o εσκατος

(the last...)

This blog is closing. Following today, there will be no more posts at this address. However, I'm still very interested in keeping a small blog. So...if you would still be interested in this writings, the new address follows:

www.ahomesickshasta.blogspot.com

Thank you.

αμαρτημα

(sin...)

Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. And the Lord said to Satan, "The Lord rebuke you, Satan! Indeed, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and standing before the angel. And he spoke and said to those who were standing before him saying, "Remove the filthy garments from him." Again he said to him, "See, I have taken your iniquity away from you and will clothe you with festal robes." Then I said, "Let them put a clean turban on his head." So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments, while the angel of the Lord was standing by. And the angel of the Lord admonished Joshua saying, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'If you will walk in My ways, and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here.

Zechariah 3:1-7

δεομαι

(I pray, beg, implore...)

Gracious Lord, Thy mercy filleth
All the earth below;
And from heaven's throne it falleth
When to Thee I go.

You died for me in my sinful state because You loved me. You chose me before the beginning of time because in Your righteous and good plan You wanted me to know Your power and love.

Mercy flowing, swift pursuing
Like a river strong,
Sympathizing with my weakness;
Mercy suff'ring long.

You chasten me because You love me and Your work in my life is for my good. You understand my sorrow and my pain; You intercede on my behalf.

Mercy calling with compassion:
"Oh return to Me."
Wounded Hands extended,
Loving is the plea.

You stretched out Your arms in love when I wanted nothing to do with You. Your crushed hands beckon to me from the cross to find my peace and joy in your perfect goodness.

How can I refuse Thy mercy?
Whither would I flee?
From my idol shrine I turn Lord,
Reaching up to Thee.

Strike down every object of my love that I place above You! Remove anything in my life that I might worship for You alone are worthy of all my praise. May my affections be for You and only You Lord.

Tender mercy of the Savior
Gently drawing nigh
With the blood that cleanseth sinners
Ready to apply.

You freely shed your blood in my stead. My life is offered to You freely to do with as Your perfect plan would require. Everything I am, my entire being and desire, I humbly lay before Your awesome throne to move as You wish.

Gracious Lord, Thy mercy filleth
All the earth below;
And from heaven's throne it falleth
When to Thee I go.




"Hymn of Mercy" by Eileen Berry and Dan Forrest

καρις

(grace...)

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me;
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No, I was found of Thee,
I find, I walk, I love,
But O the whole of love is but my answer,
Lord to Thee;
For Thou wert long beforehand with my soul,
Always Thou loved me.

I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew
He moved my soul to seek Him, seeking me;
It was not I that found, O Savior true;
No I was found of Thee.
O I was found of Thee.
(Anon. c.1904)

"For by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

That's what it comes down to, grace. Grace is what drew us to Him, because in actuality He was the One doing the drawing. He chose us for no merit of our own, simply His love for us. Yet how often do I allow that grace to impact my daily life. Oh yes, I can speak of doctrine with the best in how we are now "no longer under law but now freed through grace." But grace is so much more than liberation. In a sense, grace is the ultimate servitude. How can I not trust Him when He drew me to Himself? How can I not give Him my all when He sought out me? How can I not live every moment for Him when He died for me? Grace has set us free from the bondage of sin. But grace has also set us free to fall into complete submission under God's almighty hand.

ο Χριστος

(the Anointed One...)

The ancient city of Babylon was tired. Once majestic temples and colonnades now stood empty leaving only memories of what time had ruined. Two global empires had come and passed since the days of the Golden Babylonian Rule, and another iron empire was solidifying its grasp over the known world. Once the capital of all that was great in the world, once the center of learning and knowledge, once the epitome of wealth and prestige, Babylon was now merely a shadow of her former glory.

We were the heirs of a proud and learned tradition. Our knowledge of science, astronomy, and medicine far surpassed the most learned of rulers. The Chaldeans were known world-wide as the greatest in their art. But nearly four-hundred years had passed since our zenith and the Magi were quickly fading into the scrolls of ancient history.

The few remaining Magi had long believed in the Hebrew Meshiach, God's Anointed One. Nebuchadnezzar had made certain that his most prominent wise men believed in the One True God, Jehovah, of Daniel. We had studied Daniel’s writings and his prophecies. We knew Babylon's days were numbers, and Persia's and even Greece's after hers. We were the silent watchers, waiting for the King of the World to come into humanity as a child. Our patience was rewarded with an astronomer's dream, a star of magnificent brilliance shining to lead us to the Judean countryside. Our preparations were made and we flew across the ancient eastern sands. The journey to Jerusalem took over two years. After the endless months of travel we reached the palace of Herod the Great in Jerusalem. He seemed quite surprised to see us, although not completely thrilled. His own wise men, the Pharisees, knew of Whom we spoke, but seemed very unready for His coming. It was almost as if they didn't believe He would come. Herod instructed us to report to Him after we found this King, that he might worship Him. Although that sounded nothing like the Herod we had heard of, we set out for the tiny village of Bethlehem, still following the brilliant star. Our journey's end was found in a small house with a young child and His mother. We worshipped Him at once knowing that He was the King of All, and the One Whom our father Daniel had shown us centuries before.

Born a King on Bethlehem’s plain: gold I bring to crown Him again,
King forever, ceasing never over us all to reign.

