Open up before God, keep nothing back; He’ll do whatever needs to be done: He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon. Psalm 37:5-6 THE MESSAGE.

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him. Hebrews 12:5.

Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. Psalm 139:16.

And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 112: To own the title, God or Elohim. Psalm 45:6: Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; a scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom. And, Hebrews 1:8: But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.”

I loved how Dallas Willard continued in his devotional Hearing God this morning: “Many fine people are convinced that the biblical mode of life in God’s kingdom cannot be a reality for them. When we consider a life of participating in God’s kingdom rule, we do not have to make it happen. There is nothing forced about it. We can trust God to do the luminous works and lead us in ways that are suitable to our lives and His calling for us.” That resonated today in our Friday Zoom Retreat when one member shared how she loved that Luke included women and the outcasts in his gospel account because Jesus included everyone and Luke was true to what Jesus did. I immediately thought of Mary. A very young woman, possibly a teenager whom Gabriel told was chosen to be the mother of the Son of God Himself. And she said yes. Everything hinged on that yes. “We can trust God to do the luminous works and lead us in ways that are suitable to our lives and His calling for us.”

Last night I watched The Chosen In the Wild With Bear Grylls and for this final episode with The Chosen cast, he had Jonathan Roumie who played Jesus. This adventure with Bear Grylls was filmed before filming of season 6, which will include the crucifixion. I was struck by how quiet Jonathan was, you could almost see a profound weight he was holding as he talked about playing Jesus; and by what Bear himself asked, how do you portray Jesus, Almighty God? How do you begin? I can’t imagine portraying any of the people involved in such a pivotal time in the history of all of us. Jonathan shared that his faith has always helped him understand that there is more than we can see. That resonated because we can’t see the way forward because it hasn’t unfolded yet. We can plan and prepare and imagine but we can’t know until we live that way forward. And the amazing thing is that God is preparing the very ground within us though we can’t appreciate it until we look back at how our lives have come together in moments that make sense finally. Moments of clarity and understanding best appreciated as we open ourselves fully to God and His love and His purpose for our good.

I loved this today in Jesus Calling by Sarah Young: “I am yours for all eternity. I am the Alpha and the Omega: the One who is and was and is to come. The world you inhabit is a place of constant changes – more than your mind can absorb without going into shock. Even the body you inhabit is changing relentlessly in spite of modern science’s attempts to prolong youth and life indefinitely. I, however, am the same yesterday and today and forever. Because I never change, your relationship with Me provides a rock-solid foundation for your life. I will never leave your side. When you move on from this life to the next, My Presence beside you will shine brighter with each step. You have nothing to fear because I am with you for all time and throughout eternity.”

***I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES – I know that my Redeemer lives and ever prays for me; a token of His love He gives, a pledge of liberty. I find Him lifting up my head; He brings salvation near; His presence makes me free indeed, and He will soon appear. He wills that I should holy be: can I withstand His will? The counsel of His grace in me He surely shall fulfill. Jesus, I hang upon Thy word: I steadfastly believe Thou will return and claim me, LORD, and to Thyself receive. Charles Wesley, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” 1742.***