You.

Selah.

Prayer For Rain

I ache for the downpour of heavy rain,

Will You grow a harvest from these tears?

I pray for an olive tree,

to take root in my sea of sorrow.

Yoked in purpose,

to share the good news,

with the breath You've allotted for the time here,

for tomorrow is never guaranteed.

Selah.