Smartly dressed, she caught my notice in a crisp, white top paired with cropped, black pants. It was also because she was in her (maybe) late 70’s and still very fit.

We were coming from opposite ends, sliding clothing along the women’s rack, when we politely met in the middle and do-si-doed around each other, so we could get back to it. We laughed as we did it.

I said something about how Marshall’s always surprised me, and she agreed. Then we exchanged names. And I said I was looking for a top to wear to a baby shower. And she said she was looking for one to wear to a funeral.

Life and death.  Well, that’s intriguing, I thought.

“Who passed away?” I asked, hoping she wouldn’t mind my question.

“My husband. He swept me off my feet from our first meeting in Italy. He was in the Marines. I followed him to Georgia, and we married right away. 59 years. I really miss him.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said, feeling inadequate.  God, what do I say? “Do you have a community of people who support you?” I heard myself asking.

“No,” she said, “and I’ve just found out I have cancer on top of everything else. I’m not well…” Her voice broke, and she let me hug her. 

“Maria, do you have faith?”

“Yes, I’m Catholic. My faith is important to me.”

“Wanna pray?” I offered, and we bowed our heads. While everybody else in the store slid clothes along the racks for births and deaths and everyday in between, we went straight to the throne room, where time stopped and we asked for help.

When we “came to,” there we were in Marshall’s as before. No one seemed to notice our flight outta Fort Oglethorpe and into glory, but we both felt it. She held my hands tightly, “You’re an angel sent for my worst day,” she said, “and I’ll never forget it.” 

I rarely notice others as I’m going about my day, but this time I did, and the joy was so great, I had trouble falling asleep that night.

Want to feel long-lasting joy? Take time out. You’ll be astonished to find yourself to be the one that’s blessed. 

Today’s passages say more about how taking time out benefits you.

Deuteronomy 33-34

Every now and then, the Bible lets us look behind-the-curtain of reality as we know it to see what’s really going on. This is one of those times.

Moses heads up Mount Nebo to look over the land God’s promised Israel and to die there, but before he goes, he says his last words of blessing to God’s people, De 34:1-3.

While they’re noteworthy, it’s his peek behind the scenes that grabs me this morning, because Moses describes what happened on Mt Sinai 40 years earlier, the place where God gave Israel his 10 Commandments and other laws.

We’re told in Exodus that Mt Sinai is shaking and smoking, and the people have gathered as God’s said, having showered, shaved, and put on clean clothes. That account is told from the people’s perspective, Ex 19:9-20.

But here in Deuteronomy, we get what sounds like God’s take on it, and there’s no smoke or earthquake. There’s only God radiating light as he “came down from Sinai…and dawned from Seir upon them….” How he came down and also dawned at the same time, only God knows, but the point is this–he’s as brilliant as sunshine, as welcoming as sunrise in the morning, De 33:1 MSG (Seir is another name for the area near Mt Sinai, commentary).

There are thousands of angels with him and “tongues of fire streaming,” which is his Holy Spirit made visible. He’s King and these Israelites are his people, who give him obeisance by sitting at his feet and listening to teaching about the law, which is his word, De 33:2-5 MSG (The Message adds “tongues of fire streaming” to the text).

God holds all the pieces of this scene together—the light piercing, his presence warming, his glory dazzling, the tongues flaming, the angels surrounding, the people yielding and listening and learning, De 33:1-5.

Something about this feels oh, so familiar, and then I recognize what it is: it’s the behind-the-scenes reality for believers, who come together for worship and for teaching as a church body, Ps 7:7; 35:18.

When we’re yielded to God, “at [his] feet” and listening to his words and taking them in, God’s light is both coming down and dawning for us, too. Our Great God Almighty and his angels come to us and surround us, while the Spirit with his “tongues of fire” ignites and gives light and insight, flaming our passion for God and his words in the Bible, De 33:1-5 MSG. 

We’re part of a bigger community of faith, and when we gather as a local body, we join in with that assembly of the saints around the world, who also lift their hearts up to worship and to listen.

No one is getting busy here except for God, who’s “coming down” and “dawning.” The people are “sit[ting] at your feet, honoring your teaching” as those who make God their King. He’s the One who’s bringing the glory, the passion, the pouring. Worship is about holding up our empty cups and asking him to fill them, De 33:3-4 MSG; Ps 22:25-26, 102:22.

While we can’t see the Father or the Spirit, we can feel their presence, because of the joy and warmth they bring, because of the insight they give us to understand the word, and because of their light and warmth in other believers.

Passionate worship always reminds me of Anna the Prophetess, who was a widow for 70 years. She spent all her time in the temple, praying and praising. She got it about worship, and she wasn’t about to give it up to hang out at the Mahjong tables at the widows’ shelter or at Laundry Rock, creekside. Her passion was to be in God’s presence, and she was there all the time, likely with and without others, Lk 2:36-38.

Nearly a lifetime of widowhood in that day meant that Anna was poor.  If she had no family, she was poorer still. Great pain drives us into God’s presence, but once there, the sweetness is beyond imagining.  She was met and held, filled and refilled. Like waves rolling onto the beach, God’s supply is endless. Maybe that’s why she never left him, commentary.  

