Harpies, Demons, and Sirens

Harpies are locked away in the cage, screaming and cursing;

The demons have been sent back to the pit, hissing and roaring.

Sirens are still singing in the mist, tempting onto the rocks.

But all ears are securely covered, and eyes look up and away.

And, they all are hardly heard over psalms being hummed.

The source of the anger and pride surely remains at large;

But, the knife will no longer be turned destructively inward.

Instead, eyes have been removed and the heart circumcised.

And the knife itself is cast into the furnace of forgiveness.

Transformed into prayers 
and pity, it heals, not harms.

There never really were any lies; but, the imposter is gone.

The true man, a failure, but no fake has been raised up again.

Some sort of Solomonic foolishness was substituted for a while.

But true Wisdom has regained the throne, forgiving and healing.

Regrettably, the larger truth is hidden by a deceptive, smaller truth.

But, as always, reality shines through the darkness lighting the way.

Honesty and humility, hunger and home-sickness are the keys.

May mercy be shown to us all as we focus ahead and above.

Lord, cage the harpies, banish the demons, squelch the sirens.

AT THE CROSS – 4 X 4

(This devotional is the culmination of mental meanderings based on a comment the preacher made last Sunday; 
sorry it is outline form, but maybe could be a sermon outline?!  Probably needs to be four lessons)

1.      At the Cross, God’s wrath was …

1.1.   Stirred/incited/enraged

1.1.1.      “what are they doing to my son?!”

1.1.2.      Finger was on the ultimate button!

1.1.3.      “I could have called ten thousand angels…” (Mt.26.53)

1.1.4.      The Temple-cleanser could have cleaned house!

1.2.   Stayed/stopped/sandbagged

1.2.1.      “Father, forgive them …” (Lk.23.34)

1.2.2.      “not my will, but thine be done” (Lk.22.42)

1.2.3.      Imagine God’s hand holding back the heavenly holy hordes!

1.2.4.      He could have washed his hands, like Pilate, of the whole mess

1.3.   Satisfied/paid-off/ransomed

1.3.1.      “it is finished” (Jn.19.30)

1.3.2.      Devil bought off

1.3.3.      Aslin shorn and slain for Narnians

1.3.4.      “he paid a debt he did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay…”

1.4.   Shalom’d/calmed

1.4.1.      “peace be still” (Mk.4.39)

1.4.2.      Threshing floor of Araunah (1Sam.24.16)

1.4.3.      Serpent lifted up in camp (Num.21.9; Jn.3.14)

1.4.4.      God had “counted to ten” and relented

2.      At the Cross, God’s holiness was …

2.1.   Stretched/tested/ (He did it all!)

2.1.1.      Priest (Heb.4.14;10.12)

2.1.2.      Sacrifice (Heb.7.27;10.12); “Lamb of God”

2.1.3.      Altar (Heb.13.10)

2.1.4.      God, being appeased

2.2.   Serious/somber

2.2.1.      Sin is no joking matter

2.2.2.      Many a lamb was bled-out making this point

2.2.3.      The Lamb of God has died!

2.2.4.      A healthy fear of falling into the hands of a Holy God would do us all good

2.3.   Stern/solemn

2.3.1.      “Not bood of bulls and goats…” (Heb.10.4)

2.3.2.      “no angel his place could have taken…” (Heb.1)

2.3.3.      If there is any other way (Gethsemane plea)

2.3.4.      Sweat drops of blood?! (Lk.22.44)

2.4.   Substituted

2.4.1.      You need an A+; only way is to cheat!

2.4.2.      “imputed righteousness” (Rom.4.11,22)

2.4.3.      Unless your righteousness exceed Pharisees -> r. of Christ(Mt.5.20;Phil.3.9)

2.4.4.      Abram believed – acct’d righteousness (Jas.2.23)

3.      At the Cross, God’s love was …

3.1.   Slain (my beloved son…) Love personified

3.1.1.      “…this is my beloved Son…”

3.1.2.      Except a seed die – mighty oak

3.1.3.      Came back, even more passionate

3.1.4.      Obi-Wan Kenobi killed “cannot imagine how powerful”

3.2.   Shown/evidenced/proved

3.2.1.      Jn.3.16 this is how much God love the world…

3.2.2.      Farmer in winter trying to lure birds into barn…become a bird?! Jesus?!

3.2.3.      “If while sinners, how much more…” Rom.5.8-9

3.2.4.      “…no greater love…” (Jn.15.13)

