holland on a thursday

I'm sitting in a coffeeshop in Main Street Holland, where street performers, walkers, consumers, and just about anyone comes to enjoy the summer night air. I just got back from a stellar weekend with family in Iowa. A little north of my roots, but the weekend on the lake did far more good than I expected. There's something about being around people who love so intensely.

Well, I took it to the max with kayaking, boating, tubing, wakeboarding, waverunning, biking, walking, you NAME IT. I didn't want to stop because it was all my built up hunger for the outdoors at once. Well, it wasn't so cool when I got a cold, bruises, and cramps from my over-exertion but I could tell you it was certainly worth it!:)

I'm chipping away at my English lessons for the upcoming Poland mission trip. Ever so slowly, but my anticipation is building! The closer it gets the stronger my prayer becomes "Lord, whatever brings you glory!"

I'm reading two books right now - Thr3e by Ted Dekker and The Weight of Glory by C.S. Lewis. Both are hitting me in different ways. I can't get through Dekker's fast enough - you know how novels go. But, that Clive Staples. I wish I could just sit next to him for a bit. I think wisdom would just seep out from his suit with the lingering smell of cigar and paper. I guess I'll have to write about both of those later, because right now what'sw on my mind is 2 Samuel.
I've been working my way through the Old Testament and am unmistakably aware of God's providence in giving us His Word completely - Old and New both.

I was talking to my mom about 2 Samuel 7 and she immediately volunteered me to share it with the fam at our own little church service last Sunday. I told her the day before that I could have a 3 or 5 part sermon on it, but she said 5 minutes, so I know I fell dreadfully short of doing the passage justice. God promised David that He will always be with him and his name will be great. God promised to always have a place for David's people and rest from oppression. He also promised to establish a house for David, raising up his offspring and establishing his kingdom. He promised to never take away his love.... and there's so much more! Read it in vs. 1-16.

The promises are amazing, almost absurd as David's reply shows. God would make such promises to a man?

David says WHO AM I, LORD? and what is my family? He wonders out loud why God would choose him to speak to in such an unusual and intimate way.
The verses that follow show David's gratefulness for these promises and his desire to turn it around So that the Lord would be glorified by blessing David's house.

Isn't that our task? To take these absolutely (absurd, really)amazing blessings and turn them back to God so that His name would be great and praised all over the earth. Bless the Lord! David gives God all the praise in verse 22. To GOD be the glory, for David knows that it is nothing he has done, but out of grace that God has chosen.

David gives us an example of how we are to know and believe God's promises. How are we to live into the promises in the Word if we do not know them? A missionary once said - go ahead and challenge God to fulfill his promises! He wants to bless his children as he promised, but do we not need to know what they are and have bold faith, then that He IS faithful?

Inheritance - oh how great and undeserved David's inheritance. Did he live to see the temple built? No, but his family and offspring lived on and Solomon brought the Lord's promise to light and David basked in the Lord's eternal glory in the most brilliant inheritance of all.

And praise God for his grace to include us, even today in such a bright, undeserved inheritance! We are part of that kingdom that lasts forever!

And who am I? I am a brilliant star glittering only in the reflection of a most brilliant Sun.

Praise the Lord. Bless His Name.