The joy of God’s presence is a blazing campfire with s’mores, a paddle in Lake Blue Ridge, a private island beach in the BVI. My experience with him changes depending on the need, but it begins when I’m crushed and weak. I open my Bible to find him, and he’s never failed to meet me, Ps 21:6, 28:7; 87:7; Is 12:3; Ac 2:28.

I didn’t experience God like this at the beginning. At first I just had tiny inklings–a bit of wind on my cheek–was that a kiss? A stab of joy with a brand new grandbaby–was that your stab? An out-of-the-ordinary cat encounter–are you kidding me?

God has come increasingly over the years. There have been times when I’ve pounded my fists and he’s held me, when I’ve yelled at the top of my lungs and he’s let me, when I’ve felt guilt and shame and heard–or thought–or thought I heard–him whisper, “Come praise!” 

When I’ve felt him closest, it’s nearly always been when I’ve had nowhere else to go and no one else to turn to. He promises that anybody who seeks him, finds him like this, 1 Chr 28:9, 2 Chr 15:2, Je 29:13-14.

I don’t know of any better way to seek him than to read my Bible, or any better jumpstart for reading it than suffering, or any better life-hack than reading it regularly. 

Bible reading is simply picking up God’s landline and listening to what he says to you. It’s a cleverly disguised device–just an ordinary book, right?–that connects you to him and all the joy you can hold, “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart,” Ps 19:8, 119:111 NIV, emphasis added.

If you’re not finding joy in Bible reading, don’t stop. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. Remind God that he’s said joy is there, and you’re holding him to it, because every word he says is true. By the way, this joy isn’t just free—it’s flooding, Ps 118:15, 119:24, 126:3; Is 35:10; Mt 7:7; 1 Thes 1:6.

Taking time-out to read God’s words will fill you slap-up with joy.

*Note: other stories in the Bible where we see-behind-the-curtain are these: when Elijah and his servant see the angel armies, 2 Ki 6:17; when God and satan discuss Job, Job 1:6-12; when satan-as-dragon tries to kill Jesus at birth, Re 12; when Jesus returns on a white horse, Re 19:11-16.

**For cat-encounters-of-the-God-kind, click here and here. 

Luke 13:1-17

Jesus talks about current events—Pilate kills some Jews during worship, and a tower falls on others nearby. Jesus says it wasn’t because these folks deserved it. His words for those listening are, “You, too, will die. Turn to God now!” Lk 13:1-5, my paraphrase.

Next, he tells what seems like a random story about waiting for a tree to bear fruit.  The owner wants to get rid of it, but the gardener asks him to give it more time.  He’ll loosen its roots and fertilize it and see if it bears then, Lk 13:6-9.

Next is another seemingly random event: Jesus heals an arthritic woman on the Sabbath. He frees her from the evil spirit that has her permanently stooped, and he faces some flack for it. But he says that even the naysayers untie their animals on the sabbath to water them.  Why shouldn’t he untie this woman from satan’s hold and free her on the sabbath? Lk 13:10-17.

What do we make of these 3 teachings?

Jesus is the gardener, who loosens roots and feeds hearts, so we can bear fruit for God.  He also talks to God for us, so that we have God’s patience to wait for our fruit to show up, Lk 13:8-9.

He says the time to repent is now, but then he tells a story of God’s patience to wait for us to bear fruit. Which is it–you better hurry because the end is near, or God is patient while he waits for you? Both are true, Jesus says. God is patient, but time is also ticking.

Eventually, you and I will give an account for ourselves. Do we demonstrate the kind of fruit Jesus does, by loving every person we bump into, the way he loved the arthritic woman? In this incident, Jesus demonstrates that following rules isn’t what’s most pleasing–it’s loving those you meet.

Taking time-out to pour into others will fill you slap up with joyful fruit.

Psalm 79

Here’s a feisty psalmist.

Barbarians have ransacked the temple. They’ve thrown human bones to “wild animals to gnaw on.” Everywhere in Jerusalem, Jewish bodies lie unburied and rotting. And the nations are laughing, Ps 79:1-4 MSG.

Asaph calls on God to step up.  He even calls God out. If we’re so special to you, do something!  We’re desperate! Ps 79:5, my paraphrase.

He doesn’t beg God to save them because they deserve it. He doesn’t promise they’ll turn over a new leaf or try harder next time. Aspah focuses on God’s mercy–this is what his plea for help depends on, “You’re famous for helping; God, give us a break!” Ps 79:8 MSG.

He has the courage to talk to God like this because of who God is—the One who’s known for saving and concerned for his reputation, the One who handles payback and forgives sinners and criminals, Ps 79:6-12.

When you’ve got troubles up to your eyeballs, talk to God like he’s the only Savior in town, not like you’re gonna help him out. Because he is the only Savior, and you’re help-less in your tight spot. Might as well admit it.

God’s mercy alone is what we stand on, and this is what emboldens a fiery prayer like Asaph’s, Ps 79:8.

Taking time-out to talk to God will make you slap full of feisty faith, too.

Prayer

God, reading my Bible, serving others, praying like you’re the real Savior I really need. I can’t count how often I bump into this same 3-step. Help me live it and not just write about it.

In Jesus’ name, so be it.

Proverbs 12:25

Worry burdens, but kindness lifts up.

Passages in Deuteronomy, Luke, Psalms, and Proverbs are selected for today in The Yearly Bible.

This was the post for today from iwantmore.blog, my (almost) daily devotional blog.