3.3.   Sealed/made sure/assured

3.3.1.      The old, rugged cross is the ultimate Mizpah (Gen.31.48)

3.3.2.      Redemption Rainbow! Not destroy the world

3.3.3.      Ebenezer is raised. (1Sam.7.12)

3.3.4.      “divorce is not an option” (counsel in side room before wedding)

3.4.   Strutted/shown-off/swaggered/exalted

3.4.1.      The best, ever July 4^th has nothing on Good Friday!

3.4.2.      Post-lent mardi gras parade?!

3.4.3.      Imagine all the angels doing a fly-over making the Blue Angels blush!

3.4.4.      Million-Dollar Band would stand in awe at this half-time show!

4.      At the Cross, God’s power was …

4.1.   Surrendered/susceptible’d/vulnerable’d

4.1.1.      “bull in the ring, with hands tied and blind-folded!”

4.1.2.      Armor was off; warrior down

4.1.3.      Aslan on table with demons dancing on him

4.1.4.      Wallace rode into camp with hands in air.

4.2.   Stealthed/secret-ed/sneaked/Trojan-Horse’d

4.2.1.      Ultimate double-reverse halfback-pass!

4.2.2.      Greatest “Sting” of all eternity!

4.2.3.      Aslan awoke and stormed onto the battlefield

4.2.4.      On the third day, Satan surely roared, “he did what?!”

4.3.   Shouted/Screamed

4.3.1.      “death has died!”

4.3.2.      Passover lamb slain and train leaving bondage, get on board.

4.3.3.      Day of Atonement  - annual ritual, imagine the excitement then

4.3.4.      “we are the champions, my friends; you are the losers…” Queen

4.4.   Showered/Spread/scattered/ strewn/sown to all who’d receive it

4.4.1.      Imagine Disney’s gates opening crescendo-ing with Tinkerbell’s magic touch

4.4.2.      Pyrotechnical angel set off the fireworks, with warheads attached! Demons retreating!

4.4.3.      “To all who believe, God gave power to become… (Jn.1.12)

4.4.4.      “God is not willing that any should perish…! (2Pet.3.9)

THEY REMEMBER WHAT WE FORGET?!

Two-year-old Isabella called out, “what a pretty moth…”  But, her twin brother, Daniel, stopped her, warning, “Bella that’s not a moth; it’s a wasp!  It will sting you; and, you will die and have to go back to heaven…”  Whoa!  Such theology from a two-year-old?! (not bad entomology, either)  But, I stop to ponder, does he remember something I have forgotten?  Or, was it just a strange choice of words?

Songwriters have penned such lines as “Puff, the magic dragon …A dragon lives forever but not so little boys …One grey night it happened, Jackie paper came no more,  And puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.  “ that decry the innocence of childhood lost.  Similarly, Peter Pan risks disappearing if children cease to believe.  Wendy grew up.   We too “grow up” and forget.  We can no longer see the angels?!  We become “adult” and seek “adult” things.

Abraham was chosen to keep alive among man, in our hearts and minds, a knowledge of God.  A remnant was chosen from among wayward Israel for this same grand purpose.  Too often, the people were rebuked with such words – (Dt.32.18)  “Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.  (Isa.17.10)  You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.”

A better day is coming!  The Messianic prophet has foretold – (Isa.11.9)  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.  With this “full knowledge” (of things forgotten?!) the prophet speaks of a time when natural (?!) enemies will dwell in harmony – (11.6) The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. … ⁸ The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.”  And, for now, a better life awaits each of us as we set our eyes on Him. 

I am reminded of Solomon’s warning – Eccl.12.1 Remember your Creator  in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come  …  6 Remember him—before the silver cord is severed,  and the golden bowl is broken … 7 and the dust returns to the ground it came from,  and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”  The apostle Paul warned, (2Cor.6.1) As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. (2) For he says,   “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”   I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” 

I want to go back home!  I am suffering homesickness.  I have almost forgotten what it looks like?!  Oh, I do not want to live long enough, or travel far enough, to forget home!  I am just a pilgrim progressing back.  Lord, guide me.