HEAD(hed), (n.) 1. the top part of the human body or the front part of an animal where the eyes, nose, east and mouth are. "Your brain is in your head." DIBS(dibz), (n.) 2. a thick, sweet syrup made in countries of the East, especially the Middle East, from grape juice or dates. [Arabic "debs"]--World Book Dictionary, 1976.
I just love this picture: boy and plane, off the ground.
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Confidence Leads to Thanksgiving.
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“What is this confidence that you have?” These are the words of an invader. The Assyrian army has seized all the fortified cities of Judah and is now on the doorstep of Jerusalem. The Assyrian king sent three generals to speak with Hezekiah, not face to face, but to shout public humiliations over the wall. Listen to them strip every ounce of hope in the hearing of the people, “You say (but they are only empty words), ‘I have counsel and strength for the war.’ Now on whom do you rely, that you have rebelled against me? . . . Have I come up without the Lord’s approval against this place to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’” (see 2 Kings 18-9-19:37)
I am firmly convinced that when J.R.R. Tolkien wrote The Battle of Helm’s Deep in “The Two Towers” he had the Assyrian invasion in mind. Peter Jackson did a fairly good job capturing the scene for us:
Yes, I think that is fairly accurate (even of the Assyrians).
Psalm 46 was composed during this very time, when then enemy was camped on the doorstep. The sense of the Hebrew in the first verse reads, “God is our refuge and strength, abundantly available for help in tight places.” I don’t like being in tight spots. They stress me out. I don’t do stress well.
The structure of Psalm 46 is beautiful: God is our refuge. He is at the top of the list as the bottom-most foundation. While everything around is falling apart, God remains unshakable, immovable. Hezekiah takes the letters of the invaders and spreads both them and himself out before God where he prays to God, His confidence. That very night, the Assyrian generals met Hezekiah’s confidence when 185,000 Assyrians met the angel of the Lord. Sennacherib, king of Assyrian, retreated.
The psalmist (and Hezekiah) placed their confidence in God because He does not move. The earth moves. Water is patient in its work, and the mountains fall down, but the water only bubbles and retreats in laughter when it is done. Men trip over stones that were once mountains and every mountain of a man falls.
God as refuge is the dwelling place for all who need protection and strength. Think of it: a city is made up of people, so all the people who abide in God will not be moved, even as enemies rage through the night. God will help and night turns to day.
We can take our confidence in God, our refuge. Think for a moment about His mighty work on our behalf: He destroys His enemies, causing their warring to cease, rendering bow, spear and chariot useless. He tells His enemies, “STOP and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Oh, yes! Give thanks because our God is with us, we who dwell in Him who is our refuge. The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
July 2004 I went to Kenya, Africa to speak in two Pastor’s Conferences on the subject of Man, Sin and Salvation. At the end of each day I left just over an hour for questions (half the time were questions touching the subject of my lectures, and the other half for “open questions”; that is, people could ask anything). For the next few weeks, I will be sharing the questions that were asked of me, and my answers—and believe me when I say these people really know how to think! Question from Kenya #1: “Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?” [“ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! ’” (Exodus 33:20) was the basis of the student’s question]. Answer: First, consider those who did see God—how did they respond when they saw Him? They were instantly aware of their sinfulness, and God’s holiness and righteousness (to name a few. And notice also that each responded in an attitude of worship, bowing down): Abraham built altars, wors
“My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee, Wherewith whole shoals of martyrs once did burn, Besides their other flames? Doth poetry Wear Venus' livery? only serve her turn? Why are not sonnets made of thee? and lays Upon thine altar burnt? Cannot thy love Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove Outstrip their Cupid easily in flight? Or, since thy ways are deep, and still the fame, Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose Than that, which one day, worms may chance refuse. Sure Lord, there is enough in thee to dry Oceans of ink; for, as the Deluge did Cover the earth, so doth thy Majesty: Each cloud distills thy praise, and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another use. Roses and lilies speak thee; and to make A pair of cheeks of them, is thy abuse Why should I women's eyes for crystal take? Such poor invention burns in their low mind Wh
ANTONY: I thought how those white arms would fold me in, And strain me close, and melt me into love; So pleased with that sweet image, I sprung forwards, And added all my strength to every blow. CLEOPATRA: Come to me, come, my soldier, to my arms! You’ve been too long away from my embraces; But, when I have you fast, and all my own, With broken murmurs, and with amorous sighs, I’ll say, you were unkind, and punish you, And mark you red with many an eager kiss. John Dryden (1631–1700). “All for Love.” Act 3