alea iacta est

"...the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord." ~ Job 1:21

When storm clouds gather overhead
And trials fast beset you
Recall your Savior who has bled
To save and resurrect you.

For in the oft-increasing pain
A lesson can we learn:
Through suffering we find our gain
If to His grace we turn.

And though relief may come but slow,
Rest in His arms; be still.
For we are sheltered here below
Safe in His sovereign will.

nosce te Deo

I want to know a million things
That all have gone before,
The secrets of the universe,
And what the stars are for,
The mysteries of sun and moon,
And earth and sky and sea,
And how the God of heaven thinks,
And what he thinks of me.

I want to know a thousand things
Pertaining to the earth,
About the seasons, days, and years,
And what my life is worth,
About the rocks, about the trees,
About the streams and ponds,
And why the spirit part of me
Is held in mortal bonds.

I want to know a hundred things
About the people here,
Of what they dream, for what they live,
And what it is they fear,
And what they want, and why they die,
And why they do and dare,
And if in life I make a difference
Whether they will care.

I want to know a billion things
That happen after death,
What I will see, what I will feel,
After my final breath.
I want to know what we will think,
And whether angels fly,
And if I’ll still have work and play
To do after I die.

"...now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

1Cor13.12

sola gratia

Strange how that which should drive us toward Christ so often seems to bar our way.

Who else but our Lord can cleanse us from our sin? Where else can we find restoration and renewal after our failures? And yet I find that my sin often leers at me from where it stands in the forefront of my mind, demanding what right I, a besmeared and corrupt mortal, have to approach the One whose purity is matchless, who alone is the ultimate image of holiness and sanctity.

It is truly one of the great traps faced by us, a veritable catch-22 of the soul, put in place by our pride and unbelief. There is difficulty in accepting the concept that we are unconditionally loved, and that regardless of our current state or feelings, our God is willing to receive us and plunge us once again under the tide of His glorious grace. Yet it is true nonetheless.

Lord, give me the humility and faith to see that you are not one who judges by merit or performance. Open my eyes to the true extent of your love and grant me the confidence to approach your throne of grace and mercy.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
~ Titus 2:13-14