For all our learning, we were baffled at the King's arrival to humanity in a poor village. He ruled the world! Why was He here in this humble house? Finally, after four-hundred years of confusion, we began to understand the writings of the prophets. The Meshiach was not just to be a King, He was to be a servant, indeed the greatest Servant to ever walk the earth.

Frankincense to offer have I: incense owns a Deity nigh;
Prayer and praising, all men raising, worship Him, God on high.

We gave Him our three finest gifts, and then began our long journal home. Jehovah appeared to us in a dream and warned us not to go through Jerusalem on our way back to Babylon. Apparently Herod had no intention of worshipping this tiny King. Word reached us on our way home that the evil king had slaughtered all the infants both in Bethlehem and its environs. We knew the Christ-Child was safe, but we mourned for the families whose children were dead. Even the Meshiach's birth came with a price of blood. Finally we reached Babylon. Nearly five years after our journey started we were home. The oldest of the Magi died several days later. On his deathbed he instructed us to keep studying. There was one aspect of this King's arrival that puzzled him. He knew that Daniel's prophecy gave a timeline, but not of the Christ's birth. He made us swear to find out what Daniel had meant in his cryptic writings. The next twenty-five years were spent pouring over the writings of the prophets trying to interpret all that we could about this King's life and ministry. Jehovah was with us and we finally understood what Daniel meant! But for all our understand we were in great confusion, for Daniel told that the Meshiach would be cut off. Isaiah said the same thing...and the time-table was nearly at hand! But by this time I was the only one of the Magi able to make the trek back across the desert. With the blessing and prayers of the elderly Magi in Babylon I raced past the ruined cities of Babylon, over the mountains of the Phoenicians, and to the city of Jerusalem. I arrived the day after the King had entered His city. His people were elated that He had finally come, but the religious rulers were furious. So this was how the Anointed One was to be cut off. I had seen this King as an infant, and I would watch Him now die. The following days saw the public opinion turn against the Meshiach as never before. He was handed over to the Romans and executed in the most inhuman of methods. Then He was dead. The Anointed Servant of God was laid in a mortal tomb, murdered by the ones He came to save.

Myrrh is mine: its bitter perfume breathes a life of gathering gloom-
Sorr'wing, sighing, bleeding, dying, sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

For three days His followers hid, mourned, and despaired. Daniel was right, the Meshiach was cut off from His people and the writings gave little indication of hope. But Jehovah was the God of miracles. He provided a star for us to find the Child and He kept the Child from Herod's soldiers. The plan of Jehovah triumphed the day after Passover, for the Holy One of Israel rose from the grave conquering once and for all both death and sin. No sacrifice would ever be needed again for the Perfect Lamb of God was slain and given life again.

Glorious now behold Him arise: King and God and Sacrifice;
Alleluia, Alleluia! Earth to heav'n replies.

Γεθσημανι

(Gethsemane...)

Go to dark Gethsemane, you that feel the tempter's power;
Your Redeemer's conflict see; watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away;
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.

Follow to the judgment hall; view the Lord of life arraigned.
O the wormwood and the gall! O the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not His suffering, shame, or loss;
Learn of Him to bear the cross.

Calvary's mournful mountain climb; there, adoring at His feet,
Mark that miracle of time, God's own sacrifice complete:
"It is finished!" hear the cry;
Learn of Jesus Christ to die.

Early hasten to the tomb where they laid His breathless clay;
All is solitude and gloom, who hath taken Him away?
Christ is risen! He meets our eyes.
Savior, teach us so to rise.
James Montgomery



My Jesus, my Adonai. You bore the cross and all the wrath of God to take away my sin. In Your death I have life, and in Your risen body is power for me to die. May I daily give myself over to You to do as You will. May my cross never seem to me to large to bear. May I trust You in all that You do. May I be willing to give to You all no matter how dear I hold it to my heart. May I love You and You alone as You deserve.

Σιωπα, πεφιμωσο

(Hush, be still...)

Storms are beautiful to watch. The power and fury of the wind and the rain, the biting chill of a snowstorm: awe-inspiring. To watch a wall of rain come in across the fields followed by sizzling lighting and rumbling thunder will leave you speechless at the magnitude of the storm. Storms are absolutely amazing to watch, unless you are on the inside.

When you stand in the wind watching trees bending and breaking, large barrels rolling across the pasture like tin cans, straight line winds, beauty turns to terror. When the storm is so strong the house sounds like it will break, the trees crack and fly across the yard, and the rain stings like a hornet, then your perspective changes.

"Simon! We can't stay out here much long!"

I've never been on a body of water in a serious storm. But I've been told it's one of the most frightening experiences a man can have.

"The sail is ripping!"

Small lakes are notorious for storms that come out of nowhere. When a vessel is caught in one of these storms, all she can do is pray her hull is sturdy and the winds will end soon.

"Thaddaeus and James can't hold the rudder Simon! We have to get off this lake!"

To fight for your life in the middle of a lake, knowing the shore is too far away to reach, must make the fight for survival that much more difficult.

"Adonai Elohim! Have mercy on us!"

They were fighting for their very lives...and He slept.

"Rabbi! Do You not care that we are perishing?"





"Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, "Why are you so timid? How is it that you have no faith?" And they became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"
Mark 4:35-41



Be still, my soul! the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul! thy best, thy heav'nly Friend
Thro' throny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul! thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul! the hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul! when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Katharina A. Von Schlegel



Even so come quickly Lord Jesus.