Friday, July 1, 2011

What a glorious day

Oh, how glorious this day is, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in.

Earlier, as I opened the newspaper, coffee dripped majestically into the pot, and the wonderful fragrance crawled down the hallway to my office, I could see the pinks and purples of the morning sky drifting past and somehow through the fluffy, distinguished early clouds.

Today the forecast is for high heat and stuffy humidity to soar into a horrific display of hemorrhaging sun. Heck, it's gonna be hellacious by mid-afternoon with only a hint of a breeze and a minuscule chance of a shower to douse the tearful strands of grass in the parsonage's backyard.

Today we have another opportunity to make a difference in lives.
Today we have another chance to be gracious even to those ungracious humans around us.
Today the prairies again are singing God's name, melodious letter by letter. The hills are dancing with balance and beauty, with the remnant of yesterday's minor rain pitter-pattering like a leaky faucet into a drain then flowing out into the dry, dry land that soaks it up like a cloth mop.

Today the whole area is lying low, waiting, watching for us to rock and roll in the knife-wound-like slices of  valleys nearby. As starved pets, we're thankful for even the bit of rain in a summer of drought.

Today, oh, today. Today our afternoon energy will be drained by the heat, the habitual humidity will pounce on us like a gargantuan WWE wrestler, and five-hour energy tonics will play out in only thirty minutes.

But today is a day that God has carefully and consistently made, a day that God has invested in, a day that God has claimed as honorable and best of all a day that is filled with the dawn of hope.

Today we sing into being a message of love offered by a Messiah and stamped as approved by the creator Father. Today we speak into being the Word of God that offers tales of courage and honesty.

Today will not be easy, as if any day is ever. God says to Malachi the prophet, "I am God -- yes, I am. I haven't changed. And because I haven't changed, you, the descendants of Jacob, haven't been destroyed. You have a long history of ignoring my commands. You haven't done a thing I've told you. Return to me so I can return to you," says God.

Today we linger in God's massive muscled arms, savoring His sweet touch before we venture into a cruel and cantankerous world.

Today we master notes of beauty and chords of joy, bringing the whole of creation to one pure and simple moment when we cry out for mercy, desirous of grace. The mountains in our lives seem so big, our faith seems so shrinkingly small, and we're beating hard heads against rock-hard, crumbling walls.

Today is a God-given glorious day, as the sun rises to tickle the highest leaves of parched pines and dreadfully thirsty oaks and browning elms. Today is a day God will watch over us, a day He will not leave us alone, a day that God dips an amazingly powerful finger into the pool of human life and swishes the water playfully.

Today will be a dance day, a Spirit song day, an old-fashioned Psalm day, a glorious Gospel day with the good news pouring from the throne room into lives that hunger for truth.

Today will be for Him, with Him, by Him and most importantly through Him as we small delicate creatures look for the heavenly street signs that will guide us, as he told Malachi, back to him..

Today Let grace gallop and mercy mingle.

Glory be to God. Today. Today of all days.

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