"Get you up to a mountain"--to see His glory!

     My view right now from our porch--

      "Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, 'Behold your God!' Behold the Lord God comes with might, and His arm rules for Him; behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.  He will tend His flock like a shepherd; He will gather His lambs in His arms; he will carry them in His bosom and gently lead those that are with young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?" (Isa.40:9-12)
       What an awesome Creator and Sustainer--He who "measured the waters in the hollow of His hand…and weighed the mountains in scales."  Can you imagine the immensity of such a God?  The unimaginable vastness of His power?
      And yet, He is also our Good Shepherd, who tenderly and gently leads and carries us.
      Stunning, almighty power…yet also sweet gentleness and grace.  The Lion and the Lamb.
      Such is our God, and there is none other.
      Sometimes we simply need a fresh vision of His greatness and glory.  In the nitty gritty of life, we tend to lose sight of how awesome, how wondrous He is.  If we find ourselves overwhelmed with fear and anxiety, well, that's a good indication we've lost sight of the majestic gloriousness of our God.
      So, to borrow the Psalmist's words, if you've forgotten, time to "get you up to a high mountain!"  Or maybe get you to a wide ocean…or a rippling brook…or even a path in the woods.  Cease all your strivings for a moment, pause, look around, and be amazed at His wonderful handiwork on full display all about you.
      Will He who crafted such glories not also tenderly and perfectly care for you?
      As James Taylor once famously sang, "It's all a matter of opening up your eyes, and looking around…'cause it's all there."  Just walk outside and be astounded by the work of Your Creator and Redeemer:
      The busy, buzzing bumblebee--

     The fragile, ephemeral beauty of the butterfly--

     The sweet companionship of your dog--

     And that's just from a two minute trip out into the yard!  We need to open our eyes to His works all around us and open our hearts to the treasures in His Word and be amazed…and then transform that amazement into worship.
     So thank You, Father, for Your creation--so vast, so varied, and so reflective of Your glory.  And thank You for Your Word that reveals to us who You are, what You've done, and where Your children are headed (hint: glory!).  Open our eyes, this day, Father, that we might glimpse Your glory…and be transformed from glory to glory.
     To God be the glory.