It’s a good thing we have plenty of parking. There were plenty of cars here, today. A veritable party. From my vantage point next to her, I could see Lydia’s hands shaking with nervousness as her recital was announced over lunch. We’d only planned on family with a couple extras. Instead she played for a full house—played very well, I might add. She has so much more natural grace than her teacher. I’m the one who walks into doorways (instead of through them), trips over her own feet and throws pickles at herself (when she’s trying to eat them). She waltzed into the room with a sweeping bow and delivered an exceptional performance (for a first-time recitalist). And her audience responded kindly with a rousing round of applause. Whew. That’s over and done. We can move on to book two.
For future reference: never allow Josiah, Taylor and Kunal to play on the same Frisbee team. The teamwork between those three was inspiring. It inspired me to turn around and head for the far end of the field as soon as they began passing. I upheld my Frisbee tradition of always colliding with at least one person. Unintentionally, of course. Please recall: I am not exactly graceful. The tradition started almost exactly four years ago, in my first Frisbee game during our first visit to the Tech campus, when Papa and I met midfield and he took a nosedive. This time it was my very own, very protective big brother and team mate who knocked me down—I’d forgotten how painful it is to have the wind knocked out of me. Actually, I think I pretty much plowed right into him. I really ought to upgrade to power brakes and steering.
Meditating on the altar of incense, on which Aaron was to burn a unique fragrance before the Lord—constantly. Skipping to the end of the Word, we are told that the incense burned on the altar in heaven is the prayers of the saints. Our prayers are unique—we aren’t supposed to speak to anyone else as we speak to Yahweh. We are also to pray at all times—continually—to be in an attitude of constant communion with Him, constantly pleasing Him by sending soothing aromas before His throne. We know from Romans that it is through the mediation of Jesus and the help of the Holy Spirit that these prayers can even be made acceptable, for we don’t even know how to pray as we should! Thanks to the consecration I mentioned before—the sprinkling of the atonement Lamb—we can confidently come before Him with requests, entreaties and prayers on behalf of all men, as well as praise and thanksgiving for the mighty works of our God!
I know I so often let the fire on the altar die out.
Lord, that Thou would hear my words,
And even more, that having heard,
Thou would choose to let them be
A pleasing sacrifice to Thee,
And even when I cannot pray
Thou teaches me the words to say,
Is mercy more than I can tell.
Why dost Thou love this dust so well?
No comments:
Post a Comment