We live in the shadows of rejected Light,
Where darkness praises morning’s thief;
Yet one day soon, dawn shall burn bright.
We live in the lowlands of earth’s broken blight,
Where death is claiming victory;
We live in the shadows of rejected Light.
Our souls rest trembling in the night,
Our spirits bound in faint belief;
Yet we know soon, dawn shall burn bright.
And we deeply bear these words I write,
Our wearied hearts cry for relief…
We live in the shadows of rejected Light.
Yet, we stand in hope and quiet might;
For He still whispers “come and see.”
Yes, we live in the shadows of rejected Light,
But one day soon…dawn shall burn bright.
– “Come and See, Rejected Light”
Have You Stilled Your Spirit Before God?
“When anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul.” – Psalm 94:19
I have lately been convicted of having an unfocused spirit.
It is so human, really. Such a normal, simple, consistent way of our sinful nature. We are busy people. Not just physically, but mentally…emotionally. I can do all the “Christian” things and still bear a thousand anxieties in my mind which drift my heart far away from the silence He calls me to.
I am so preoccupied by my selfish acceptance of His perfect grace that I have forgotten to thank Him. I have forgotten to talk to Him. I have forgotten to simply be with Him.
And I am burdened by this truth.
It pains me to admit that even in scheduled times of prayer, my mind is drifting.
I have forgotten the preciousness of experiencing Jesus.
It sounds rather terrible when worded like that, no? But it is the simple reality of it. I have traded the Sacred for the fleeting, filthy Dusts of this earth.
However, God is not surprised by this. He is very much aware that the humans He delights in seeking – for a reason we shall never fully grasp, I think – are so small, so foolish, so deprived of all real understanding of goodness, that we often stray from the faithful way.
And yet, in our foolish searching for fleeting things, He is ever beckoning, “come and see” the glory-full reflections of today.
Have You Heard the Faithful Calling?
“Come and see.”
This was not just a call from Jesus to the disciples, so many, many years ago. This is a soul-felt cry which has reached out to every weary heart from the moment of creation and for all eternity. The Artist of Life has always been calling His creation to “come and see.” Every sunrise, every birdsong, every buried sorrow, and every heartfelt joy…all these seemingly small things in life are whispers deep within our spirits to come and see.
Romans 1:20 says, “For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, [unbelievers] are without excuse.”
Since the beginning of time, God has been whispering, “come and see My hope in this darkness. Come and see My beauty in this pain. Come and see My justice in this trial. Come and see My sorrow in your heartache. Come and see My steadfast heart in a world that ever ebbs and flows. Come and see.”
Such is a beckoning call to the pondering soul…and it is ever reaching out. God has always been whispering “come and see.” But we choose our attentiveness to His seeking. And often, sadly, we choose to stop listening to that beautiful, hopeful call.
Have you been listening lately? Have you heard the call? Have you seen His heart?
Be still. Quiet your soul.
Jesus is calling you to “come and see” the glory-full reflections of today.
Are you willing?
Does Your Heart Overflow?
I recently found an old journal entry in which I described someone as “a sojourner for Christ, whose heart overflows with the delight of Jesus.”
Oh, my heart. Even just reading the words again, I am reminded of the passion and graciousness…the genuine spirit which teemed from this dear soul’s heart. She simply loved Jesus.
And He is so worth loving.
The more I search for Him, the nearer my spirit draws to Him, the more I begin to see how deeply I long to love Him.
He is so beautiful.
Even just thinking about how wonderful He is, makes my heart want to overflow with gladness. And I do not say that in a dramatic light. I cannot begin to express how precious He is. How good…how kind.
Life with Him is simply amazing.
Don’t miss it.
To miss knowing Jesus – the bright and burning Light in these shadow-filled lands – will be the grandest mistake of your entire life. You will regret it endlessly. I know because I deeply regret all the days I wallowed in my pride and ignored His beauty. It breaks my heart to know my own selfishness and stubbornness.
Yes…the days are dark.
But a brighter dawn is coming. Do you know the King who summons the sun to rise? Does your heart overflow with the knowledge of Him?
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” – Corinthians 2:14
Be still. Quiet your soul.
Jesus is calling you to “come and see” the glory-full reflections of today.
Are you willing?
And The Things of Earth Will Grow Strangely Dim
The secret to lessening the darkness is not ridding the night of its temporary reign. No…the secret – which really is no secret at all – is simply to turn your eyes upon Jesus. To “look full in His wonderful face.” Because you are not strong enough to overcome this darkness. You and I cannot outlast this long and heavy night.
But…we can dwell forever in the hope of a rising dawn.
We can rest in the promise that one day the glory-full reflections we now hold in broken jars…will be exchanged with the deep and lasting experience of Him as we were intended to know from the very beginning.
“For now, we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” – 1 Corinthians 13:12
And it will be beautiful.
So, take courage.
Be still. Quiet your soul.
Jesus is calling you to “come and see” the glory-full reflections of today.
Are you willing?
This is beautiful and convicting. It makes me wonder how many sacred moments I have missed. I don’t want to miss anymore of them. I want to be someone who comes and sees when Jesus calls. I don’t think I’ve done a good job of that so far in my life. Thank you for this.
Oh my Rue! Every time you write an article, it deeply convicts me! Spending time with Jesus can be so overlooked, but Eternal life is “Knowing God and the One he sent”, so time spent with him is so important! Thank you so much for sharing this.
I absolutely agree, Elle. ♡ I am glad God grants grace in our shortcomings, though. He is jealous for His glory, but He is also patient in our distracted seeking of His heart. He is really, truly lovely.
This is beautiful, Maryann. I am so glad He saves and sends that we might delight in His glory and that His name might be eternally proclaimed. ♡ May our prayer ever be that we would draw nearer to Him in that beautiful salvation!
Thank you so much Rue! Amazing posts! I just love reading everything you share with us here! I really needed this post! Keep shining for Jesus! The world needs more of you!
I am so glad Jesus uses our simple, human words to glorify His name, Jonas! Thank you for the encouragement, and I pray you keep shining for Jesus too! He is ready and willing to use our lowly, human hearts.
This really spoke to me on so many levels. It reminded of key times in my life when He spoke to me, and I was so grateful that I followed His lead. I needed this today as I seek His will for my future. Thank you for writing and posting on the internet. Thank you for pointing us to His glory for us all to experience. I am so grateful for you and all that you are doing to glorify Him. Keep up the great work as He leads you.