Thursday, July 19, 2007

The Shining...

Reading through Psalms 79 and 80 over a coffee and breakfast 'nola bar this morning brought a rich picture of the saving God back to my oft-times distracted and silly-hearted life.

The operative word in Psalm 80 is this: shine.

v. 1 "You who are entrhoned upon the cherubim, shine forth."
v. 3 "Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!"
v. 7 "Restore us, O God; let your face shine, that we may be saved!"
v. 19 "Restore us, O Lord God of hosts! let your face shine, that we may be saved!"

The psalm opens with a vivid image of God as the choosing, loving shepherd of Israel. The sons and grandsons of promise, "Joseph... Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh", entreat their good shepherd to stir up his might, shine his face upon his people and deliver them.

Later, the picture is painted of a vine brought out of Egypt and planted in a soil prepared by God himself. This vine grows ripe and tall, but in the end, wild boars and wanderers are privy to take whatever they want from this once-great vine. Again, the psalmist asks for deliverance: "have regard for this vine".

It's been on my mind today, so I figured I'd share some pictures of ways in which God has shown me his great grace in my life. I've been reminded that God alone is the giver of good things, and that I have such great reasons so praise and adore the Lord Jesus.

This is a Southern California sunset, taken by Phil Ellsworth, who shoots for CBU athletics as well as ESPN and others.

This is myself, my friend Kyle and my friend Dan, posed on steps near Saltzburg, Austria this summer.

This is Janelle and I... Need I say more?

The brothers after Casey preached at Dusty's church earlier this year.

Casey. The beach does strange things to a person's body.

A group of us freshman year (2003) at CBU.

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