Doing And Being

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.  Jn.15:4

     I'm sitting here at at table in a cabin perched on a high hill above the Arkansas river near Buena Vista, Colorado.  Though it's cloudy this morning, I have a commanding view of the valley below and above me is one of the high, fourteeners, fourteen thousand foot peaks in our state.  Just outside the large plate-glass windows are some scrub pines and bushes, rocks, bird-baths and hummingbird and other bird feeders. What looks like a dove is out there grubbing through the seed husks thrown out previously by other occupants here, but the cute little hummingbirds haven't arrived quite yet.  I do hope they make an appearance sometime today while I'm painting the trim on this place. They're so fascinating to watch.

     The occasion of my brief stay up here is that I have a customer who owns this little mountain house and has me come up every so often to paint and do various repairs to it.  The benefit to me, a poor painter who is generally swamped with work in the summertime in Colorado Springs, and scarcely has the time or the resources to get away this time of year, especially to such a place as this is fairly obvious.  Of course the mountains are free to all and there for the using, which I love to do, but single as I am, and always desperate for work, one thing or another nearly always keeps, or limits my time up here.  (Oops, there's a fat blue Mountain Jay out there now lingering for a handout, I presume.)  Well, I'm here, for whatever reason in the kind providence of my God, and relishing this brief retreat from the hassles and pressures of business and life down in the city.  Praise God!  He knows what we need and exactly when to give it.

    I was looking on the top of the can of stain yesterday that I left here the last time I washed and stained the deck, and the date I had written thereon was 2001.  Oh my, five years and much of life and learning since that time.  I'm sure I've been up here since, but this place is kind of a measure for me as I come up to work for Phyllis and reflect upon life as I serve her.  She has a CD player and the same small stack of CDs, two of which I always listen to:  Appalachian Memories, hymns set to old instruments and Kingston Trio, Collectors Series.  The hymns take me in the Spirit beyond the times of my life and perhaps like some of the men of old seem to give me visions and dreams of my purpose in the great plan of God.  The Kingston Trio, a rare occasion for any secular music for me, is a little pleasure not begrudged by my Lord though guarded as a glass of wine in private.  That man named Charlie who got stuck on the subway beneath the streets of Boston, poor fellow!

     Seriously though,  this is my time for reflection on the mountain top and a precious time it is indeed.  The one recurring thought that I feel compelled to share with those who would read these notes is the ever present tension in the disciple's life between the doing and the being.  As a younger Christian visions of great exploits for the Lord were ever present, if not always at the forefront of my mind.  They were however much a distant dream as the problems and sins of my youth were always besetting me and thwarting the nobler aspirations of my zealous spirit.  Now, after decades of failure and a series of prolonged miserable trials I've begun to enter a place of restfulness and, hopefully fruitfulness in my brief experience upon this earth.  My final excursion into town last evening for food and fellowship (it was Wednesday night and I thought maybe to catch a local prayer service somewhere) seemed to revive that struggle as I returned to my quiet hideaway.  The town was filled with tourists, some from far away, seeking food, like me after their day of rafting or fishing or whatever.  Lord God!  The lostness of them all as I looked into their mostly young faces.  The need of grace and gratitude to their Creator was so obvious to me, this other-worldly observer.  This tourist place in the middle of a beautiful and bountifully moist season after several years of drought out here just seemed to bring out in fullest measure their worship of the god of self that is so prevalent in our American culture today.  As the old negroes would say, "Laudamussy!"  Lord have mercy upon us, lest we perish in Thy wrath!

O LORD, I have heard thy speech, [and] was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.  Hab. 3:2

     I, myself am safe and the daughter I love so much is covered by my fervent prayers.  I'm privileged to have sweet fellowship with a small group of persevering saints who love Jesus with all their hearts and make every effort to please Him in their lives.  We are separated from world with it's ever-increasing and ever-present wickedness, even in the churches.  But what about these multitudes blindly rushing to the edge of an eternal abyss of damnation, of everlasting fires and "weeping and gnashing of teeth?"  Many are so arrogant with their loud music and loud cars and motorcylces, and toys in their endless search for self-gratification.  I want to leave away from them and their prideful, self-deceived pushiness.  But, God, You won't let me do this.  You won't give me my little cabin by a remote stream somewhere, and a lovely and godly "buggy lady" to be my companion. 

     Lord, the events in this world are more and more reaching a climactic end.  Will You grant one more true revival so that these multitudes will have a last opportunity to flee the wrath to come?  O God I'm sick to death of the phony revivals taking place in the many worldly, "seeker-friendly," self-needs oriented churches that so abound now.  Give true repentance, death to self, true life in the cross of Jesus and a living testimony to your power to save from sin before the antichrist powers that are rising to the fore!  Save Now!  Heal Now!  Restore Now, Thou God of truth, of righteousness and mercy!

     These are the pilgrims, the ones traveling to a new and happy land.  Their hearts are set for the journey and they know the One who has called them to go.  The joy they possess in knowing Him sustains them through every obstacle, casts down every shadow of fear and doubt, and gives courage for their struggles.  Thanksgiving is always on their lips and praise to the God who loves them and leads them through the sorrows of this life with triumph in their hearts and refreshment along the way.  They thank Him for the struggles, because through them they grow stronger and learn to value the perfect redemption and deliverance from  the curse of sin He has wrought for them.  They thank Him in the midst of the struggles because this gives a glorious witness before all the creation of the power of His grace in their lives, His ability to save to the uttermost those who have come to Him for help.  And they thank Him despite the troubles because they know they have an enduring possession in their new home that cannot be shaken or ever taken away from them.

     In this pilgrimage, every negative thing becomes a positive that ulitmately works for their good and for God's glory.  Every heartache, physical and mental pain, every sorrow, every death to self is a new gateway to joy and fulfillment and healing and happiness, though not always manifested immediately.

     How they love their God and long to please Him, volunteering to do mighty exploits for the glory of His Name!  How fervent is their love and zeal for Him, and love for one another as they show compassion on each other in their common pains and struggles.  And how earnest are their prayers and pleadings to Him in their dire neediness as they constantly cast their burdens upon the One who only can supply and does so ever so generously for their good.

   O what a satisfying relationship these happy and holy ones have with their Shepherd, their Guide, their Sustainer, their Helper, their Lord, King, Father and elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ!  If only they would keep Him constantly in remembrance, in the forefront of their view, the way would always be bright and plain, and the journey most pleasant.  May this be the case as we go our way to our heavenly destination, as we persevere through the darkness of this present time holding fast to Jesus' hand and showing grace and kindness to those we encounter along the way!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  (Joh 16:33)