"take five minutes and see what comes out: No extreme editing; no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation. Just painting with words. Finger-painting even.not a perfect post, not a profound post, just five minutes of focused writing. For only five minutes."
A friend posted this song on Facebook the other day. I immediately decided it was one of my "new favorites" (to add to my list of 587 favorite songs already...:)). I've listened to it many times this week...
LOVE those words. So the other morning, I decided to go back to some of the Scriptures from which they are taken...Isaiah 40 and Job 38.
It didn't even register when I saw "Isaiah 40". I first read verses 12-15:
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?
13 Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
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?
13 Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
14 Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
What amazing verses about the true awesomeness of our God...there just aren't adequate words to describe His big-ness (not a word, I'm sure, but the only way I know to say it :)), His power, His majesty, His might.
Then I "zoomed out" to the entire chapter, and had one of those "head slap" moments. Those verses come right after what has been one of my favorite verses for over six years now...the verse Jodie sent me two days before my dad died...the verse I have clung through during some deep, dark valleys since...Isaiah 40:11:
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
As I read the chapter as a whole, I was just totally overwhelmed by the picture it presented. I think it is one of the most beautiful chapters in the Bible. I have loved "pieces" of it for years...not only verse 11, but verse 1, and verses 3-5, which are the bases for more than one of my favorite musical compositions, and then of course, closing with the beautiful words of Isaiah 40:29-31:
29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
But the other morning, I was just overwhelmed not by the individual verses, but by the totality of the chapter. Some of the most beautiful verses in the Bible about God's comfort and care of His people, interspersed among verses about His power, might, justice, strength, and majesty. I just love the reminder of the hugeness of God and the tininess (are those words? Blogger seems to think so...:)) of man...and yet, His perfect care and comfort of us. I love the way that God takes verses that we have heard all our lives and makes them totally new and fresh for us...just when we need them the most.
Well, I've had several interruptions while typing this, so I've completely lost track of how long I've actually spent on it..but I haven't edited, or worked on composition (obviously :)), and I don't *think* it's been much longer than five minutes of actual typing. :-) Regardless...I needed to stop and think about this this morning...lots of things weighing on my mind today...personal, family, and friends with heavy burdens. I needed the juxtaposition this chapter provides of God's greatness and majesty, and His amazing care and comfort of the people He created. Good stuff to focus on today...thankful for this reminder that He is continually making all things new...
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